A multi-billion-dollar takeover proposal in North America could potentially transform the broadcast rights landscape in professional football.
According to Sports Today, European Union (EU) regulators are preparing to approve Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Representatives from Paramount and the European Commission reportedly continued discussions to address competition issues this week.
If EU approval is forthcoming, the takeover will directly impact the future of football broadcast rights worldwide. Read on as we take a closer look.
Football rights could be set for a shake-up
Sky Sports and TNT Sports have dominated the Premier League broadcast landscape, but the Paramount takeover could place their position under threat.
Paramount have already secured the rights to broadcast the Champions League from 2027 and are unlikely to rest on their laurels if they acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.
Netflix are also potentially in the equation having secured the rights to the next two Women’s World Cups in the United States.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino described Netflix as ‘a marquee brand’ and the governing body’s ‘new long-term partner’, which will concern their current crop of broadcasters.
Netflix also agreed a deal to produce the video game for the 2026 World Cup and signed up Gary Lineker’s The Rest is Football podcast for this year’s men’s World Cup.
What does this mean for fans?
Bidding will open on the next cycle of Premier League rights in the United Kingdom in 2027. The current deal, which expires in 2029, was worth £6.7 billion.
Sky Sports have been largely unchallenged when it comes to securing the rights, with none of their main rivals coming close to matching their financial muscle.
However, Paramount’s lucrative acquisition of the Champions League rights undoubtedly sent a message that they must be taken seriously.
The Premier League rights in the US, which are currently held by NBC, expire in 2028. This could provide an early indication of Paramount’s intentions.
There has been talk of the Premier League launching its own direct-to-consumer channel, which would add a further layer of intrigue to the situation.
Government intervention may be a curve ball
The UK government could be set to throw a spanner in the works after launching a consultation on the future of sports broadcasting.
An exploratory consultation will assess whether to prevent streaming giants such as Paramount and Netflix from the rights to ‘crown jewel’ sports events.
While this will likely focus on global events such as the Olympic Games and the World Cup, the government may decide to extend the scope of their intervention.
The decision to place last season’s Champions League final behind a paywall angered many football fans and triggered the government into launching the consultation.
They claim they want to ‘ensure that key sporting events remain available for people to watch for free for years to come’, and that stance will be welcomed by football fans.
Change is on the way
Each of the elements detailed above contribute to a landscape of uncertainty where football broadcasting rights are concerned.
Many fans are already resistant to paying hefty subscription fees to access the competitions they have grown to love over the past few decades.
Paramount’s ‘open chequebook’ policy has the potential to disrupt the sector even further, particularly as they will need to secure a return on their investment.
Regardless of the direction of travel, significant change is expected over the next few years. Fans will hope that the revised landscape does not price them out of the game.