Nbc Signs Six Year Premier League Deal
NBC Sports Group has extended its broadcast deal with the Premier League for a further six years, which will see the US broadcaster continue to show all 380 Premier League games each year across a range of platforms.
Running until the end of the 2021/22 season, the deal will see selected games shown on NBC’s main network, with the rest covered on the likes of the NBC Sports Network, USA Network, Telemundo and NBC Universo, as well as through the Premier League Extra Time TV package and the NBC Sports Live Extra digital service.
No financial terms were announced but NBC’s current deal stood at $83m (£53.2m) a season under the terms it agreed with the league in October 2012.
The extension begins the Premier League’s international round of rights sales following considerable growth to its live domestic TV deals, which it renewed with Sky Sports and BT Sport for a combined £5.14bn earlier this year.
It is reported that the total overseas rights, which include lucrative regions such as the Middle East and North Africa, could be worth an additional £2bn in the current deal cycle.
NBC Sports Group chairman Mark Lazarus, said: “We are excited to continue our tremendous partnership with the Premier League, and we look forward to presenting the world’s finest soccer league to Americans for many years to come.
“As sports fans, there’s nothing better than waking up on a weekend morning to live and relevant events, and we at NBC Sports are thrilled to continue to be this outlet for the fast-growing Premier League fanbase.”
Richard Scudamore, Premier League executive chairman, added: “Outstanding production, expert analysis, and wide audience reach have all been beyond expectations. First-rate creative marketing and promotional campaigns have driven interest in our clubs, and the competition as a whole, to unprecedented levels.
“NBC Sports has committed to extend partnership activation and promotion of clubs in future seasons – a significant factor in the awarding of these rights – and we look forward to continuing our excellent working relationship with them for the next seven years.”
Audience figures for Premier League games are growing on NBC, with matches averaging 479,000 viewers last season, up 9% from the season before. In December, the New York Times reported that Premier League games were attracting more viewers than NHL games on NBCSN.
