Sky Sports has completed its set of Premier League TV rights in the UK through to 2019 by renewing its deal to broadcast near-live extended highlights.
From next season (2016/17), the new deal coincides with newly added mobile clips from all 380 Premier League matches, as well as live rights to 126 exclusively games per season, up from the current 116 games.
The three-year agreement gives Sky Sports viewers extended highlights of all 212 Premier League matches not broadcast live on television and for the first time, fans will also be able to watch these extended highlights via Sky’s ‘On Demand’ platforms.
As in the current deal, a selected match on Saturdays not broadcast live will be available to watch from 8.00pm, with the remaining games showing from 10.30pm, while 0n all other match days, non-live games will be available from 10.00pm.
Every Premier League club will also have dedicated section within Sky Sports ‘On Demand’, where the highlights will sit alongside club news, views and match action.
The agreement also enables extended highlights to be shown within long-running highlights programme Goals on Sunday, as well as use of goals and key moments within Gillette Soccer Saturday and Sky Sports News HQ over the three seasons.
“Sky Sports has never been in a stronger position with this deal cementing our position as the first choice for sports fans,” said Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis.
“It completes the set and is more good news for Sky Sports viewers having already secured more live Premier League matches from the 2016/17 season, as well as clips from every match available on mobile and online.
“We are giving fans more ways to watch extended highlights, with the content now available on demand in the individual club section so fans can catch up on the action when they want.”
The live and highlights coverage is supported by extensive news, review and analysis on Sky Sports News HQ, and a multi-platform digital sports service.
Sky Sports will offer at least four more seasons of live Premier League football, with 116 live games this season increasing to 126 from the 2016/17 season onwards.
Fellow live Premier League broadcaster BT Sport, who took over the rights to show Champions League matches from Sky and ITV this season, currently shows 38 live top flight games per season, though this will also increase from next season to 42.
Between them, Sky and BT Sport agreed to pay a record £5.14bn for the live rights, with the former retaining the lion’s share of the matches.
Sky’s new contract completes the Premier League’s auction of domestic TV rights and once overseas rights sales are completed before the end of the year, the overall total is set to top £8.5bn.
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