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Premier League clubs are set to lose millions in television revenue as a result of their insistence on postponing matches due to Covid outbreaks and injury crises, with broadcasters demanding rebates due to schedule disruption.
Of the 21 matches called off to date, 14 were due to be televised live. BT Sport suffered the most in losing six games while Amazon Prime lost three, often at short notice.
The Premier League were forced to pay back £330million to Amazon, BT and Sky last year as a result of the three-month suspension caused by the first lockdown, as well as giving the broadcasters the right to show every game for no extra charge when football returned.
Amazon Prime's Premier League coverage was badly hit by matches being postponed by Covid
The cancellations caused by Covid outbreaks this season will lead to further refunds.
While some matches have been rescheduled and televised live — such as Manchester United’s win at Brentford this week, which was shown by BT Sport — all the Premier League’s rights-holders lost significant advertising revenue due to games being postponed over the lucrative Christmas period and will demand to be compensated.
Amazon Prime have been hit particularly hard because Premier League matches are integral to their Christmas push, yet three of their 20 live games this season did not take place. The lost matches will eventually be shown live by Amazon when they are rescheduled, but will have less value.
Biggest rights-holder Sky, who
