Netflix Seeks to Snap Up Premier League Rights in Wake of Warner Bros. Discovery Takeover
A $100bn-plus takeover battle for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) between Netflix and its rival Paramount Skydance has sent shockwaves through the sports broadcasting world, leaving many wondering if the Premier League rights will ultimately end up with the streaming giant despite its reluctance to invest in premium sporting properties.
For years, Netflix has politely rebuffed Premier League and Uefa entreaties to bid for their TV rights. However, with a landmark deal struck last year securing US rights to the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups, it appears that the streaming giant may be willing to dip its toes into the lucrative global sports market.
The Paramount offer is for WBD studios, streaming, and Discovery Global, including TNT Sports' UK operation. The deal includes domestic rights for the Premier League until 2029 and Champions League until 2027. While Netflix has not bid for WBD's Discovery Global network of channels, its deal does include TNT Sports' UK operation.
The Premier League has been courting Netflix for almost a decade by offering packages of games designed for streaming companies. Amazon Prime bought the rights for two rounds of top-flight matches each season between 2019 and 2025 before reverting to Sky Sports for the new four-year deal that began this season.
Uefa has fared little better with Netflix, which made a modest offer that failed to reach the second round of bidding for the Champions League streaming packages sold in November in the five biggest European markets. Paramount+ and Amazon bought the rights in the UK, Italy, and Germany, while Telefonica and Canal+ reaffirmed their domestic dominance in Spain and France.
The Premier League would view Netflix as a welcome addition to its broadcast stable, particularly given the uncertainty surrounding the takeover. With even Sky's budgets under pressure due to Comcast's proposed purchase of ITV, more games for sale is likely to require more broadcast partners.
As planning for the next auction gets underway, the Premier League will be watching with bated breath to see if Netflix emerges as a major player in the market. The timing could not be better, with discussions over withdrawing from Article 48 of Uefa's statutes governing the 3pm Saturday blackout set to begin this year.
While it remains to be seen how the takeover will pan out and what plans Netflix has for sport, one thing is certain - the future of global sports broadcasting hangs in the balance.
A $100bn-plus takeover battle for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) between Netflix and its rival Paramount Skydance has sent shockwaves through the sports broadcasting world, leaving many wondering if the Premier League rights will ultimately end up with the streaming giant despite its reluctance to invest in premium sporting properties.
For years, Netflix has politely rebuffed Premier League and Uefa entreaties to bid for their TV rights. However, with a landmark deal struck last year securing US rights to the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups, it appears that the streaming giant may be willing to dip its toes into the lucrative global sports market.
The Paramount offer is for WBD studios, streaming, and Discovery Global, including TNT Sports' UK operation. The deal includes domestic rights for the Premier League until 2029 and Champions League until 2027. While Netflix has not bid for WBD's Discovery Global network of channels, its deal does include TNT Sports' UK operation.
The Premier League has been courting Netflix for almost a decade by offering packages of games designed for streaming companies. Amazon Prime bought the rights for two rounds of top-flight matches each season between 2019 and 2025 before reverting to Sky Sports for the new four-year deal that began this season.
Uefa has fared little better with Netflix, which made a modest offer that failed to reach the second round of bidding for the Champions League streaming packages sold in November in the five biggest European markets. Paramount+ and Amazon bought the rights in the UK, Italy, and Germany, while Telefonica and Canal+ reaffirmed their domestic dominance in Spain and France.
The Premier League would view Netflix as a welcome addition to its broadcast stable, particularly given the uncertainty surrounding the takeover. With even Sky's budgets under pressure due to Comcast's proposed purchase of ITV, more games for sale is likely to require more broadcast partners.
As planning for the next auction gets underway, the Premier League will be watching with bated breath to see if Netflix emerges as a major player in the market. The timing could not be better, with discussions over withdrawing from Article 48 of Uefa's statutes governing the 3pm Saturday blackout set to begin this year.
While it remains to be seen how the takeover will pan out and what plans Netflix has for sport, one thing is certain - the future of global sports broadcasting hangs in the balance.
. I mean, have you seen some of these deals? $100bn-plus? That's a lot of money 
. And what exactly is Netflix getting into with this takeover? Are they just trying to stay competitive or is there something more to it? I'm also a bit skeptical about the Premier League jumping on this bandwagon so quickly 
. Can't they see that every time someone new tries to enter, the prices go up and the quality suffers? It's like they're all just racing to be the most expensive 
. And what about the 3pm Saturday blackout rule? Are we really going to get rid of it anytime soon? I'm not convinced 
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. I mean, we've been waiting for this kind of thing to happen for ages. I hope it brings more money and better coverage for us as viewers. The thought of no 3pm Saturday blackout is a game-changer 
. Fingers crossed Netflix can make some magic happen with Premier League and Uefa. We need more options, not less 
I'm low-key hyped about this potential deal! If Netflix gets its hands on Premier League rights, it'll be a major coup for the streamer. Just imagine all those matches being available to binge-watch... 
. The timing couldn't be better with Uefa's black-out rules being re-evaluated too...it feels like we're on the cusp of something big 
its gonna be so weird watching David de Gea's saves on a tiny screen 
the question is tho will they actually spend the cash to make it happen or just use it as a marketing gimmick 
and waiting to see who's gonna grab those premier league rights... i think it'd be a game changer if netflix jumps in, they're always pushing boundaries and bringing new ideas to the table 
so fingers crossed for our uk football fans 
. But at the same time, if Netflix gets in, it might change the game (no pun intended 
) and give Sky Sports a run for their money 
.
Do they actually want to invest in premium sporting properties or is this just a calculated risk 
Netflix finally seems to be getting serious about investing in premium sports properties! I mean, they've been saying they want to be a player in the market for ages, but now it's time to put their money where their mouth is 
Fingers crossed they come out on top and bring some amazing sports content to our screens soon! 
would be amazing to see them bring the sport to more people worldwide especially in uk where sky sports has been dominating the market 