Eight Premier League matches will be played in a new Saturday 19.45 kick-off time from the 2019-20 season.
The Premier League has given details of the 200 live matches that will be auctioned to broadcasters in the next few months. The packages represent over half of the 380 games played over the Premier League season; a significant increase on the 168 included as part of the current deal.
The new Saturday match is a first for the Premier League – an extended highlights package has peviously been offered from 20.00 – and will put the elite soccer up against the big Saturday night entertainment shows for the first time.
There are also midweek and Bank Holiday packages, along with the now traditional Saturday 12.30 and 17.30 kick-offs and 14.00 and 16.30 on Sunday. The latter seeing its kick off time put back by half an hour.
Under the current £5.136 billion rights deal Sky screens the Saturday lunchtime and Sunday afternoon matches, along with Monday nights and occasional Friday evening kick-offs totalling 126 matches each season, while BT has Saturday teatime and midweek rights 42 matches each season.
Earlier this year, the leading clubs in the Premier League saw an attempt to secure a bigger share of overseas broadcasting agreements rejected.
What’s Available (Times GMT/BST)
Package A: Saturdays at 12:30 (32 matches)
Package B: Saturdays at 17:30 (32 matches
Package C: Sundays at 14:00 and eight matches on Saturdays at 19:45 (24 matches)
Package D: Sundays at 16:30 (32 matches)
Package E: Mondays at 20:00 or Fridays at 19:30/20:00 and eight matches on Sundays at 14:00 (24 matches)
Package F: One Bank Holiday and one midweek fixture programme (20 matches)
Package G: Two midweek fixture programmes (20 matches)
