30-05-2024, 05:47 PM
(30-05-2024, 05:02 PM)Brekkie Wrote: Interesting the deal starts half way through the season - guess Sky want a period of exclusivity but not sure 4-5 months makes much difference.
Also interesting that article does mention a dedicated channel alongside Sky Sports+ - not seen that mentioned before but a Sky Sports EFL channel would make sense.
I think the original Sky press release on Sky Sports + mentioned something like a 'showcase channel' of Sky Sports +. Not sure what that means really, with the tennis already on Sky Sports Tennis, the rugby league already on Action/Arena and the EFL already on Sky Sports Football, but there will need to be more room for the SPFL (and Bundesliga for the next 12 months) to fit on Football.
It is rather odd that the live games kick in at the semifinals in 24/25, but from the first round in 25/26. I can only concur this is to boost Sky in the first year of the new expanded contract.
Got to say this deal is very great news for the EFL and for FTA fans. I thought the BBC deal around 2010 was the best we ever would have got (with 10 live Championship games and two semifinal legs and the final of the League Cup live) but this surpasses it quite considerably. For the League Cup, this is a much needed injection of interest, especially with matches being played on European weeks in the early rounds now (there will be a tweaking the draw of round three to avoid the newly entered European teams playing each other then, with that round being played over two European midweeks). Since the loss of live coverage in 2012 or so, the Cup does feel the poorer relative of all the other competitions. Also great for ITV and FTA audience as ITV is set to lose all its live domestic football with the change of the FA Cup deal in 12 months time, and likewise for FTA viewers who would receive less live football before this announcement. It must be a long while since the biggest teams like Manchester United and Liverpool got on TV before January, which looks feasible in 2025.
www.efl.com