With BT Sport’s rebranding, Premier League football will be shown on a new channel for the first time in a decade beginning with the 2023/24 season.
Warner Bros Discovery’s acquisition of BT Sport in a deal worth up to £650 million last year is expected to result in the launch of multiple new channels.
With Warner Brothers Discovery also holding Eurosport, the new networks are planning to combine their live rights, which include Grand Slam tennis competitions, the Olympic Games, and the Champions League.
The Daily Mail reports that what was initially termed as a merger may now be a takeover, with BT Sport employees relocating their offices from Stratford to Stockley Park.
With Premier League rights until 2025 and BT Sport managing five channels and Eurosport two, this number could be lowered under the new branding.
The remaining two years of the contracts of pundits like as Rio Ferdinand and Michael Owen were reportedly unaffected by the relocation.
The Premier League is now streamed on three platforms in the United Kingdom: Sky Sports, BT Sport, and Amazon Prime, with Match of the Day providing highlights.
The BBC will also share the broadcast of a Champions League highlights show with Amazon and BT beginning in 2024.
With the expiration of the BT Sport Premier League contract, Apple TV and DAZN are anticipated to launch a bid for Premier League rights with 3.2 billion global viewers for the 2019/20 season.
Shay Segev, chief executive of DAZN, told The Times: “Clearly, football is incredibly popular in the United Kingdom, and EPL is available on our menu. If the question is if we have ambitions to enter this market, the answer is undoubtedly affirmative. In addition to ambition, it is a top priority on my list.
“DAZN is a sports service, and it goes without saying that we will attempt to sell larger bundles, but the math must work.
“The concern is the economic climate, the level of competition, and if we will be able to establish ourselves as the best. I am really convinced that we can become a major player in the UK over the medium to long term.”