Sky Sports is considering making Premier League highlights available free this season in a move which could hit viewing figures for the BBC’s Match of the Day.
It is thought Sky is weighing up whether to make three-minute video clips available on YouTube after games finish.
A video clips package has always been part of Sky’s broadcast deal, but it has not taken up the option to make highlights available to non-subscribers apart from short clips on social media.
The BBC has been the only place to see longer highlights, on Match of the Day. Sky’s three-minute clips would be available before fans can watch that Saturday evening show, though it remains to be seen if the three-minute clips broadcast by Sky would hit BBC viewing figures.
The online highlights would not include expert analysis and, responding to the news, Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker tweeted: “No threat at all.”
It was announced last January that Match of the Day would stay on the BBC until 2022 after the broadcaster splashed out £211.5million to secure the rights.
