EFL to boost number of live games under new rights tender

The English Football League, which operates the three divisions below the top-tier Premier League, will significantly increase the number of live games available through its new domestic broadcast rights tender, according to The Times.

The UK newspaper, citing a tender document issued by the EFL, said the league will permit the number of league games broadcast live to increase from 112 to 324 matches per season in 2019-20. Up to 228 of the 552 games from the Championship, the second tier of English football, would be live, compared with 92 at present.

The EFL last week issued an invitation to tender for its domestic live broadcast rights. It was revealed last month at the EFL’s 2017 Summer Conference that the league, which is looking to maximise the financial return and exposure for all 72 member clubs and its competitions, would not be exercising the option to extend its current deal.

The rights, which are available from the start of the 2019-20 campaign for a period of between three and five seasons, are for all EFL matches including the play-offs, the EFL Cup and the EFL Trophy. The Times said the rights will be split into separate packages, with a weekend package, including the end-of-season play-offs, of a minimum of 114 and a maximum of 228 live games, and a midweek package of up to 96 matches.

There will be a third package for the EFL Cup with all matches shown live. Interested broadcasters will reportedly be asked to specify how many matches they intend to show, while the EFL will also permit simultaneous broadcasting of matches on a single game day.

The EFL’s current agreement with pay-television broadcaster Sky has two seasons left to run, but there was an option to extend the deal for the 2019-20 campaign.

The EFL board reached the decision to open a new tender last month following a “thorough and rigorous evaluation” by broadcast advisors Oliver & Ohlbaum, in partnership with media-rights expert Phil Lines, who were appointed earlier this year to devise a broadcasting strategy for the league.