SPFL extends Sky and BT deal on ‘improved terms’

Scottish football’s main television deal has been extended by three seasons.

Neil Doncaster: Delighted at deal. Picture: Ian Rutherford

The Scottish Professional Football League has announced that Sky Sports and BT Sport will continue to broadcast live Ladbrokes Premiership matches until the summer of 2020 – on “improved terms”.

The current deal, which is worth about £15 million per annum and sees 60 games screened live each year, was due to expire at the end of next season.

BT Sport will show up to six play-off matches live each season as part of the new extended deal.

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “We are delighted to extend our relationship with both Sky Sports and BT Sport to the end of season 2019/20 on improved terms.”

Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis said: “We’re delighted to extend our partnership with the SPFL, taking our coverage of Scottish football to almost 30 years with this deal.

“The SPFL is a major part of our unrivalled football schedule, in addition to the Scottish Cup and Scotland’s Uefa Euro 2016 and Fifa World Cup 2018 
qualifiers.”

Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said: “Over the past two seasons BT Sport has established a fantastic connection to Scottish football, with growing audiences for our televised coverage. With the addition of the popular end of season play-offs, BT Sport looks forward to serving Scottish football fans for the next five years with regular league coverage.”