Premier League matches will be aired live on a new TNT Sports channel next season. Sportsmail revealed on Monday that BT Sport would be changing its name following last year’s £650million merger with Warner Brothers Discovery, who will launch the channel next season with a homage to American cable station Turner Network Television.
TNT Sports will take over BT’s existing portfolio of live rights, which contains two more seasons of Premier League matches, the next four years of Champions League fixtures and Premiership Rugby. Warner Brothers Discovery also owns Eurosport, which will resume operating as a stand-alone channel in the UK until the 2024 Olympics, after which it will roll into the TNT stable.
TNT intends to run four sports channels from July and is preparing to fight hard to possess Premier League rights when the contract expires in 2025. The auction for the following rights cycle will take place in the next 12 months, with new players such as Apple TV and DAZN expected to join Sky Sports and TNT in bidding for matches. TNT already broadcasts football in South America and basketball and ice hockey in the United States.
“On the next rights auction, this is a bonus service, and we intend to remain a premium service,” said Warner Bros managing director Andrew Georgiou. “Our strategy for any rights auction is to ensure we retain that market position.
