The Premier League, one of the most popular football leagues in the world, has announced a significant change in its media operations. The league is set to bring all international media content production and distribution in-house from the start of the 2026/27 season. This move marks an end to its 20-year relationship with IMG under Premier League Productions (PLP).
At a recent Premier League Shareholders’ meeting, clubs unanimously agreed on this strategic shift. For two decades, PLP and IMG have worked together to provide comprehensive coverage of all 380 Premier League matches each season along with wide-ranging support programming.
PLP's services extend beyond just broadcasting matches; they produce content for more than 180 countries worldwide. However, as part of their new strategy, the league will now take control over these operations.
Transition period
Despite this decision marking an end to their long-standing partnership, both organisations will continue working together until the completion of two more seasons. This transition period ensures that broadcasters receive consistent service during this time. Premier League chief media officer Paul Molnar expressed his views on this development but did not provide specific details about how they plan to manage these changes internally.
Premier League chief media officer, Paul Molnar, said:
“IMG has been a fantastic partner for the Premier League over the past 20 years. They have worked tirelessly on our behalf to provide world-class content and services to our international partners. During this time, our partnership has been at the forefront of broadcast innovation to deliver top-class programming week in, week out throughout the season. This has all come together to play a vital role in growing our global audiences and popularity. As we move the media production operations in-house, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a best-in-class content service to our partners and millions of passionate fans around the world.”
Barney Francis, EVP studios at IMG also shared his thoughts on this significant shift within their operational structure.
Barney Francis, EVP studios, IMG, said:
“Our work with the Premier League has been game-changing, both for how fans enjoy football, and for the growth of the Premier League’s international audience and business. Working at the cutting edge of sports production for 20 years, we are proud to have launched many innovations together - from PLTV in 2010, which opened up the global TV rights market, to the transition from SD to HD, and then to 4K.
“We have built a state-of-the art virtual studio, produced award-winning digital content and introduced new cameras and feeds that have made the Premier League’s programming a gold standard for global sports broadcasting. With IMG’s wider production work for rightsholders such as the EFL, MLS and Apple, the Saudi Pro League, EuroLeague and ETP, we are continuing to power live sports broadcasting, leveraging new technologies and reaching wider audiences as our business continues to grow internationally.”
What lies ahead?
The specifics regarding how exactly the new in-house media operations business will function are yet to be announced by The Premier League. It is expected that further details about how they plan to handle production and distribution processes internally will be released soon.
This move by The Premier League signifies a growing trend among sports organizations towards taking greater control over their content production and distribution channels. It allows them greater flexibility and autonomy while potentially offering fans a more direct connection with their favorite teams and players.
While this decision marks the end of a long-standing partnership with IMG, it also signifies a new era for The Premier League. It will be interesting to see how this change impacts the league's global reach and its relationship with sports fans and sports betting fans around the world.
