Premier League big six wary of £750m new advertising deal

Premier League officials have floated a radical centralised advertising model that could inject an extra £750 million into the competition each year, but the league’s heavyweight clubs are far from convinced.

According to the Daily Mail, the proposal—unveiled at a recent shareholder meeting—would see the league adopt an American-style system in which 60 per cent of pitch-side advertising is negotiated and sold centrally. The number of top-tier commercial partners would rise from seven to ten, with the resulting revenue distributed across all 20 clubs using a blend of performance and commercial metrics.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, collectively known as the ‘Big Six’, have privately voiced scepticism. None have commented publicly, yet insiders say the elite group fear the plan could undermine their own sophisticated commercial operations, which they believe outstrip anything a league-wide structure could deliver.

Clubs are also worried about contractual clashes. A centrally appointed automotive partner, for example, could collide with existing club sponsorships, forcing awkward renegotiations or costly buy-outs.

Currently, regulations allow five minutes of pitch-side advertising per match, with broadcasters controlling three of those minutes when cameras are live. The new framework would overhaul that arrangement, shifting the balance of power from individual clubs to the league office.

Smaller clubs are thought to be more receptive, attracted by the prospect of sharing in the global pulling power of the league’s biggest brands. For them, a slice of a collective £750 million pot could transform balance sheets and narrow the financial gap to the elite.

League insiders insist the numbers stack up, claiming robust financial modelling supports the initiative. Further discussions are expected before any formal vote is tabled, but with the Big Six digging in, finding a compromise may prove the toughest negotiation of the season.