LONDON — For many, soccer remains the beautiful game. But for others, it has become more like moneyball.

Just how much the sport has been transformed into a business was on show on Friday as the television rights for the English Premier League, the world’s most-watched domestic soccer league, were auctioned off to the highest bidder.

The price of the television rights for British broadcasters is expected to rise more than 50 percent, to around a combined £4.5 4.5 billion pounds, or $6.9 billion, for the three-year period starting in 2016. The Premier League will likely pocket an additional $3 billion when it sells the rights to international broadcasters, including those in the United States, later this year.

Friday was the final day to submit bids for the television rights, and an announcement about which companies won the auctions could be made as early earlier as Saturday. A second round of bids may be required if several broadcasters submit similar offers, which may postpone an announcement until next week.