The EPL is "close to launching a Netflix-style service for live football that would sidestep traditional broadcasters," according to Ben Woods of the SUNDAY TIMES. The streaming service "was due to be tested in Singapore." However, the league "pulled back from the project late last year" and instead sold three seasons of TV rights to Singaporean telecom Singtel. The prospect of an EPL streaming platform "would strike fear into the hearts of pay-TV broadcasters such as Sky," which uses English football’s top tier to attract subscribers. The EPL "has been hunting for ways to boost its finances since its income from domestic TV rights dropped at the last auction" (SUNDAY TIMES, 2/10). In London, James Warrington reported last week, former EPL side Crystal Palace Chair Simon Jordan said that a streaming service similar to the NFL’s model "could increase broadcast revenues" to roughly £10B ($12.9B) per season. Jordan: "In my view, the Premier League has the opportunity to become a broadcaster in its own right and dwarf the revenues it currently gets" (CITY A.M., 2/10).
