Under the the broadcast packages that the Premier League are putting out to tender for the 2004-2007 seasons, the number of matches that will be shown live will rise from the current 106 games - which includes 40 on pay-per-view - to 138.
There will also be an enhanced highlights package on offer and the chance for channels to show delayed transmission of full games.
The League says the new deals will see more televised matches on Saturdays, fewer on other days of the week, yet will continue to protect the Saturday 3-5pm slot from live transmission.
Although talks with the European Commission - which had objected to the previous rights deal as uncompetitive - have not been finalised, the release of the tender document and its structural changes is the clearest sign yet that a resolution is close to completion.
The packages now on offer include:
- Three separate packages of live matches open to bids from free-to-air broadcasters or pay-TV broadcasters.
Package one is for 38 live matches with first pick of the games to be broadcast on Sundays at 4pm.
Package two is for 38 live matches, primarily on a Monday night, with the balance made up of transmissions in midweek and at 2pm on Sundays.
Package three is for 62 games, two per weekend on average to be broadcast on Saturdays at 1pm or 5.15pm. This third package can be shown as pay-per-view but does not have to be.
- An enhanced highlights package on free-to-air television aimed at giving more clubs exposure.
- A new package of 'near-live, long-form transmission' of games to be shown after the highlights. This package allows the transmission of any game not broadcast live to be available in full after the free-to-air highlights shown on the weekend. This is available to free-to-air, pay-TV or internet broadband.
- A mobile phone rights package which provides the rights holder with all 380 matches available in clip form five minutes after the final whistle.
The structure of the tender also allows the possibility for broadcasters to combine to bid for the three main live packages.
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore stated: "The Premier League offered what we believe to be an extremely varied and attractive set of rights, which will give consumers greater choice than ever before."
Pay-TV platform BSkyB paid £1.1billion for exclusive live rights to Premier League games for the last deal, from 2001 to 2004, with terrestrial broadcaster ITV paying £183million for highlights.
Scudamore would not be drawn on the value of the next rights contract, stating: "Hyper-inflationary times are over and that has to be for the good of the game. However, we would not want to take a drop in income."
The bidding tender document for the League's international rights and radio rights will be released separately at a later date.
