By Andrew Warshaw
October 29 – The English Premier League, already the richest in the world, has now signed a massive three-year deal with NBC to televise games in the United States starting next season.
A Premier League statement confirmed that NBC would take over the rights to televise matches from Fox and ESPN and although no figures were revealed, unconfirmed reports put the deal at $250 million (£156 million/€193 million).
“The Premier League is pleased to announce that NBCUniversal via the NBC Sports Group has been awarded the live audio visual broadcast rights for all 380 Barclays Premier League matches per season for seasons 2013/2014 – 2015/2016 in the USA,” a Premier League statement read.
“The deal brings the Premier League to one of the largest broadcasters in the world; the NBC Sports Group already televises such major sporting events as the NFL, NHL, the Summer and Winter Olympics, MLS, the US Open (golf) and the Ryder Cup.”
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore welcomed the deal.
“The NBC Sports Group has an excellent track record in sports broadcasting and will showcase the Barclays Premier League to fans across the USA through its extensive network of channels and high quality production,” he said, adding NBC would deliver the “biggest and broadest programming and promotion commitment ever in the United States”.
NBC Sports Group chairman Mark Lazarus described the partnership as “a perfect match”.
“The Barclays Premier League is the pre-eminent soccer league in the world, and is on the cusp of exponential popularity growth here in the US,” he said.
NBC’s English-language service will televise six live games a week on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.
The rest will either be streamed online or available through other packages, possibly pay-per-view.
Criticised during London 2012 for using tape delay because of the time differences and the desire the show Olympic events during prime time, Lazarus promised not to do the same with Premier League games.
“There will be live, exclusive games, and we’re not going to tape delay any of them,” said Lazarus.
“We think we’re acquiring a set of assets that has unique affluent male appeal that’s very attractive to advertisers and attractive to cable operators.”
The previous three-year deal with Fox, which saw some matches sub-licensed to ESPN, was worth about $80 million (£50 million/€60 million).
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