Premier League televised football packages up for grabs

The Premier League has issued an invitation to tender for the domestic UK broadcast rights for the 2013-14 to 2015-16 football seasons.

It says 154 matches will be shown live on TV each season from 2013-14 - 16 more than currently broadcast and more than 40% of all top-level matches

The extra 16 live games comes as matches are moved away from Saturday 3pm kick-off times, due to Europa League involvement or police advice.

No 3pm kick-offs can be shown live.

The 154 games will be split into seven packages comprising five packages of 26 matches and two packages of 12 matches. No one buyer will be allowed to buy more than five packages or 116 matches.

The current rights are held by Sky and ESPN, and a challenge from Al Jazeera is also expected this time round.

"This creates a more attractive and compelling offering for both broadcasters and fans; whilst allowing the continued protection of the Saturday 3pm 'closed window' and minimising further displacement of Premier League fixtures," said the league.

Another sales process will be conducted for two "near live" packages each containing 226 matches, and an internet-based clips package for all 380 matches.

The Premiership is continuing to attract more investment from abroad, it must be one of the countries best exports by now ?

Also did you know that the owner of Al Jazeera Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa AL Thani from the U.A.E is the same person that has been trying to buy Man utd from the Glaziers http://www.dailymail...ed-Glazers.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk...siness-17950726

Going to be very interesting. Al Jazeera have an awful lot of financial backing behind them. What would happen to Sky's subscription numbers if they lost football?

If Al Jazeera get United and PL TV they'd be awful IMO, that said couldn't be anymore biased that Sky are to United now.

I'd love the death of Sky (who have helped ruined football IMO).

Go Al Jazeera

I've watched coverage of the Champions League on Al Jazeera before and it's not particularly biased.

They had Gary Lineker hosting with Graeme Sounness and someone else they nicked from Sky. It was fairly good coverage, although to be honest it makes no real difference to me seeing as I don't own a TV.

Edited May 4, 201214 yr by Eggy McMuffin

I get fed up of bias and forced hype at Sky.

Watching the Man City vs Man U get they went completely overboard when Man U came out strongly for the first 5 minutes and were saying how awful City were, even well into the game when Man U started dropping back and losing all ambition to attack.