EFL Appoints Broadcast Advisers

The EFL has announced the appointment of domestic broadcast advisers Oliver & Ohlbaum in partnership with Phil Lines.

The EFL’s current domestic broadcast agreement has two seasons left to run, although there is an option to extend the deal for the 2019/20 season in November of this year.

Oliver & Ohlbaum in partnership with Phil Lines will provide the EFL with advice as to how to maximise the financial return and exposure for all 72 clubs and bring with them 20 years industry experience, having been involved in Premier League negotiations since the 1990s.

Oliver & Ohlbaum also assisted with the creation of BT Sport and include beIN Sports, UEFA, Discovery and Eurosport as business clients, while Lines has extensive knowledge of the rights market having worked closely with other sports leagues in successful negotiations.

They will now undertake a comprehensive approach to research and analysis, strategy and the packaging of future rights cycles in order to gain the maximum long term benefit for the EFL and its clubs.

Shaun Harvey, EFL CEO, said: “Oliver & Ohlbaum in partnership with Phil Lines are broadcast advisers who can make a real difference and we are confident that this approach will provide maximum value and enhanced exposure for our clubs.

“We need to use this process to find the appropriate balance between centralised and club revenues, given the diversity of our competition and an ever-changing marketplace and I am delighted that the EFL Board has agreed, supported and endorsed these appointments.

“By going through this process we should be in a really strong position by June on whether to exercise the option or go to market.”