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Amazon bags UK Premier League streaming rights in blow to Sky, BT

Amazon.com Inc. won the rights to exclusively live stream selected Premier League matches in the U.K. for the next three seasons, breaking the longstanding hold of Sky PLC and British Telecom on English soccer.

As expected, Amazon Prime Video secured one of the two remaining rights packages for the 2019-2022 seasons. The internet giant will take hold of package F, which includes 20 matches over one bank holiday and during one midweek fixture program per season, confirming analysts' expectations.

Financial details of the rights deal were not disclosed.

Premier League Executive Chairman Richard Scudamore welcomed Amazon as an "exciting new partner" in the league's coverage, saying he expects Prime Video to "provide an excellent service" for soccer fans.

BT, meanwhile, secured package G with 20 matches, including 15 matches from two midweek fixture programs and another five from the split weekend. The rights package, worth £90 million over three years, adds to the 32 matches it secured in February for £295 million per season.

As a result, BT will spend a total of £975 million for 52 games over the next three seasons, an increase from the £960 million for 42 games under the current contract. It comes despite the telco previously hinting at scaling down its Premier League rights ambitions after investment in sports rights had contributed to an earnings decline amid rising market competition.

For its part, Sky has bagged packages B, C, D and E with a total of 128 matches, in contrast to the 126 matches it holds as of the current season. Sky will pay £1.193 billion per year under the three-year contract, £199 million or 16% lower than the current agreement.

Despite securing different rights packages, Sky and BT have struck a cross supply deal that actually places both companies in a position of strength to air all Premier League matches on their respective platforms.

Under the multiyear content-sharing deal, Sky will have wholesale access to BT Sport channels, which can then be sold directly to Sky satellite customers. Conversely, BT will be able to market and sell Sky's NOW TV service, which contains Sky Sports, Sky Cinema and the Sky Atlantic channel, to its TV customers.

Moreover, Sky's Premier League rights deal has reportedly placed 21st Century Fox Inc. under increased pressure to improve its £11.7 billion takeover offer for the pay TV giant. The proposed deal was approved by the British government subject to the sale of Sky News (UK) to Walt Disney Co. or to "an alternative suitable buyer."

The government, however, also said it will not intervene in Comcast Corp.'s bid for Sky, meaning the U.S. media giant could go head to head with Fox in a fierce bidding war.

Ireland

The Premier League has also completed the auction for rights to broadcast its matches live in Ireland, with eight packages up for grabs.

Sky Sports acquired packages B, C, D and E with a total of 128 matches per season, while BT Sport secured packages A and G with a total of 52 matches.

A newcomer in the auction, sports channel Premier Sports, bagged package F, including a popular Saturday afternoon slot, totaling 53 matches per season.

Premier Sports, which broadcasts in Britain, is a unit of Premier Media Sarl, which is owned by Dublin businessman Mickey O'Rourke, The Irish Times reported.