Streaming service DAZN, is reportedly planning on bidding for the rights of EFL matches starting in 2024, according to The Times.
Currently owned by Sky Sports, EFL matches are occasionally shown during prime time, however, DAZN is planning are revolutionising the viewing experience by streaming all 1656 matches across the Championship, League One and League Two.
Currently famous in the UK for its partnership with boxing, rumours have been circling for a while that DAZN will step into the football world, also expressing interest in competing for the Premier League and Champions League.
The move comes with huge implications for English football due to the long-standing ‘blackout rule.
As things stand, no games on Saturday afternoons can be televised, in a way to help attendance across the games. Making every game publicly streamable will therefore impact the viewership at grounds across the country.
This isn’t the first time the EFL has flirted with ending the ‘blackout rule’, with reports in October 2022, that platforms YouTube and Netflix were in talks to own the streaming rights.
As a worldwide brand, DAZN has had success hosting Serie A in Italy and could be close to a breakthrough in the English game.
The 3 pm rule comes with a huge debate due to a lack of availability for EFL matches. Currently, only 138 games across the three leagues are all shown on Sky, with League One and Two games regularly getting neglected.
Writer’s View
This topic can be a very controversial one, but at the end of the day, something needs to change with how English football is streamed in this country.
With the cost of these streaming services, spreading them across multiple services like they currently are, while not even getting full access is not on. It’s not right people around the world can watch any game at the click of a button, while people in the UK are restricted even when clubs are comfortably selling out their ticket capacity.
On the other side of things, I understand attendance at games could drop and football clubs would be the ones to take the brunt of this, but the priority of the fans needs to be sorted.
