The English Premier League was given the right to negotiate broadcast and sponsorship agreement, which was an essential step towards commercial independence. In several years The Premier League became the most lucrative football league in the world; the league annual revenue was approximately 1.8 billion £. The League charged fans to watch sport on television, assigning television rights to SKY TV, which was a major commercially successful step. Sponsorship helped the Premier League to grow and develop. The sponsor determined the league’s sponsorship name: Carling, Barclaycard and Barclays gave their family names to the competitions sponsored by them. The investments paid off, allowing Premier League to invite the top players from all over the world.