Premier League consider centralised ad sales plan with £750m upside

Premier League executives have begun exploring an overhaul of the competition’s commercial rights model that could, in early modelling, add as much as £750m a year in new revenue.According to Sky News, clubs were briefed at a shareholder meeting this week on a proposal that would centralise the sale of a significant portion of pitch-side perimeter advertising and expand the league’s top-tier partner roster.The outline presented to clubs involved the Premier League selling around 60 per cent of pitch-side advertising centrally, rather than leaving most inventory under club control, while increasing the number of top-level commercial partners from seven to 10. The figures shared with clubs were described as exploratory, with no final plan agreed.The scale of the potential uplift underlines the Premier League’s global commercial strength at a time when talks on a financial redistribution agreement with the English Football League have yet to reach a conclusion.The Premier League’s current top-tier partner group includes Barclays, Microsoft, EA and Guinness, alongside other major brands. The league also has a range of licensing relationships, including with Topps, Football Manager and Sorare, and the proposal would build on that structure by creating more centrally sold inventory.One club executive raised concerns during the meeting about the risk of increased conflict between league-wide partners and individual club sponsorship deals, particularly where clubs have existing category exclusivity agreements.The meeting was also notable for the presence of the Independent Football Regulator’s leadership. Chair David Kogan and chief executive Richard Monks attended and outlined plans for the regulator’s inaugural ‘State of the Game’ report, which is expected to be prepared over the coming months.The Premier League declined to comment on the discussions.