Broadcaster BT Sport has been appointed to market Amazon’s Premier League pass to commercial premises over the next three seasons, with pubs and clubs able to access fixtures via their current set-top box equipment and satellite dish without needing to be a BT Sport customer.
As reported by The Morning Advertiser, 32 more Premier League fixtures will be broadcast live over the course of next season, with 128 to be shown by Sky Sports, 52 by BT Sport and 20 by Amazon following the latest rights auction.
Further pricing details and how to order the pass will be made available over the coming months.
The announcement means that pubs and clubs will be able to show a total of 200 matches from the Premier League next season, including the 20 fixtures across the 3-5 December and Boxing Day match days that Amazon hold exclusive rights to.
These include the first Merseyside derby of the season, Champions League finalists Tottenham Hotspur visiting Old Trafford and a festive face-off between Wolves and last season’s Premier League champions Manchester City.
The 2019-20 Premier League season gets under way on 9 August with last season’s EFL Championship winners Norwich City travelling to Anfield to face last season’s Premier League runners-up, and Champions League winners, Liverpool.
Discussing the announcement, Bruce Cuthbert, commercial sport director for BT, said: “Amazon have some fantastic fixtures in December including the popular Boxing Day games which we know pubs and clubs across the country will be delighted to make available to their customers.
"We look forward to working with Amazon to make this an easy option for commercial customers.”
Allaying fears
"This is great news for pubs," MatchPint co-founder Dom Collingwood added: "A number of customers have expressed concern at the lack of clarity in recent weeks.
"This allays two major worries - first that pubs wouldn't be able to buy a subscription, and second that - even if they could - they'd have to stream the events online, a broadcast format current wifi provisions don't lend themselves to.
"Now that we're over the fears, we can look at the opportunity. If our recent survey of sports fans is anything to go by, it's a significant one. Only 30% of pub-going sports fans currently have Amazon at home, while 40% neither have a subscription at home nor are planning on getting one.
"This indicates their should be plenty of punters looking for a pub come 3 December and again on Boxing Day."
