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English Football League rights: Sky pays more for so much more

12 May 2023
Access report

Sky will retain its English Football League (EFL) live coverage until 2029. While the price of the rights is up 50% (20% in real terms), the number of fixtures broadcast will increase fourfold to over 1,000 matches per season.

Sky's current EFL rights are very good value in terms of viewing—this will remain the case in the new rights cycle given the potential for broadcasting many more high profile matches.

With Sky retaining the EFL rights for relatively little more, there could be a similar outcome for the PL auction due later this year. Higher costs could be balanced by more matches, even if the 3pm blackout remains in place.

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20 January 2021

The value of certain sports rights can be appraised through three major metrics: the ability to command viewing/engagement, the ability to drive subscriptions incremental to other rights, and the propensity of those subscribers to provide the rights holder with additional revenues.

In this report we examine these three metrics in order to gain an understanding of the tensions in the market, along with the reasons as to why there is competition (or not) for certain rights.

Unsurprisingly, outside of a few primary sports rights, there are an abundance of secondary rights which find it difficult to display their value over others. Their value relies just as heavily on whether rights holders are committing to, or retreating from, major rights.

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The total value of European football media rights has stagnated since the end of the last decade, translating into a real terms decline.

New entrants like DAZN and Amazon have occupied the space left open by incumbents such as Sky and Canal+.

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Access report

  • Analysing UK sports rights: The different value components

    20 January 2021

    The value of certain sports rights can be appraised through three major metrics: the ability to command viewing/engagement, the ability to drive subscriptions incremental to other rights, and the propensity of those subscribers to provide the rights holder with additional revenues.

    In this report we examine these three metrics in order to gain an understanding of the tensions in the market, along with the reasons as to why there is competition (or not) for certain rights.

    Unsurprisingly, outside of a few primary sports rights, there are an abundance of secondary rights which find it difficult to display their value over others. Their value relies just as heavily on whether rights holders are committing to, or retreating from, major rights.

    Access report

  • Football rights tracker: Will tech platforms save the leagues?

    20 April 2023

    The total value of European football media rights has stagnated since the end of the last decade, translating into a real terms decline.

    New entrants like DAZN and Amazon have occupied the space left open by incumbents such as Sky and Canal+.

    Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Premier League will tender rights this year, entertaining unrealistic expectations of bids from Apple.

    Access report