International sports broadcaster Eleven Sports is considering a bid to acquire rights in the UK to football’s English Premier League, according to the Independent.
The UK newspaper said Eleven is eyeing a bid for one of the two remaining live packages for the three-season period from 2019-20 to 2021-22 – Package F and Package G. Package F comprises all 20 matches from one Bank Holiday and one midweek fixture programme each season, while Package G features all 20 matches from two midweek fixture programmes each season.
In February, incumbent UK rights-holders, pay-television broadcasters Sky and BT Sport, secured five of the seven live packages on offer. Sky will broadcast 128 matches per season and BT Sport will show 32 matches per season. The Premier League has previously stated there is interest from “multiple bidders” for the remaining two live packages.
The Independent’s report comes after Eleven this week ousted Sky as the rights-holder to LaLiga, the top division of Spanish club football, in the UK and Ireland.
Eleven currently operates in Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Singapore, Taiwan and the US. It is unclear whether it plans to launch a channel in the UK and Ireland, or exploit the LaLiga rights on an OTT basis. Eleven’s three-season deal will run from 2018-19 to 2020-21.