PREMIER LEAGUE clubs have scrapped plans for a top-flight version of “Drive to Survive” – after failing to reach an agreement with Netflix.
Discussions with the streaming giant have been going on for months around a Prem-backed documentary service, with the company offering £5m per year for a three-season deal.
But that was nowhere near enough for top-flight clubs, especially as it would have seen dressing room access to all 20 clubs.
The Netflix show’s behind-the-scenes footage would have been similar to Drive To Survive for F1, tennis’ Break Point and Full Swing, the golf equivalent.
Box To Box Films, who oversaw Drive To Survive as well as the Steven Gerrard Make Us Dream documentary and boxing’s The Kings show, would have produced the football docuseries.
Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Leeds and Sunderland have all had Netflix or Amazon camera crews following them in recent years and the new access has proven a big hit with fans.
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With the Prem’s two main broadcasters Sky Sports and BT Sport also unhappy about an outside organisation muscling in on their territory, club chiefs canned the idea at today’s Premier League shareholder meeting.
In a four-hour meeting, club bosses agreed the principle of a ban on shirt-front gambling sponsorship, to come into effect for the 2026-27 seasons.
That is likely to be confirmed in the coming weeks, although sleeve advertising from gambling companies will continue.
A clampdown on rogue owners was also agreed – including a formal human rights test for the first time.
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Clubs will also vote on upgrades to VAR technology for next season, likely to bring the introduction of limb-tracking cameras as used by Uefa and Fifa, at the annual meeting in June.
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Premier League referees will come into line with International FA Board demands to stop time-wasting, with extra added time expected to add an additional two or three minutes to matches next term.
But there has been no softening of the opposition to ending the Saturday 3pm TV “blackout”, despite streamer DAZN suggesting it would push for a reversal to allow it to screen all 1,656 EFL games if it wins the next rights deal.
There are, however, signs that an agreement over a new funding arrangement for the EFL, which is demanding 25 per cent of the Prem’s broadcast income, is in sight.
Clubs were told that both sides have moved from their initial positions in discussions, although there will be a variation in the terms of parachute payments to relegated clubs, rather than the ending of the cash hand-out demanded by the EFL.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
