Domestic TV cash set to rise by 45% with new deal

The Premier League is already the world's wealthiest, and if the early reports on what the new TV deal will look like, it's only set to get wealthier. According to the BBC, the already huge deal for the 2014-16 seasons is set to be increased by a whopping 45 percent, rising to around £1.5 billion per season for 2017-2019. And that's just the domestic television deal -- with overseas right to be factored in as well, England will have an even bigger financial step up on the competition than it already does.

This is both good and bad news for Chelsea. The increased funds going to mid-table teams makes them much more difficult to play against, and raising the overall standard of the league makes it more difficult to be a standout team (as we're seeing with the huge pack of teams in contention for a Champions League spot this season). But it also means that we'll close the gap between the powerhouses we compete against in Europe and for star players still further, and if the Premier League establishes itself permanently as the top tier of footballing competition, that's another leg up for the Blues.

Interesting times are ahead for football.