DAZN still targets to domestic Premier League rights
The Premier League is still searching for a domestic rights partner for the four-season cycle from 2025/26 to 2028/29, and DAZN wants in. The streaming platform has assembled a collection of leagues across the world for both domestic and international audiences. For example, it has domestic broadcast rights to Ligue 1 in France and LaLiga in Spain.
The domestic Premier League rights present a different challenge. With the popularity of the league, the rights in the United Kingdom are the most expensive in the world. The current cycle that ends after the 2024/25 campaign is three years at over $6 billion in total. DAZN is not willing to spend any figure to take over the rights to the EPL in the United Kingdom despite the catalog of programs it currently has.
DAZN chief executive Shay Segev confirmed that the Premier League rights in the United Kingdom are a long-term goal for the streaming platform. The United Kingdom is DAZN’s home market, as it started in London just eight years ago.
“I think for DAZN to have the Premier League in the UK would be an important milestone to have,” Segev said. Yet, he said DAZN must tread carefully in the expensive world of broadcast and streaming rights. The Premier League is a top goal to have, but DAZN can still spread elsewhere with other rights.
“But the timing is also important because we want to build a sustainable business. I believe that at some point DAZN will become also a partner of the Premier League in the UK. To what extent [is] to be seen, I don’t know. But I think it’s a very important property and it’s very important in the UK.”
Importance of domestic Premier League rights for DAZN
In addition to promoting a sustainable business, Segev said he wants DAZN to be a global business. As stated, the platform’s rights include properties on each continent. While people from across the globe can use DAZN to watch soccer in different capacities, it has a focus on European nations. For example, Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, Canada and Japan have major rights available on DAZN.
“We want to be [a] global [business] so to have Premier League is the conclusion of that. Now, the timing needs to work because it’s a very competitive market and we do not want to do it at any cost because there [are] clearly more places for us to go and grow.”
DAZN secured a portion of the Ligue 1 rights in France in a major deal for the company. Ligue 1 needed a home for its rights, and DAZN presented a new opportunity to do so.
“France is a good example. It’s a market where let’s say the stars aligned. There is a good property there [Ligue 1] with passionate audiences and it’s reached to a place where someone like DAZN is very clearly required in the market to take this property and grow it. It’s not the case with Premier League yet.”
Could the cost be too much for DAZN?
As Segev says, the EPL does not need help in promoting its business. There is a legitimate bidding war for the rights because of how many people watch the league domestically. DAZN has moved on from Ligue 1 to save up money for its bid into the Premier League. Still, the cost may be too much.
Instead, DAZN could still work on promoting its other properties. The platform has a litany of rights in women’s soccer. That includes the rights to the UEFA Women’s Champions League, which continues to grow in popularity. Much of that is thanks to the deal with DAZN to allow games to be readily available to a global streaming audience.
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