EXCLUSIVE: TNT Sport to bid for live rights to the Women’s Super League to compete with current broadcasters BBC and Sky Sports – a major boost for the women’s game
- The current deal for £8m per year was signed in 2021 and will rise significantly
- TNT is interested in the possible end of the 3 p.m. blackout – and more games
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TNT Sport will make its first bid for live rights to the Women’s Super League, which would be a major boost for women’s football.
The current £8m-a-year broadcast deal, which sees WSL matches shared between Sky Sports and the BBC, expires at the end of the season and a bid from TNT would significantly increase its value.
Although the WSL has not yet issued a tender, Mail Sport has learned that the number of games available will increase significantly under the current deal, which will see Sky show 35 matches per season and the BBC 22.
The WSL auction will start in January, following the completion of the UK rights sale in the Premier League. An increase in the number of WSL matches televised could see Sky and TNT share live rights, as they do for the Premier League.
TNT’s stake in the WSL takeover would have been increased by the possibility that the 3pm blackout could be lifted next season, allowing them to broadcast matches live on Saturday afternoons.
TNT Sports is said to be preparing to bid for the WSL live rights in January 2024
The broadcaster wants to invest more broadly in women’s sports and will try to get even more games with the disappearance of the blackout at 3 p.m.
Sports channel Warner Brothers/Discovery has made a conscious decision to build their programming around live action, while Sky has shown less interest in Saturday afternoon matches as they remain committed to their popular results and discussion show Soccer Saturday.
TNT is also increasing its investment in women’s sport, this week announcing a new deal to broadcast 20 Women’s Premiership Rugby matches each season.
The new channel’s football coverage is already notable for its use of female broadcasters, with Lynsey Hipgrave and Laura Woods in charge of their Premier League and Champions League matches respectively, and Jules Breach presenting on Europa League nights as well as fulfills the role of senior reporter.
WSL clubs are hopeful that the explosion of interest in women’s football, fueled by the England Lionesses, will lead to a big boost in TV revenue since the last deal was completed in March 2021, the first time the league has received compensation for TV rights.
The National Women’s Soccer League in the United States last week announced a new £30m-a-year domestic TV deal with CBS, ESPN and Amazon, a 40-fold increase in the value of the existing contract.
TNT declined to comment.
The channel has made it a priority to promote female talent, including Europa League presenter Jules Breach
Increasing interest in the Lionesses will increase the value of the deal when the auction begins