UK broadcasters could be forced to show Premier League matches live on the internet from the 2007-08 season.

The European Commission will insist that live broadcast rights will be tied to internet rights and that matches are shown on television and via phone line, reports The Times newspaper.
The proposal would mirror plans adopted by soccer's European governing body, UEFA, for coverage of Champions League games from next year.

The alternative would be selling separate live rights for each platform: free-to-air, pay-television, internet and mobile.

Bundling internet with television rights means that broadcasters will not be undercut by the emerging technology and will provide a boost to broadcasting down a phone line. To watch over the net, users will need broadband.

With bskyb about to enter the second season of a £1.04billion three-season deal, the Commission is in negotiations with the FA Premier League about how the next set of television rights will be sold.

The FA Premier League is expected to auction the next set of rights some time next year and the Commission has also made clear that it expects live rights to matches to be shared between more than one broadcaster.

However, a loss of exclusivity means that the rights will probably be sold for less than before and such a move has in the past been successfully resisted by both the Premier League and Sky.

Source: Sport Business