Scottish football’s next television deal has officially gone out to market – with the prospect of more Premiership matches being shown live.
The SPFL has invited broadcasters to bid for UK rights to the William Hill Premiership from the 2029/30 season, when the league’s current agreements with Sky Sports and Premier Sports expire.
One of the biggest questions will be how much Scottish football broadcasters actually want.
Rather than putting a fixed number of matches on the market, the SPFL has said it is flexible over the number of games which could be televised under the next agreement and has invited potential bidders to discuss their preferences.
It raises the possibility of a further expansion in live Premiership football from 2029.
Sky Sports currently has the right to show up to 60 Premiership matches per season, while Premier Sports can screen up to 22.
The Sky agreement has been reported as being worth £150 million and runs until the end of the 2028/29 campaign.
Premier Sports initially secured 20 Premiership matches per season before its allocation was increased to 22, including two post-split bottom-six fixtures.
Together the deals mean as many as 82 Premiership matches can currently be televised across the two subscription broadcasters in a season.
The latest tender could determine not only who shows Scotland’s top flight after 2029 but whether that number increases again. It comes at an important point for the commercial growth of the Scottish game.
The SPFL said last season produced the highest yearly attendances in the league body’s history.
Its latest accounts also showed almost £50 million was distributed to member clubs during the year, with increased broadcast income among the factors behind the record figure.
SPFL group chief executive Neil Doncaster said securing strong broadcasting partnerships was essential to maintaining a sustainable mix of income for the league and its clubs.
He said the SPFL anticipated “strong interest” from broadcasters in the new rights.
The tender is specifically for live UK Premiership rights. Premier Sports’ separate agreement covering broadcast and sponsorship rights for the League Cup will continue until at least the end of the 2030/31 season and is unaffected by the process.
The decision to leave the number of available matches open could prove one of the most important elements of the negotiations.
Scottish football has gradually increased the amount of Premiership action available live in recent years. The next deal could take that further, provided broadcasters are prepared to pay for the additional access.
The successful agreement will take effect from the beginning of the 2029/30 season.