3pm blackout set to STAY as EFL reveal preferred bidder for new TV rights deal
SKY SPORTS have seen off the challenge of streaming service DAZN and other broadcast rivals to retain the rights to show live EFL football.
EFL bosses are looking to almost double their current £119m per season deal.
Streaming giant DAZN said it planned to screen all 1656 EFL games each season and seek to end the Saturday 3pm blackout.
Despite that bid, and other offers understood to have been made by Viaplay and TNT Sports – the new name for BT Sport – Sky is the first choice of the EFL.
A final deal is yet to be confirmed although it is understood that Sky intends to screen more matches than the 138 games shown in the current five-year deal that runs out at the end of next season.
In a statement, league chiefs said: “The EFL has now completed a full and comprehensive review of the multiple submissions received as part of its broadcast rights sales process from 2024 onwards.
“The League will now enter into an exclusive month-long negotiating period with the preferred bidder, Sky Sports.
“No further comment will be made on this matter at the current time.”
The news will be a blow for DAZN, part-owned by Anthony Joshua, which felt it had made a significantly competitive and ground-breaking offer.
But assuming an agreement is found over the next month, the news will bring a sigh of relief to Sky bosses.
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It was reported last week that EFL bosses are looking to increase the current package to £200m plus, a huge potential financial lifeline for struggling clubs.
The blackout was introduced, at the instigation of then-Burnley chairman Bob Lord more than 50 years ago, in the belief that it would prevent TV football damaging attendances at other matches.
Prem chief executive Richard Masters declared earlier this month that he “didn’t see” the league’s backing for the blackout ending any time soon.