Inside the Premier League’s £6.7bn TV deal – and what it really means

It excludes global players Amazon and Netflix – for now – and largely signals a desire to stick to the tried and tested in troubled economic times. But, as Rich Edwards reveals, the massive TV rights deal with Sky and TNT Sports, could signal a seismic change in how the game is watched in the future

The Premier League’s new TV deal does not include Amazon Prime, or the likes of Netflix and Disney+ (Getty Images)

It’s like getting your tea from Marks & Spencer – it’s a bit more upmarket than going to Aldi, but it’s not like going to The Ritz. It’s inoffensive and affordable. It’s mid-territory.”

That’s the summation of Professor Simon Chadwick, professor of sport and geopolitical economy at SKEMA Business School in Paris, when asked to describe the latest TV rights deal between the Premier League, Sky TV and TNT Sports – a deal worth £6.7bn over four seasons.

It’s a deal that doesn’t include the likes of Amazon or Netflix, and one that very much illustrates the desire of the world’s richest league to stick steadfastly to the tried and tested in troubled economic times.