The SPFL has announced an Invitation to Tender for live UK broadcast rights to Premiership matches from the 2029/30 season, a process that could reshape the financial future for Rangers. The current four-year agreement with Sky Sports, which began in the 2024/25 season and is worth around £150 million, runs until the end of the 2028/29 campaign. This news arrives as Rangers hold second place in the Premiership with 20 points from nine games, sitting four points behind Celtic ahead of their next home fixture against ST Johnstone on Saturday.
Neil Doncaster, the SPFL chief executive, said the league is "flexible about the number of games which can be shown live during the course of a season." The tender process is not being driven by a desire to silence criticism from clubs or supporters, the league stated. Rangers were previously critical of the SPFL's negotiation of the current Sky deal in 2022, arguing the league had undersold the product and left an estimated £20 million on the table. Sky Sports has been the sole domestic broadcast partner for the Premiership since 2020.
Potential new broadcast landscape
With the market set to open, the ownership landscape of potential bidders has shifted. Paramount+ and TNT Sports are now both under the ownership of Skydance Corporation following a major takeover. While streaming giant Netflix has expressed interest in sports rights, an industry insider suggested it may not see the Premiership as its first league format. "It would be a totally pointless exercise otherwise," the insider said of launching a tender without serious interest. Netflix has so far only acquired rights to one-off events like the FIFA World Cup.
The outcome of this tender is critical for Rangers and other Premiership clubs, as broadcast revenue forms a substantial part of their income. Increased competition among broadcasters could lead to a more lucrative deal, providing greater resources for squad investment and infrastructure. Rangers' recent on-field form, unbeaten in their last five matches with four wins and a draw, shows the product's value. Their recent results include a 2-2 draw with Dundee last week and a 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock earlier this month, with Ryan Naderi the club's top scorer this season with four goals.
The club now prepares to host ST Johnstone, who are fifth in the table, at Ibrox this weekend. A victory would maintain pressure on Celtic at the summit as the broadcast rights process begins its long run towards the 2029/30 season.
Background and full detail: The Herald
On October 22, the SPFL confirmed it expects "strong interest from broadcasters in what is widely recognised as one of Europe's most exciting national league competitions," said chief executive Neil Doncaster. The league also clarified that its separate contract with Premier Sports for the Scottish League Cup runs until at least 2030-31 and is unaffected. Rangers, who are second in the Premiership with 20 points, drew 2-2 with Dundee last week, with Badredine Bouanani and Nicolas Raskin scoring.
