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Sky Sports to offer multiview during Sunday soccer matches

The Comcast-owned broadcaster will offer more than 215 exclusive Premier League matches this season.

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Key Points:

  • Sky Sports will air at least 215 exclusive Premier League matches this season, including every displaced Sunday 2 p.m. kick-off event
  • A new multiview format will let viewers watch multiple live matches at once with commentary and analysis.
  • Jamie Carragher will host a new “Extra Time” show after busy Super Sundays, recapping key moments from all matches.

Comcast’s Sky Group will allow its sports television subscribers the ability to watch multiple Premier League soccer matches from a single screen through a new multi-view feature that is rolling out this season.

At a press event from its West London offices this week, Sky confirmed its partnership with the Premier League will see an increase in exclusively live matches from 128 to at least 215. The expanded schedule includes every displaced Sunday 2 p.m. kick-off resulting from Europa League fixtures, a first for a U.K. broadcaster.

During match weeks that follow midweek European games, when up to four fixtures may be played simultaneously, Sky will debut “supersized” Super Sundays. A new multiview program will run on all Sky satellite and streaming platforms, Now TV and within the Sky Sports app, showing every live match concurrently with dedicated commentary, half-time analysis and real-time switches between grounds to cover goals and key moments. Viewers can also watch each match in full.

Gary Hughes, the Director of Football (Soccer) at Sky Sports, likened the new multiview feature to the American whip-around cable network NFL RedZone.

“It’s more like Soccer Saturday with screens,” Hughes quipped. “It’s something we trialed last season during the Carabao Cup, and we just felt it was a good way of utilizing the coverage that we’ve got.”

On the busiest Sundays, Sky will follow the main 4:30 p.m. match with a new analysis program called “Extra Time.” Hosted by Jamie Carragher, the one-hour show will air at 7:30 p.m. and review key moments from every match that day.

Sky Sports Premier League’s presenting lineup will add Mark Chapman to its regular team alongside David Jones and Kelly Cates. Chapman will also continue to present Carabao Cup coverage and BBC’s “Match of the Day.” Analysts including Gary Neville, Carragher, Roy Keane, Daniel Sturridge, Izzy Christiansen, Micah Richards, and Jamie Redknapp will return, with additional guests joining throughout the season.

Through a partnership with fan engagement platform Fanalysis, supporter-led player ratings, manager verdicts, and perspectives will be featured in live build-up, post-match coverage, and digital output. Sky will also offer instant vertical highlights through the Sky Sports app.

“This is a landmark season for Sky Sports and the Premier League,” said Jonathan Licht, Chief Sports Officer at Sky. “For the first time, we’ll bring fans over 215 live matches, including every 2:00 p.m. kickoff on Super Sunday. We’re introducing new innovations like Multiview, new programs like Super Sunday: Extra Time, and a new-look schedule for Sky Sports News.”

Sky Glass, Sky Stream and Sky Q will gain new sports features this year, including match reminders, team pages, Playlist integration, full match replays, and start-over functionality. Later in the year, live events from Sky Sports Plus will be integrated into the main Sky OS experience on Glass and Stream, while Sky Q will continue app-based playback with an updated interface.

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About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is the award-winning founder and editor of TheDesk.net, an authoritative voice on broadcast and streaming TV, media and tech. With over ten years of experience, he's a recognized expert in broadcast, streaming, and digital media, with work featured in publications such as StreamTV Insider and Digital Content Next, and past roles at Thomson Reuters and Disney-ABC Television Group.
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