Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has revealed that a direct-to-viewer streaming service will be launched. This means 3pm power outages could soon be a thing of the past
Premier League launches its own streaming service (Image: Mark Leech/Offside via Getty Images)
Premier League bosses are set to launch their own ‘Premflix’ streaming channel. And it could revolutionize the multi-billion pound TV rights business and change the way every armchair viewer watches the British top flight.
Premier League CEO Richard Masters has announced that the Premier League is starting a new project by launching a direct-to-viewer streaming service in collaboration with Singaporean broadcaster StarHub. This will serve as a pilot for the Premier League+ channel, which will broadcast all 380 live games from next season, as well as magazine content.
There is currently a power outage in the UK at 3pm, but foreign contracts will be exempted from rules for live broadcasting of matches on Saturdays. There are no immediate plans to abolish blackouts in the UK, Prime Minister’s sources insist there are no immediate plans to abolish blackouts in the UK, despite widespread speculation within the industry that they could be abolished after the next TV deal in 2029.
Premier League leaders hope Premier League+ will be a big success in the Far East, potentially paving the way for 20 clubs to sell TV rights directly to viewers.
Speaking at the FT Live Business of Football Summit, Mr Masters said: “For the first time we are selling direct to consumer in Singapore. This has been a very long, considered and carefully selected process. We have a six-year agreement with StarHub, one of the two providers, so from next season we will finally have Premier League+ and not Premflix.”
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“This is the first time the Premier League has its own customers. We have to deal with promotion, pricing, cancellation, distribution, all of that. We’re trying to build a business and we want to see and learn how that can be replicated around the world.”
“We now have control over the content. I think this will allow us to look at it differently in the future, potentially becoming a business center in itself, but making it easier to execute all the different options that are in front of us.”
English football’s top flight has become the world’s richest and most powerful airline thanks to its market-leading television deals, and currently has a huge £6.7bn domestic deal with Sky and TNT Sports. But that could soon change, with the Premier League looking to acquire its own rights. There have been big hints in the past about selling games directly to viewers, but this is the first time they’ve officially confirmed it.
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Richard Masters leads the Premier League into a new era (Image: PA)
This comes amid concerns over piracy and the scale of Firestick, as TV viewers are growing weary of the 3pm TV blackout that has long prohibited live game coverage on Saturday afternoons.
When Masters was asked if viewers in Singapore didn’t have to worry about a power outage at 3pm, Masters replied: “Not really. No one outside of this country would.”
His current contract with Sky doesn’t expire until 2029, but it’s clear a big TV reveal is on the way. They are likely to maintain deals with broadcasters such as Sky, but could also stream games themselves.
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