Premier League to sell rights to 168 live games; tender issued today.

fodg09fodg09 Posts: 3,602
Forum Member
✭✭✭
Tender has been issued today.

5 packages of 28 games, 2 of 14.

The FT says the additional matches are on Friday nights.
Premier League will sell 168 live games, up from current 154, in bid top £3bn deal in 2012. None on Sat 'blackout' 2.45-5.15pm
Premier League will sell 5 packages of 28 games, 2 of 14 games. No single b'caster allowed buy more than 126 matches

https://twitter.com/johnplunkett149
«134567100

Comments

  • BenFranklinBenFranklin Posts: 5,814
    Forum Member
    10 Friday night matches.
  • RagnarokRagnarok Posts: 4,655
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    The Premier league had better get used to piracy is they like to call it.

    VPN's or big satellite dishes still required to get all 380 games which should all be legitimately available here anyway.
  • Brian_BourdonBrian_Bourdon Posts: 316
    Forum Member
    Looking at the restrictions/figures prob another 8-10 for Sky and the rest for BT or new bidder. They should sell the Friday night games as loss leaders to terrestrial TV with the highlights package. Glad I have NBC sports here. Fingers crossed they keep the US rights.
  • mlt11mlt11 Posts: 21,058
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Key info to find out is max quotas.

    Currently:

    A (26) - 5
    B (26) - 5
    C (26) - 5
    D (26) - 5
    E (26) - 4
    F (12) - 2
    G (12) - 2
    Total = 28

    So it's an interesting one - if the 28 game packages are all held at max quota of 5 then effectively all the extra games would be of the lower key variety, subject to:

    - E being pushed from 4 to 5 (looks like no brainer)

    I guess the 14 game packs could go to 3 - but if they do they become pro-rata more big team skewed than the bigger packs.

    If they push all the 28 game packs to 6 then we would be getting very close to Man Utd and Liverpool being shown literally every week.

    Suspect they may go for halfway house along the lines of:

    6,5,5,5,5,2,2 would be 30
    6,6,5.5,5,2,2 would be 31
    6,6,5,5,5,3,2 would be 32
    6,6,5,5,5,3,3 would be 33

    (168/154) *28 = 30.5 implies they will go for 30 or 31 - last time they upped the cumulative max broadly in line with the total number of games.
  • Igloo_ManIgloo_Man Posts: 2,865
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Let the games begin!

    A split of the rights analogous to the current arrangement would be 126 games on Sky (4x28 + 1x14) and 42 games on BT (1x28+1x14).

    However since we know nothing about the contents of each package it is impossible to rule whether such a set up is likely again IF both broadcasters are happy to retain the current set up and there are no external forces get involved...

    The only thing we can probably be certain of is that one of the 14-game packages has the midweek rounds, much like one of the 10-game packages does right now. Will the remaining games in this package be allocated to Friday night? Who knows, but the next couple of months could be interesting...
  • fodg09fodg09 Posts: 3,602
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Will also be interesting to see if the Friday night matches are utilised to help English clubs playing in the Champions League and if so, how such an arrangement might work.

    What was the gap between the tender being issued last time and the closing deadline? 3 months or so?
  • JudioJudio Posts: 11,668
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    fodg09 wrote: »
    Will also be interesting to see if the Friday night matches are utilised to help English clubs playing in the Champions League and if so, how such an arrangement might work.

    What was the gap between the tender being issued last time and the closing deadline? 3 months or so?

    PSG always play Friday night if they have a Tuesday Champions League match

    The Trouble is what happens the week before, the club may be playing midweek !!!
  • mlt11mlt11 Posts: 21,058
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    fodg09 wrote: »
    What was the gap between the tender being issued last time and the closing deadline? 3 months or so?

    I thought it was less than that - about 4 weeks?
  • Igloo_ManIgloo_Man Posts: 2,865
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    fodg09 wrote: »
    Will also be interesting to see if the Friday night matches are utilised to help English clubs playing in the Champions League and if so, how such an arrangement might work.

    What was the gap between the tender being issued last time and the closing deadline? 3 months or so?
    mlt11 wrote: »
    I thought it was less than that - about 4 weeks?

    According the BBC:
    The tender process for both the highlights and live rights is set to be completed within four months, with a decision in March.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30451616

    The article also mentions that the opening game of the season is likely to be a Friday night match.

    Edit: According to Reuters...
    A source familiar with the situation told Reuters the auction process would likely be concluded in February

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/12/britain-soccer-tv-idUSL6N0TW2SV20141212
  • fodg09fodg09 Posts: 3,602
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    mlt11 wrote: »
    I thought it was less than that - about 4 weeks?

    Your right - tender issued 3rd May 2012, rights awarded June 13th 2012.

    I guess it could take a bit longer this time because of the Virgin complaint* and perhaps more importantly, the Christmas break.

    *although the fact they have issued the tender relatively early perhaps suggests they don't see the Virgin complaint as an issue, i.e they are going to continue on as usual.
  • mlt11mlt11 Posts: 21,058
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Thanks to you both - so slightly conflicting info - last time was 6 weeks - maybe they are quoting March to allow a cushion and it could actually be much earlier - obviously depends upon number of rounds - I see no reason why they would give more than say 6 weeks to submit 1st round bids.
  • Igloo_ManIgloo_Man Posts: 2,865
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    According to the FT:
    One of the packages contains a number of Friday night matches, which helps the league accommodate the increase in the number of live matches being made available, and also extends the long weekend of live Premier League football.

    http://www.ft.com/fastft/250561/post-250561

    So it seems that only one of the packages will include the Friday night games. This rules out the midweek / BH 14-game package from including these (up to) 10 games, but they could still be part of the other 14-game package.

    Here we go, I'm trying to piece things together already! :D
  • mlt11mlt11 Posts: 21,058
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    fodg09 wrote: »
    Your right - tender issued 3rd May 2012, rights awarded June 13th 2012.

    I guess it could take a bit longer this time because of the Virgin complaint* and perhaps more importantly, the Christmas break.

    *although the fact they have issued the tender relatively early perhaps suggests they don't see the Virgin complaint as an issue, i.e they are going to continue on as usual.

    I think we can now forget the VM complaint as far as 16/19 is concerned - PL would not have issued tender without clearance from OFCOM - no way OFCOM would intervene once tender gone out.

    OFCOM said they would speak to the PL re the tender - I'm sure this must have happened - no way PL would go ahead with tender if any uncertainty.
  • casinoman13casinoman13 Posts: 7,062
    Forum Member
    So it's from now that Barney Francies and co will have many a sleepless night.
  • Igloo_ManIgloo_Man Posts: 2,865
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Some more package details via the Telegraph:
    The package of Monday matches will also include around 10 Friday evening clashes per season, beginning in 2016/17.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/11290550/Premier-League-kicks-off-auction-clash-between-BT-and-Sky.html

    This indicates to me that the Monday night games will be confined to one package and the (up to) 10 Friday night games will all be contained in the same package.

    Have we got the structure of a package here? There are up to 18 Mon night games at present, so it looks like a 18 on Mon / 10 on Fri split makes up one of the 28-game packages. In terms of pick order, Mon night has never had first picks before, and I see no reason to assume otherwise this time. That leaves the quota limit, which is currently at four for the Mon night package. Surely it's going to go up to five?
  • mlt11mlt11 Posts: 21,058
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Igloo_Man wrote: »
    Some more package details via the Telegraph:



    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/11290550/Premier-League-kicks-off-auction-clash-between-BT-and-Sky.html

    This indicates to me that the Monday night games will be confined to one package and the (up to) 10 Friday night games will all be contained in the same package.

    Have we got the structure of a package here? There are up to 18 Mon night games at present, so it looks like a 18 on Mon / 10 on Fri split makes up one of the 28-game packages. In terms of pick order, Mon night has never had first picks before, and I see no reason to assume otherwise this time. That leaves the quota limit, which is currently at four for the Mon night package. Surely it's going to go up to five?

    Yes - that looks neat.

    The rest then looks fairly straightforward - presumably A, C and D all remain a straight 28 in one slot. B could become a straight 28 and the smaller packs are used for filling in from 28 up to 33 - or keep B along current lines if so desired.
  • ReadingfanReadingfan Posts: 10,188
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    For anyone interested here are the current packages for 2013-16 (with thanks to mlt11 from about 2 and a half years ago!)

    Package A (BT): 26 at Sat 12.45pm
    - 13 1st picks
    - 13 4th picks

    Package B (BSkyB): 16-18 at Sat 5.30pm; 6-7 at Sun 12pm or 1.30pm/2.05pm; 2-3 Bank hols
    - 22 3rd picks
    - 4 5th picks

    Package C (BSkyB): 26 at Sun 1.30pm/2.05pm
    - 13 2nd picks
    - 13 3rd picks

    Package D (BSkyB): 26 at Sun 4pm/4.10pm
    - 20 1st picks
    - 6 4th picks

    Package E (BSkyB): 18-22 at Mon 8pm; 4-8 at Sun 4pm/4.10pm or Sat 12.45pm
    - 12 2nd picks
    - 10 4th picks
    - 4 5th picks

    Package F (BSkyB): 12 at Sat 5.30pm
    - 8 2nd picks
    - 4 4th picks

    Package G (BT): 10 Midweek and Bank hols; 2 at Sat 12.45pm
    - 5 1st picks
    - 5 2nd picks
    - 2 5th picks


    So essentially 2 extra games are going to be added to each package. As Igloo_Man says if that report is right it's likely Package E would become:

    18-22 at Mon 8pm; 6-10 at Friday 20.00

    That would leave the 4-8 at Sun 4pm/4.10pm or Sat 12.45pm to go elsewhere, probably split across a few packages?
  • mlt11mlt11 Posts: 21,058
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    One further thought - I suspect the norm will be to have a Fri game when no Mon game - so norm of 5 games every weekend - which ties in with having Fri and Mon in same package!
  • fodg09fodg09 Posts: 3,602
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    mlt11 wrote: »
    One further thought - I suspect the norm will be to have a Fri game when no Mon game - so norm of 5 games every weekend - which ties in with having Fri and Mon in same package!

    Makes sense and sounds like something the PL would do, with each auction they seem to try and make the set up a bit simpler in terms of the spread of matches.

    So if Sky go into this auction trying to maintain their current position, then they will be looking for 126 matches I guess - even if the games are of lower standard, they wont want to lose MNF.

    And if BT are looking for more games, presumably they will be looking for more first/second choice games rather than just more games for the sake of more games?
  • ReadingfanReadingfan Posts: 10,188
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    mlt11 wrote: »
    One further thought - I suspect the norm will be to have a Fri game when no Mon game - so norm of 5 games every weekend - which ties in with having Fri and Mon in same package!

    Yes that sounds possible - presuming 33 weekends and 5 Bank Holiday/midweek rounds then 33 multiplied by 5 is 165. If you add approximately 12 Bank Holiday/midweek games you get 177ish - so about 9 above the 168 indicated.

    But then on the last weekend there will be probably be a maximum of 3 matches so that's 2 off already leaving about 7 weekends with 4 games. Presumably some of those weekends will be when it's not physically possible to have 5 live matches such as on the Capital One Cup Final weekend perhaps or around the Festive periods.
  • loyalsinceloyalsince Posts: 5,979
    Forum Member
    Few things spring to mind.

    1. The Friday nights games. Are these to simply increase the number of games, or are they to help a team in latter stages of CL? The latter may be hard, as a Fri could only be used if the other team has not played on a Wed or Thur before

    2. Depending on how packages split, I think Sky will want controlling first picks, and then EITHER all the other first picks on weekend rounds, or first choice second picks as a minimum

    3. So many variables with Vodafone, O2 lurking behind Bein Sports and Discovery.

    I would probably discount ESPN or terrestrial broadcaster
  • BelligerenceBelligerence Posts: 40,613
    Forum Member
    Judio wrote: »
    PSG always play Friday night if they have a Tuesday Champions League match

    The Trouble is what happens the week before, the club may be playing midweek !!!
    The French teams generally get better treatment than the English; Ferguson always used to make light of it when Lyon were top dogs.

    Really think (and hope) BT will pull out a few surprises.
  • casinoman13casinoman13 Posts: 7,062
    Forum Member
    loyalsince wrote: »
    Few things spring to mind.

    1. The Friday nights games. Are these to simply increase the number of games, or are they to help a team in latter stages of CL? The latter may be hard, as a Fri could only be used if the other team has not played on a Wed or Thur before

    2. Depending on how packages split, I think Sky will want controlling first picks, and then EITHER all the other first picks on weekend rounds, or first choice second picks as a minimum

    3. So many variables with Vodafone, O2 lurking behind Bein Sports and Discovery.

    I would probably discount ESPN or terrestrial broadcaster

    What they want may well be what they don't get, I will be very very surprised if they have a big control like what they have now.
  • casinoman13casinoman13 Posts: 7,062
    Forum Member
    The French teams generally get better treatment than the English; Ferguson always used to make light of it when Lyon were top dogs.

    Really think (and hope) BT will pull out a few surprises.

    I think you are right, they will want more control for sure than what they have now.
  • casinoman13casinoman13 Posts: 7,062
    Forum Member
    fodg09 wrote: »
    Makes sense and sounds like something the PL would do, with each auction they seem to try and make the set up a bit simpler in terms of the spread of matches.

    So if Sky go into this auction trying to maintain their current position, then they will be looking for 126 matches I guess - even if the games are of lower standard, they wont want to lose MNF.

    And if BT are looking for more games, presumably they will be looking for more first/second choice games rather than just more games for the sake of more games?

    And they certainly will not want to lose the biggest prize, Sunday 4.00.
Sign In or Register to comment.