Netflix plan involving Aston Villa update emerges after Premier League talks

The Premier League has reportedly rejected an offer from Netflix for a behind-the-scenes documentary featuring all 20 top-flight clubs.

Unai Emery’s success in the early months of his reign at Aston Villa has distanced the club from any fears of a relegation battle. As a result, the proposals from Netflix could have allowed fans to get a closer look at the day-to-day workings at the club through a fly-on-the-wall documentary.

It would have involved behind-the-scenes access and interviews with players and senior figures, meaning that fans could have gained unprecedented access to Villa’s dressing room during a Premier League campaign. The programme would have been made by Box To Box Films, the same production company that provided the streaming platform with the popular Formula One series Drive to Survive.

Talks had been underway for months but The Athletic has reported that the idea has been scrapped. It is said that negotiations have broken down with the Premier League and the idea has been shelved.

The Daily Mail has further reported that the decision to reject the offer was confirmed at a shareholders’ meeting on Thursday. Concerns over the level of access demanded by Netflix and the logistics needed to involve all 20 clubs were given as reasons for the league’s final decision.

It means that Villa fans will not get the chance to take a closer look at the inner workings of the club. Fellow Premier League sides Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have already opened their doors for Amazon Prime’s All or Nothing series.

Newcastle United will soon be added to that list, with the Magpies allowing Amazon to document their current season. Leeds United and Sunderland have also granted behind-the-scenes documentaries in recent years.