Potential tension between PL and EFL over data revenue split

A dispute is in the works between the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) over data rights, according to speculation from media sources.

According to the Guardian, some clubs in the English top flight are lobbying for the league to receive a bigger share of English football’s data rights deal.

The rumours showcase how valuable commodity data has become in the modern sports ecosystem.

The Premier League and EFL – the latter encompassing the second, third and fourth tiers of the football pyramid – are equal shareholders in FootballDataCo, the system’s football data rights holder.

This data is subsequently sold to media outlets and betting operators. Genius Sports, the primary data partner of FDC in one of the London-based sportstech firms flagship deals, collects and distributes said data to media and betting stakeholders.

“In an era where fan engagement and personalised experiences are key, having access to high-quality, real-time and fast data allows organisations to connect with audiences in deeper and more meaningful ways,” says Narek Harutyunyan, CEO of FeedConstruct, a sports betting feed provider.

The Guardian understands that Premier League clubs feel they should gain more from this due to disproportionate media and betting interest in their activities as opposed to the lower league teams of the EFL.

Betting on English football has exploded over the past 10 years. Whilst horse racing was the traditionally most bet on sport in the UK, football overtook it in 2019 and has maintained a lead ever since according to the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the UK betting industry standards body.

The Premier League is one of the most watched sports leagues in the world and its clubs have some of the biggest global fanbases in all of sports. As a result it attracts more betting and media interest than others – this is likely the essential argument behind the Premier League’s reported lobbying.

The EFL, however, will argue that it still captures a lot of betting and media interest due to the numerous historic and well supported clubs that compete within it – Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United and Leeds United to name a few.

Another factor to consider here is revenue. With EFL clubs not benefiting from the same media exposure and broadcasting revenue as the top-flight, they are more reliant on betting revenue, whether from data or sponsorship, than Premier League clubs.

Should the Guardian reports prove accurate and Premier League lobbying does intensify, the EFL will likely put up a strong fight to retain this revenue. The Premier League, meanwhile, also has its own rationale for wanting more revenue.

Top-flight clubs have been facing financial pressure lately in the form of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Everton and Nottingham Forest were both hit with points deductions last year for not bringing enough revenue in whilst spending too much, according to PSR 

Clubs will want to ensure revenue is maximised to avoid this, and with data now a hugely valued asset in modern sports, it is unsurprising this could become a point of contention. 

The idea of the Premier League and EFL fighting over data rights 20 or 30 years ago would seem somewhat ridiculous, but changes over the past two decades mean both sides have strong motivations to prevail.