By Robbie Butler
Last month I wrote about the upcoming auction for the 2019-22 Premier League seasons. Yesterday is was announced that BSkyB and BT had won the rights to 5 of the 7 packages on offer. This means a possible continuation of the status quo. Only when the final two package winners are revealed will it become clear if the current duopoly is move towards an oligopoly of sorts.
To update on what we now know, the table below is an updated version of last month's blog post. The only significant change is BT's recapturing of the Saturday lunchtime kick-off, a slot they held from 2013-2016. Sky's monopoly of Sunday football will last for at least 20 years (1992 to 2022).
Last month I wrote about the upcoming auction for the 2019-22 Premier League seasons. Yesterday is was announced that BSkyB and BT had won the rights to 5 of the 7 packages on offer. This means a possible continuation of the status quo. Only when the final two package winners are revealed will it become clear if the current duopoly is move towards an oligopoly of sorts.
To update on what we now know, the table below is an updated version of last month's blog post. The only significant change is BT's recapturing of the Saturday lunchtime kick-off, a slot they held from 2013-2016. Sky's monopoly of Sunday football will last for at least 20 years (1992 to 2022).
In terms of what has been paid so far, it seems a levelling off has occurred. The exponential increase in revenues, which started in 2013 and ran to 2019, does not seem to have continued. While the overall figure paid for the 200 games on offer is likely to eclipse the £5.136 billion paid last time around, the percentage increase in fee is likely to be more modest than the last two rounds of bidding.
With Package F and G still up for grabs the current outlay by BSkyB and BT has reached $4.46 billion. The two smaller packages of 20 games each will probably push the total somewhere close to £5.5 billion. The graphic below illustrates where things stand right now.
With Package F and G still up for grabs the current outlay by BSkyB and BT has reached $4.46 billion. The two smaller packages of 20 games each will probably push the total somewhere close to £5.5 billion. The graphic below illustrates where things stand right now.
Left-hand axis measured in £bn ***** Right-hand axis measures EPL games for sale
A maximum of 148 games can be held by one operate so it is possible that BSkyB could win Package F or G. BT Sport could also win one or both, resulting in a continuation of the current duopoly. However, don't rule out a third entrant. Amazon probably being the most likely.
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