United States: NBC extends its TV rights to the Premier League for 2016-2022 (estimated cost: $1bn)

The US broadcasting group NBC Universal, the holder of exclusive broadcasting rights, in the United States, to the Barclays Premier League during the 2013-2016 cycle, has extended these rights for the 2016-2022 cycle, the two parties announced on 10/08/2015. This is the first contract signed by the Premier League in a major international television market for the next audiovisual cycle (after 2015-16).

The amount of the acquisition is estimated by American and British media outlets to be $1bn (€907m as of 11/08/2015) over the six year period, or nearly $167m (€151.5m) per season. This amount would be double that paid by NBC to the Premier League during the 2013-2016 cycle, namely $250m (€226.6m) over the period, or $83.3m (€75.5m) per season.

As with the 2013-2016 cycle, NBC holds all the rights to broadcast the Premier League for 2016-2022. The 380 games of the English first division will be broadcast on either NBC anglophone antennas (free), NBC Sports Network (paid), USA Network (extra charge) and, for the first time, also on the Hispanic networks Telemundo (paid) and NBC…