Sport on TV - Football rights and UK viewing
Few major football rights deals have been announced since auctions for UEFA rights in its top five markets and LaLiga’s new domestic cycle were completed late last year.
Football is increasing its dominance of sports viewing in the UK driven by expanded live coverage from broadcasters, and continues to be one of the youngest-skewing sports alongside darts and F1.
As premium football rights continue to take the lion’s share of sports rights spending, Sky’s recently extended partnership with Formula One shows the value of complementary rights properties.
Related reports
UEFA and LaLiga lift market: Football rights tracker H2 2025
16 December 2025The Champions League is further increasing its share of the total value of European football media rights.
In Spain, LaLiga has extended its partnerships with Telefónica and DAZN until 2032.
Ligue 1’s direct-to-consumer service needs partners if the French league’s rights are to return to the value of its previous cycle.
Ligue 1 goes direct-to-consumer: Partners needed
9 July 2025After four failed broadcast licence deals over five years, France’s top football league will launch its own subscription service in August.
In the short-term, consumer take up will critically depend on bundling arrangements with third-party platforms.
Longer-term, the league will need to establish lasting partnerships. Outdated competition rules are an obstacle, but the Dutch model is worth considering.
As Ligue 1 seeks yet another broadcast arrangement for next season, the French league’s value is expected to erode further.
Outside the UK, the value of major leagues’ live rights are trending downwards. The Champions League—now sold by Relevent—is the silver lining, seeking to sign up a streamer.
Global streaming platforms have a growing appetite for sports rights—but European leagues need patience.
UEFA and Relevent, a newly appointed media rights sales partner, are already surveying the rights market for the next cycle starting in 2027.
With minimal competitive tension in major European markets, incumbent broadcasters are unlikely to increase their bids.
Relevent will, however, try to leverage increased US appetite for soccer to lure a streamer into a global deal.
US streamers and sports: Europe is a tougher nut to crack
27 January 2025Global streamers have expanded their US premium sports coverage, but this will be difficult to replicate in Europe.
The main obstacle is much lower advertising revenues in European sport.
The concentration of European football rights and small pools of buyers mean that premium sports must be retailed on an opt-in basis.
UEFA and LaLiga lift market: Football rights tracker H2 2025
16 December 2025The Champions League is further increasing its share of the total value of European football media rights.
In Spain, LaLiga has extended its partnerships with Telefónica and DAZN until 2032.
Ligue 1’s direct-to-consumer service needs partners if the French league’s rights are to return to the value of its previous cycle.
Ligue 1 goes direct-to-consumer: Partners needed
9 July 2025After four failed broadcast licence deals over five years, France’s top football league will launch its own subscription service in August.
In the short-term, consumer take up will critically depend on bundling arrangements with third-party platforms.
Longer-term, the league will need to establish lasting partnerships. Outdated competition rules are an obstacle, but the Dutch model is worth considering.
As Ligue 1 seeks yet another broadcast arrangement for next season, the French league’s value is expected to erode further.
Outside the UK, the value of major leagues’ live rights are trending downwards. The Champions League—now sold by Relevent—is the silver lining, seeking to sign up a streamer.
Global streaming platforms have a growing appetite for sports rights—but European leagues need patience.
UEFA and Relevent, a newly appointed media rights sales partner, are already surveying the rights market for the next cycle starting in 2027.
With minimal competitive tension in major European markets, incumbent broadcasters are unlikely to increase their bids.
Relevent will, however, try to leverage increased US appetite for soccer to lure a streamer into a global deal.
US streamers and sports: Europe is a tougher nut to crack
27 January 2025Global streamers have expanded their US premium sports coverage, but this will be difficult to replicate in Europe.
The main obstacle is much lower advertising revenues in European sport.
The concentration of European football rights and small pools of buyers mean that premium sports must be retailed on an opt-in basis.