Over the last few years, there have been calls for the Premier League to develop their own independent streaming platform that would allow subscribers to watch English football’s top-flight matches in one place. Spectators based in England will, this season, have needed to have access to Amazon Prime Video, BT Sport and Sky Sports to watch all of the league’s televised matches.

We’re going to look at several examples where live-access content has proved successful across numerous different industries. Moreover, we’ll also consider whether it could work for the Premier League.

Live-Access Services Can Be Successful

Outside of football, but still within the sporting world, the NBA has developed an all-inclusive subscription service that grants basketball fans live access to each of the 1,230 games that occur throughout the regular 2019-20 season. Within the premium package that the National Basketball Association offers its fans, users can immerse themselves in game replays, NBA TV content and, of course, live games all through a compatible desktop, smartphone or tablet. The rise of digitalization and the heightened demand among sporting fans to be able to view more live content has led to the NBA, which is widely considered as being the world’s premier basketball league, altering their approach to accommodate consumers’ needs for live access services.

While providing live content is proving popular, as demonstrated by the NBA, guaranteeing variation is also essential in ensuring consumer and spectator retention. Generally, the iGaming sector is one industry that has successfully catered to the needs of its audience in relation to live and on-demand content. At Casoola Casino, for example, live-access services are available through the platform’s live casino function, which offers a wide array of different games, including real-time baccarat, blackjack, and roulette variants. Fundamentally, this is the type of service that Premier League fans will be hoping for if a Netflix-style service is developed. The iGaming sector has thrived through generating more choice for its audience, and a video-streaming service would enable the Premier League to do the same regarding viewing possibilities.

Could It Work for the Premier League?

From a global standpoint, the emergence of a live-access service surrounding Premier League football could prove highly beneficial in regard to growing the division’s global viewership. Suggestions of a two-tiered system would enable foreign fans to view a handful of matches through their respective TV broadcasters, while also being able to stream non-televised games directly from the Premier League.

However, if England’s top-flight were to launch its own video-streaming service, it would still come with its drawbacks. Crucially, a television blackout means that Premier League matches which kick off on a Saturday at 15:00 GMT cannot be aired, and this wouldn’t change even with the creation of a Netflix-style platform. Ultimately, this would mean that unlike the NBA’s equivalent digital service, English-based Premier League fans still wouldn’t be able to view every live game.

The Concept Could Prove Popular

Although the implementation of a live-access service for Premier League matches is still a few years away, there are no doubts that it could prove effective in broadcasting further games across the globe. While there are still undeniable shortcomings that would need ironing out, English football’s top-flight may prosper though accommodating consumer demands as the NBA and the iGaming industry have done in recent times.