Premier Sports, a leading UK and Ireland pay-TV network, has secured a long-term broadcast deal for Scottish soccer’s SPFL matches. The five-year agreement will see the broadcaster show 20 live and exclusive Premiership matches each season, starting from the 2024-25 campaign.
The rights were acquired by Premier Sports as part of a competitive bidding process that attracted multiple bidders. This announcement comes on the heels of an extension to the league's contract with Sky Sports in 2022. The pay-TV giant managed to secure rights to broadcast up to 60 live Premiership matches per season.
Enhancing coverage of Scottish football
This new deal significantly enhances Premier Sports' coverage of Scottish football. The broadcaster already showcases domestic competitions such as the Premier Sports Cup (which it title-sponsors) and Scottish Cup, along with home internationals featuring Scotland's national team.
SPFL group chief executive, Neil Doncaster said:
“This is tremendous news for SPFL clubs and supporters alike and means that up to 80 Premiership matches will be broadcast live next season across Sky Sports and Premier Sports. This will be the highest number of live matches ever broadcast from the Scottish Premiership.
“We are extremely grateful to Premier Sports for their increased investment into the game, which will bring an additional eight-figure sum into Scottish football over the next five years, meaning further record-breaking payments to clubs.”
In late last year, Premier Sports reacquired its UK business from Viaplay Group after the Swedish media company divested completely from the UK market. As part of this transaction, Premier reclaimed its UK sports channels and associated rights.
A broad spectrum of sporting rights
Premier Sports is not only limited to broadcasting football but also holds broadcasting rights for several other sports in the UK market. It serves as both a premium TV channel and an online service provider for various sporting events.
The service currently holds exclusive broadcasting rights for Spanish soccer’s top-tier LaLiga matches in addition to rugby union’s United Rugby Championship and ice hockey's NHL within its portfolio.
This long-term deal between SPFL and Premier Sport marks another significant step towards enhancing access to high-quality football content for fans across Ireland and the UK. With this agreement in place, viewers can look forward to enjoying more live action from their favourite teams starting from season 2024-25.
