MX23RW : Friday, November 15 23:54:18| >> :600:308068449:308068449:

Sky Sports, BT Sport retain live Premier League rights

Sky Sports and BT Sport win the rights to show live Premier League games from 2016 to 2019.

Sky Sports and BT Sport have retained the rights to show live Premier League games in the UK from 2016 to the end of the 2018-19 season.

The total cost of the deal, which comprises 168 matches per season, has risen from £3bn to £5.136bn, an increase of 70% on the previous three-year contract.

Sky will broadcast 126 fixtures, while rivals BT will show the remaining 42 games. The former paid £4.18bn - £11m per game - for its share of the rights, compared to BT's £960m, or £7.6m per game.

A second round of bidding took place earlier this week after last Friday's opening round failed to produce any outright winners.

The games on offer were divided into seven packages, with Sky picking up five and BT the remaining two. Of the 14 extra games per season available, Sky claimed 10 to BT's four.

Sky retained the rights to show games on Sundays, Monday nights and bank holidays, as well as securing the new Friday night slot, where up to 10 games a season will be played. The broadcaster has swapped the rights for the Saturday late kickoff for the Saturday early kickoff.

BT, meanwhile, will show the Saturday night game in addition to midweek encounters throughout the season.

US broadcaster Discovery and the Al Jazeera-backed beIN Sports had both reportedly been interested in securing the lucrative TV rights.

ID:204578: cacheID:204578:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:1946:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
James Tomkins in action for West Ham on October 6, 2014
Read Next:
Tomkins pens long-term Hammers extension
>
Read more about Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!