Premier Sports snaps up top-flight football tournament coverage

The Scottish Premiership has secured further visibility by following up its Sky Sports and contract renewal with a partnership with Premier Sports.

The five-season partnership between Premier Sports and the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) will see the outlet broadcast 20 Scottish Premiership matches per year.

Coverage will be distributed across both the UK and Ireland, where the Scottish Premiership has a substantial viewership as the top-flight football division in Scotland, home to widely followed clubs such as Rangers and Celtic.

SPFL Group Chief Executive, Neil Doncaster, said: “This is tremendous news for SPFL clubs and supporters alike and means that up to 80 Premiership matches will be broadcast live next season across Sky Sports and Premier Sports. This will be the highest number of live matches ever broadcast from the Scottish Premiership.

“With Premier Sports already having the rights to the Premier Sports Cup and Scottish Cup, they have cemented their place as a key broadcaster of live Scottish football. 

“We are extremely grateful to Premier Sports for their increased investment into the game, which will bring an additional eight-figure sum into Scottish football over the next five years, meaning further record-breaking payments to clubs.”

The Scottish Premiership is covered predominantly in the UK by Sky Sports, although other SPFL fixtures are also covered by BBC Sport. The UK public service broadcaster provides radio coverage and also maintains highlights rights.

Sky’s partnership with the top-flight was renewed in 2022, and the BBC’s arrangement was extended in 2023. The addition of Premier Sports to the league’s media partner portfolio marks a significant expansion of the pay-TV broadcaster’s coverage.

Premier Sports roster currently includes the Scottish League Cup, NASCAR, NHL, the UK Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), and LaLiga. The latter is one of its flagship offerings, with its contract extended for a further three years back in 2022.

Michael O’Rourke, founder of Premier Sports, commented: “We are delighted to strengthen our Scottish football offering to fans in what is a hugely exciting time for Scottish football at both club and international level. 

“The addition of the Scottish Premiership means we are showing more Scottish football than ever before and we’re looking forward to broadcasting games and storylines from one of Europe’s most exciting and passionate leagues for the next five years.”