English Football League (EFL) have issued a tender for broadcasting rights from 2024-25 season onwards.
This Request for Proposal (RFP) tender is an invite for interested broadcasters to submit a bid for rights covering all 1,891 matches across League, EFL Cup, EFL Trophy and end of season Play-Offs, following expiration of Sky Sports’ current contract in summer 2024.
Highlights rights are also set to be available alongside live rights for 2024-25 season onwards, due to ITV’s current highlights deal concluding at the same time as Sky Sports’ live rights.
This decision to put the broadcasting rights comes following a decision across the EFL to take ‘a fresh and new approach’ to broadcasting rights, with the aim of embracing ‘innovation and offer contemporary solutions that cater for changing audience habits.’
EFL Chief Commercial Officer, Ben Wright described this move as “exciting” with a global audience of over 400 million viewers, including 54% of UK audiences watching EFL football on TV each year which has vreated an “appetite” to grow the audience higher.
Expanding on the decision to put broadcasting rights to tender, Wright added: “We are inviting proposals from organisations that can enhance and develop the League’s offering, taking a new and innovative approach to how people consume EFL content.”
Wright also acknowledged the fact that the EFL has a “rich tradition and distinguished history”, yet believes that there is a growing “desire to evolve, grow and innovate in order to grow our audience further” with a broadcast partner who shares the same vision.
A decision on the new broadcasting rights holder will be potentially made in late November at earliest, with interested broadcasters required to submit bids by 5pm GMT on Monday 21 November for consideration.
Potential new broadcast partners are thought to include online streamers – Amazon Prime, Apple, Facebook, Google and Netflix, whilst BT Sport and Sky Sports could battle for shared TV rights alongside an online streaming partner.
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