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Topics: Premier League, Sky Sports
Jack Kenmare
A streaming giant could provide competition for Sky and TNT Sports in the not-so-distant future after it emerged that they are considering a bid for Premier League TV rights.
They may be a relative latecomer to sport in general but one of the world's leading entertainment services is starting to broadcast more and more live events on its platform.
As well as streaming multiple boxing fights, including Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson – the most-streamed sporting event in history – Netflix are dipping their toes into the world of football.
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Towards the end of last year, they secured the exclusive broadcasting rights in the United States and Canada for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031.
The deal will provide US-based fans with "unparalleled access to every match live", according to FIFA, who describe the media rights deal as a "landmark moment" in women’s football.
But what about the Premier League? For years, rumours of a potential Netflix deal have stirred, but now, it seems the streaming giant is showing a genuine interest in Premier League TV rights.
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A report from The Times suggests Netflix will consider bidding for some top-flight fixtures after losing out on a deal to show UEFA's Super Cup, the match between the Champions League and Europa League winners.
“The important thing for football — both European-wide and domestic leagues — is that Netflix has shown for the first time that it is interested in buying rights,” a source told The Times.
“When you add that to the fact that Paramount has come into the market, it means good news for football because there will be more competition for rights.
“The Premier League is the most attractive domestic league in the world, so securing some of its rights would be a likely target for both Netflix and Paramount.”
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The report claims that Netflix could first be tempted by a package of Premier League festive fixtures when the packages go up for sale.
It has been a busy month for broadcasting in football, with American media giant Paramount securing the rights to show the majority of Champions League games in the UK from 2027 to 2031.
Paramount, who have enjoyed huge success in the United States with its UCL coverage on CBS Sports, made the largest bid at auction, believed to be 'considerably higher' than the £1 billion that TNT Sports currently pays.
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It has been described as a major shake-up of the domestic rights market. In fact, the deal will see Paramount broadcast every Champions League game, except for the first pick of Tuesday night matches, according to The Guardian.
Those previously mentioned first-pick rights were auctioned separately across the five major European markets for the first time. Amazon Prime are believed to have won them.
As a result of Paramount securing the rights to Champions League football, UK-based fans will need an additional subscription if they want to continue watching the Premier League, FA Cup and European football.
Sky Sports have the majority of Premier League games, while TNT Sports hold rights to all Saturday lunchtime kick-offs and two full rounds of midweek fixtures.