EFL to negotiate new broadcast deal with Sky Sports

The present five-year deal with Sky runs until the end of the 2023-24 season, leading the league to issue invitations to tender earlier this year.

The league then issued an update via Twitter on Monday afternoon, which read: “The EFL has now completed a full and comprehensive review of the multiple ITT submissions received as part of its broadcast rights sales process from 2024 onwards.

“The league will now enter into an exclusive month-long negotiating period with the preferred bidder, Sky Sports.

“No further comment will be made on this matter at the current time.”

Streaming platform DAZN was understood to be keen on a long-term deal, feeling it would aid the EFL in closing the financial gap to the Premier League.

Screening all matches under their plans, however, would have required the EFL making a request to lift the Saturday blackout between 2.45pm and 5.15pm.