West Brom could cash in if Sky Sports decides it no longer needs the rights to air the EFL and sparks a bidding war between other broadcasters.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the future of the EFL’s £119million-a-year deal.
The current live broadcast package runs until the end of 2023-24, and the league officials have already begun testing the waters as they look to strike a new deal.
The EFL has said it is considering scrapping the historic 3.00pm Saturday broadcast blackout as part of a new TV strategy.
The Daily Mail reported last Sunday (9 October) that the recently-signed 60-matches-a-season, £150m deal with the SPFL may mean that Sky is less concerned about losing the rights for the EFL.
Maguire assessed how developments north of the border might impact negotiations and the amount that individual clubs like the Baggies can hope to earn from media revenue.
“There is a chance that the EFL deal could go to another broadcaster other than Sky,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“It certainly means that Sky can have confidence that they will have plenty of matches to broadcast, and they might use that as a bargaining chip to drive down the price.
“At the same time, many of the OTT broadcasters, the likes of Netflix, Facebook, Amazon Prime and so on, might be looking to add to their roster of products.
“That could see a bidding war take place for the EFL, so it’s very much a case of swings and roundabouts.“
In other news, West Brom turn attention to Wigan boss Leam Richardson.
