England: consulting firm Oliver & Ohlbaum becomes a media adviser to the EFL

Oliver & Ohlbaum, a British consulting firm specialising in media, sports, and entertainment, has become the media adviser to the EFL, announced the latter body on 17/02/2017. The firm, associated with businessman Phil Lines, who was responsible for media of the Premier League from 2002 to 2010, "will provide the EFL with specialist advice on how to maximise the financial return and exposure for each of its 72 clubs". The duration of the agreement was not disclosed.

"We need to use this process to find the appropriate balance between centralised and club revenues, given the diversity of our competition and an ever-changing marketplace. By going through this process we should be in a really strong position by June on whether to exercise the option (to extend with Sky) or go to market," stated Shaun Harvey, CEO of EFL, on 17/02/2017.

The British pay-TV group Sky pls currently holds the domestic broadcasting rights to the competitions organised by the English Football League (English 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th divisions, 72 clubs in total) until 2018-19 with an option for the 2019-20 season…