Premier League UK TV rights sold for record HK$60 billion – a 70% hike
New deal means every match costs over 10 million pounds
Broadcasters Sky and BT on Tuesday won the UK television rights to broadcast Premier League football games in 2016-2019 for a record £5.1 billion (HK$60 billion), the league said.
The stunning 70 percent price hike is the result of a ferocious bidding war that has seen BT muscle in on what had been Sky’s territory and has included reported bids from America’s Discovery Network and Qatar’s beIN Sports.
Sky will pay £4.2 billion for five of the seven packages and will show 126 matches per season, including the new Friday night slot for 10 games, with BT retaining the other two, totalling 42 matches.
The Premier League cashes in at home, but offers rights much cheaper abroad to try to spread its brand - Hong Kong's Now TV are believed to have paid around HK$1.5 billion in 2012 to win the rights until 2016.
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said the deal meant “money will continue to be invested in putting on the best show and new stadiums and heavily in youth.