The Premier League’s plans to launch its own Netflix-style streaming service could transform how armchair fans engage with the competition.
Chief executive Richard Masters recently confirmed that ‘Premier League +’ would be rolled out in Singapore next season and could be replicated worldwide in the future.
Given football’s status as one of the most popular sports, it is little wonder that Masters is eager to maximise the Premier League’s global revenue streams.
The new service could ultimately revolutionise how fans across the planet engage with the Premier League. Read on as we take a closer look.
The current landscape
Sky Sports and TNT Sports are the primary broadcasters of the Premier League in the United Kingdom, although the former undoubtedly dominates the landscape.
Their four-year £6.7 billion deal runs until 2029 and gives them the rights to broadcast 215 top flight matches per season from August 2025.
Sky’s acquisition of four out of the five live rights packages means they broadcast more than 80 percent of all live domestic matches. TNT shows 52 games per season.
While there is currently no streaming-only or direct-to-consumer (DTC) service, Sky has incorporated multi-platform broadcasting into its offering.
More than three-quarters of their customers sign up to internet-delivered services rather than the go down the satellite dish route.
With the Premier League now committed to 267 live matches per season, they have moved a step closer to a scenario where every fixture is broadcast live.
How will Premier League + work?
Premier League + will be an app which fans can download onto their smart televisions, computers or smartphones that would allow them to watch all 380 matches per season.
There would also be other supporting content streamed which would create a 24/7 service, although Masters has not revealed what this would entail.
Fans will be able to choose from a range of purchase options which likely be monthly subscriptions, pay-per-view for individual games and club-specific packages.
The decision to launch Premier League + in Singapore is a strategic move designed to test the product in a smaller market alongside its existing broadcast deal.
However, judging by Masters’ comments on the subject, the Premier League appears to be on an inevitable path towards launching direct-to-consumer services worldwide.
Sky and TNT have not reacted publicly to the new product, but its introduction may well give them a sizeable headache to deal with further down the line.
What will the future look like?
With the cost of watching live football continuing to rise, many fans are in danger of being priced out of watching the world’s most popular sport.
It is unclear at this point whether a worldwide rollout of Premier League + would ultimately reduce the annual subscription costs for football fans.
The Premier League has previously considered trialling a DTC platform, but the clubs did not approve the proposal. The landscape has now changed.
Falling behind rival competitions such as La Liga is a primary consideration for the Premier League, particularly in lucrative international markets.
While the value of overseas broadcast deals is not publicised, they are collectively worth more than the figures generated by domestic contracts.
Exploring the opportunities presented by DTC platforms is clearly tempting for the Premier League, but it could create issues further down the line.
Some of the top clubs may feel they would be better served ditching the collective approach and going it alone, which would impact clubs further down the Premier League food chain.
