The future of UK streaming could be significantly impacted by the ongoing $100bn-plus takeover battle for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) between Netflix and Paramount Skydance. The outcome may see Premier League rights, once considered peripheral, becoming central to the streaming landscape.
Netflix has historically been reluctant to bid for TV rights from Premier League and Uefa. However, this stance might change if it acquires these rights as part of its deal with WBD. This potential shift comes amidst a fierce takeover battle between Netflix and Paramount Skydance over WBD.
While sports rights are a minor aspect in such a massive deal requiring US government approval, their implications on football cannot be overlooked. The focus may currently be on who owns CNN or which platform will broadcast Bournemouth v Brighton next season's Saturday lunchtime match, but the impact on football is profound.
Key players in the deal
In an early move last month, Netflix struck an $82.7bn deal to buy WBD’s studio and streaming businesses without bidding for WBD’s Discovery Global network of channels like CNN or Eurosport. However, this agreement does include TNT Sports’ UK operation that holds domestic rights for the Premier League until 2029 and Champions League until 2027.
Paramount countered with a $108.4bn hostile takeover offer directly to WBD’s shareholders just before Christmas that includes not only WBD studios but also its streaming services along with Discovery Global network channels including TNT Sports’ UK operation.
Despite being urged by the board of directors at WDB to reject Paramount's offer due to political reasons involving President Trump's preference towards Larry Ellison - co-founder of Oracle who has offered more than $40bn personal guarantee funding Paramount’s bid - uncertainty remains about how things will pan out.
Impact on football broadcasting
The Premier League has been trying to woo Netflix for almost a decade by offering packages of games designed for streaming companies. Amazon Prime had bought the rights for two rounds of top-flight matches each season between 2019 and 2025, before the league reverted to Sky Sports for a new four-year deal that began this season. Netflix's interest in adding certain sporting properties to its vast entertainment and film portfolio is evident despite its reluctance to invest billions in premium rights. Last year, Netflix secured US rights to the 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cups, marking its first acquisition of complete competition or tournament rights.
The future of Premier League broadcasting could be significantly impacted if Netflix inherits TNT Sport’s UK rights as part of a WBD purchase. This would mark a departure from Netflix's preferred model of global rights deals which could potentially benefit the Premier League.
As planning for the next auction is well underway despite being halfway through the first season with Sky Sports and TNT Sports, this timing couldn't be better for Premier League. Discussions about withdrawing from Article 48 governing Saturday blackout are due early this year with both leagues eager to make all their matches available post-2029. With Paramount Skydance making significant strides into European football by acquiring Champions League rights on behalf of Paramount+, it seems likely that Netflix will be welcomed as an addition to Premier League's broadcast stable.
