The race to grab the broadcast rights to the English Premier League in the United States is going to be an intense one, and there are more players involved than you might have imagined.
ESPN and Fox Soccer are trying to retain the rights they have held together for the past three years, but several new networks are vying to unseat them from that lucrative spot. New network beIN Sport is trying to and the Premier League to the Spanish Premier League, Italian Serie A and French Ligue 1 rights it already holds, while the NBC Sports Network is also in the mix, trying to add the Premier League to the MLS rights they won a year ago.
Discovery Networks is also reported to have submitted a bid.
So who are the favorites? Fox Soccer and ESPN look to have the edge on beIN Sport, with there being concerns about just how beIN Sport would be able to showcase all of its rights in an effective matter. The Sports Business Journal hinted that the NBC Sports bid was not a strong one, while the Discovery Network bid seems to be a long shot.
What do you think of this race? Who would you like to see wind up with the Premier League rights?
Share your thoughts below.