DAZN, Sky Sports Continue to Battle for Position in European Sports

Posted on: September 27, 2022, 12:11h. 

Last updated on: September 27, 2022, 05:35h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

Competition breeds a better experience for consumers. That’s good news for viewers, as DAZN and Sky Sports are each striking new deals in the European sports industry that will strengthen both of their positions.

Celtic Football Club
Celtic Football Club players celebrate winning the Scottish Cup in 2020. The Scottish Professional Football team is one of several that will soon find itself in front of more fans thanks to an expanded partnership between Sky Sports and the league. (Image: SNS Group)

Sky Sports is going the route of additional content. It will expand its coverage of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) and include additional content streams.

Sky Sports will also offer 60 matches each season and is adding the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL), according to a company announcement. Sky Sports will provide access to at least five contests each season. However, fans of Scottish soccer will have to wait to enjoy the additional coverage. The deal doesn’t kick in until the 2024 season.

As part of the deal, the broadcaster is now an official partner of the SWPL and the title sponsor of the League Cup. It will keep that title for the next seven seasons.

Sky Sports is also going to expand its online SPFL and SWPL content. It will include interviews, live blog content, in-game clips, and more on its website and through apps. Complementing the new partnership will be additional match coverage on Sky Sports’ media channels, including YouTube, Sky Q, and Sky Glass. There will also be a weekly highlights show to summarize the best moves and goals of the leagues.

DAZN Looks for Domination

DAZN, which recently launched its own sportsbook in the UK, is in the process of finalizing its acquisition of Eleven Group. The company, founded by Leeds United Chairman Andrea Radrizzani seven years ago, offers soccer streaming online to a global audience. It brags of having provided more than “65,000 hours of live content” over the last year.

The acquisition will make DAZN the “largest holder of European sports rights,” according to its announcement. It said it will add another 40K live events to its library once it completes the purchase.

The library will include Liga Portugal and Jupiler Pro League out of Belgium. DAZN expects to add around $300 million to its revenue each year.

As part of the acquisition, DAZN also picks up Team Whistle, the Eleven subsidiary specializing in social media. It reportedly has over 700 million followers and generates approximately five billion views annually.

Both the Sky Sports and DAZN deals come only months after BT Sport and Warner Bros. Discovery joined forces to offer sports coverage in the UK. Regulators still have to approve DAZN’s acquisition, but if they’re willing to sign off on that mega-deal, there’s no reason to think they’ll reject it.