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Expert: Liverpool ready to cash in amid £5bn 'war' - 'biggest threat in Premier League history'
Liverpool are in “pole position” to financially benefit if Premier League broadcasting turns towards a streaming model.
That is the opinion of finance expert Dr Dan Plumley, who spoke exclusively to Football Insider about the bidding war between Apple and Sky and how it may affect Premier League broadcasting.
The Daily Mail reported on January 13 that Apple TV are preparing a bid for the next set of Premier League television rights.
Apple’s bid is described as “the biggest threat to Sky Sports dominance” since the birth of the Premier League in 1992.
The Premier League’s current three-year deal with Sky Sports and BT Sport is valued at £5.1bn and expires in 2025, although negotiations for the next set of rights are scheduled for later this year.
Plumley believes Liverpool’s large fanbase means they’d profit more than most Premier League clubs from the broadcasting model changing to a streaming format.
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“I think a streaming service would shake up both the value of broadcasting rights as well as the dynamic of how the Premier League is broadcast,” Plumey told Football Insider.
“From a financial point of view, everyone knows Apple are good for their money so that puts a lot of pressure on Sky.
“I believe Sky need the Premier League more than the Premier League needs Sky at the moment.
“The domestic deal is currently worth £5billion and the Premier League will believe they can raise that even further with an Apple vs Sky bidding war.
“I also believe it will affect the dynamic of broadcasting moving forward with streaming models now a prominent format in sports.
“It’s certainly something clubs will want, and Liverpool specifically will want it as they can carve up their own broadcasting rights and engage with fans directly as consumers.
“Clubs with larger fanbases will benefit more than others so Liverpool will be in pole position to benefit.”
In other news, Liverpool face a ‘huge’ Mohamed Salah ‘problem’ as Jurgen Klopp fumes