The Premier League and IMG have sealed a three-year extension to their broadcasting partnership - two weeks after staff were told their jobs were being axed over Zoom.
Premier League Productions will take on a drastic new look from the start of next season, when the new deal begins, much to the frustration of dozens who work in front and behind the camera. A number of high-profile presenters are expected to depart, while camera operators and logistics staff have been told they are not having their contracts renewed or that their hours will be drastically reduced.
PLP will place increased emphasis on timeless and digital content, according to a source, with midweek studio shows likely to be cut. There are likely to be a series of on-demand documentaries created instead. Press conferences and matches will continue to be the primary focus because PLP provides the feed to international networks who collectively spend billions on showing the top tier of English football.
Mark Pougatch, Kelly Cates and Seema Jaswal are among those who have worked with PLP. It remains unclear who has been let go and who will be retained. Staff were first alerted to the changes when a series of Zoom calls were organised on April 22 and individuals were then informed of their personal status a week later.
“Our international broadcast partners are able to leverage the outstanding outputs of PLP to showcase the League to new and existing fans all over the world,” said Paul Molnar, the Premier League’s chief media officer.
“We are excited to launch new innovations that will considerably enhance the content offering and production services in the upcoming cycle, and we are grateful for the expertise of the IMG team that will ensure world class delivery over the three seasons ahead.”
Barney Francis, executive vice president and head of global production at IMG, added: “As the world of sports consumption continues to evolve, we are consistently developing and delivering innovative, compelling, multi-platform content for our partners to reach new and existing fans, and I am excited for everything PLP has in store for the coming seasons.”
