CEO Shay Segev warned that, “the maths needs to work”

Kevin De Bruyne Premier League promo

DAZN CEO Shay Segev has confirmed that the streaming platform will bid for future Premier League rights.

Speaking to The Times, Segev outlined DAZN’s ambition to become a “big player” in the UK, with the market a “high priority” for the broadcaster.

He said: “Football is obviously very big in the UK and EPL is an option on our menu. If the question is do we have any ambition to go to this market, the answer is of course yes. And it’s not only ambition it’s a high priority on my list.

“DAZN is a sports service and clearly we will try to get bigger packages but the maths needs to work.

“The question is the economic situation, the competition and whether we will be in a position to be strong enough to position ourselves as the best. I am very, very confident that in the mid to long-term we can be a big player in the UK.

“Whether this takes, two years, five years, seven years, time will tell.”

Sky Sports, BT Sport, and Prime Video currently hold the live rights to the Premier League in the UK, with BBC Sport holding onto highlights. This last deal was signed in 2021, with the broadcasters’ deals rolled over without an auction due to the effects of the pandemic. The next auction is slated to take place in 2024.

Segev also spoke about the possible future of the 3pm blackout, which the EFL put into question with its most recent rights tender. EFL CCO Ben Wright spoke to Broadcast Sport about the league’s ambitions in the aftermath of that announcement.

Segev said: “From a business perspective it’s a lost opportunity for the consumers and for the league as well,” he added. “I know from people who live in this country that if they want to watch their club at the time they need to connect to a remote service outside the UK which I think is a pity.

“For us it’s really important to transition to long-term deals as it gives certainty and stability for everybody and gives us the motivation to invest long-term. The deal with the NFL is a good example, it’s a ten-year deal and the same with our deal in Japan.”