EPL Viewership 2024-25: Broadcaster Decline Report
- English soccer's Premier League experienced a drop in domestic television viewership during the 2024-25 season.
- The slide in Premier League viewership was notably noticeable during the final six weeks of the season.
- Sky Sports' chief operating officer suggested earlier this year that illegal streaming accounts for roughly 50% of all Premier league streaming incidents.
Premier League viewership took a hit during the 2024-25 season, wiht Sky Sports and TNT Sports reporting significant declines, according to a new report. The data shows a 10% drop for Sky and a 5% decrease for TNT, sparking concerns about the impact of illegal streaming on the sport’s popularity.The final weeks, with the title race decided early, may have accelerated this decline.News Directory 3 explores the implications for the upcoming rights cycle, as Sky secures more games for the 2025-29 seasons, while Amazon exits. Discover what’s next for the league’s strategies to boost viewership.
Premier League Viewership Declines Amid streaming Concerns
Updated June 12, 2025
English soccer’s Premier League experienced a drop in domestic television viewership during the 2024-25 season. At a recent annual meeting, the league’s 20 clubs were informed that sky Sports saw a 10% decrease in viewers, while TNT Sports experienced a 5% decline compared to the previous season.
The slide in Premier League viewership was notably noticeable during the final six weeks of the season. By that point, liverpool had essentially secured the title, and the relegation fates of Ipswich Town, Leicester City, and Southampton were largely determined. This lack of suspense, coupled with the rise of illegal streaming, may have contributed to the decline.
Sky Sports’ chief operating officer suggested earlier this year that illegal streaming accounts for roughly 50% of all Premier league streaming incidents. this issue is coming to the forefront as the EPL and its broadcast partners prepare for a new rights cycle.
Starting next season,sky and TNT will share live rights for the 2025-26 to 2028-29 cycle. Sky will broadcast at least 215 games, a meaningful increase from the current 128. TNT Sports will retain 52 games. Amazon Prime Video, a broadcaster sence 2019, will not air matches during this next cycle. the total value of the rights package, including a highlights agreement with the BBC, is £6.7 billion ($9.06 billion).
U.S. viewership on NBCUniversal, the Premier League’s American rights holder, also decreased in 2024-25. NBC averaged 510,000 viewers for EPL games, a 7% drop from the previous season. However, despite the dip, it was still the fourth consecutive season with an average above 500,000, a league record in the U.S. NBC’s current deal, which covers all 380 games per season in both English and Spanish, is worth $2.69 billion over six seasons.
What’s next
The Premier League will likely continue to combat illegal streaming while seeking innovative ways to engage viewers and maintain its position as one of the world’s most popular soccer leagues. The new broadcast rights cycle presents both challenges and opportunities for growth in domestic and international markets.