Aston Villa and Wolves part of the mix as Premier League adds US twist to TV offering in wake of huge £6.7 billion broadcasting deal
Nelson Semedo of Wolverhampton Wanderers is interviewed by TNT Sports
Touchline interviews are just one change to the broadcast offering next season.
(Image: Jack Thomas - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images)
Live touchline interviews with substituted players have been sanctioned from next season as the Premier League adds an American twist to its television coverage.
It is arguably the most eye-catching of several changes that broadcasters will be allowed to implement for the new season, which is now just seven weeks away.
Premier League bosses have asked clubs, including Aston Villa and Wolves, to provide greater access to facilitate "US-style innovations" as a new broadcast deal with the likes of Sky Sports and TNT Sports commences.
For the first time, camera operators will be allow to enter the pitch to capture teams' goal celebrations and they will also be granted access to changing rooms.
Some of the changes were trialled last season. For instance, Bournemouth's James Tavernier was interviewed after being substituted during a match against Southampton in October.
Such media chats will only occur once players have sufficiently cooled down on the touchline while the game continues. However, there will be restrictions, with all three innovations unlikely to happen simultaneously in games, according to the Mirror.
As for pitch access, this will reportedly only be permitted for a few seconds during goal celebrations but not during stoppage time.
There was resistance to the idea of cameras in dressing rooms, with clubs like Arsenal and Manchester City, who have been the subject of documentaries, anticipating contractual pressures. Camera operators will not be allowed in during team talks.
The Premier League appears to be trying to offer broadcasters better value for money at the start of a record deal worth £6.7 billion over four years.
Wolves will be one of the first clubs to be potentially subjected to the changes when their home game with Manchester City is broadcast by Sky on the opening weekend.
The Sky cameras will be at Molineux on Saturday, August 16 for Wolves' 5.30pm kick-off against City, which is being shown on the Premier League and Main Event channels.
It is expected there will be dressing-room access and player interviews at two home games for each club involved.
The broadcast deal is described as the largest ever concluded in the UK. It means Sky will broadcast a minimum of 215 games in 2025/26 after winning four of five packages.
Their coverage will include Saturday 5.30pm kick-offs, Sunday 2pm and 4.30pm kick-offs, plus evening games on Mondays and Fridays and three midweek rounds. In a major change, every 2pm Sunday kick-off will be shown on television, even when multiple games are played.