EU calls on Ofcom help on BskyB probe

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The European commission has called in UK media regulators to help its investigation into the way the Premier League sells its rights, including its exclusive £1bn (E1.44bn) deal with BSkyB

The communications regulator Ofcom and the Office of Fair Trading - which have joint responsibility for competition regulation - have been asked by to provide "specialist advice" about the UK broadcasting market and the value of the Premier League's rights.

"The European Union is conducting an ongoing investigation about how the FA Premier League sells its media rights. They have asked Ofcom and the OFT - as the concurrent competition regulators - to provide specialist assistance," said Ofcom.

After the last exclusive TV rights deal was struck in 2003, BSkyB offered to sub-license the rights to up to eight Premiership games a season to another broadcaster, in an effort to appease the commission. But no one was willing to meet the price tag asked by BskyB.

In May last year the EC said it would take no further action against the last Premier League TV rights package but it said changes to the next Premier League deal, from 2007, would be "essential", adding that it would force the rights holder to offer at least one "substantial" package of live matches to a second UK broadcaster