Dundee and Dundee United are set to benefit from the SPFL’s bumper new TV deal with Premier Sports.
SPFL chief Neil Doncaster revealed the deal would see an “eight-figure sum” invested in Scottish football over the next five years
On top of the offering from Sky to screen up to 60 live matches per season, Premier Sports have now agreed to show 20 further matches each campaign.
Doncaster said: “This is tremendous news for SPFL clubs and supporters alike and means that up to 80 Premiership matches will be broadcast live next season across Sky Sports and Premier Sports. This will be the highest number of live matches ever broadcast from the Scottish Premiership.
“With Premier Sports already having the rights to the Premier Sports Cup and Scottish Cup, they have cemented their place as a key broadcaster of live Scottish football.
“We are extremely grateful to Premier Sports for their increased investment into the game, which will bring an additional eight-figure sum into Scottish football over the next five years, meaning further record-breaking payments to clubs.”
Derby
On top of clubs getting bigger prize money, fans who are unable to attend key matches are more likely to be able to watch the games live on TV.
Sky Sports chose not to show the last two Dundee derbies live.
The most recent – a 2-2 draw at Tannadice in April 2022 – was a Saturday 3pm kick-off.
And the previous one on February 1 – a 0-0 draw at Dens Park – was only screened ‘as live’ on BBC Alba later that evening.
Sky Sports did show the first Dundee derby of the campaign, which saw Ian Harkes score the only goal of the game at Tannadice on September 19, 2021.
However, with more games to be shown live it is likely crunch matches like the Dundee and Edinburgh derbies that missed out on live TV coverage previously will now be broadcast.
After more than two years without a derby, fans of both Dundee and United could be able to watch next season’s derby action unfold live in the stadium, from the comfort of their own home or a local pub.
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