EU: Sky soccer deal could be shortened to one year

net1

Mario Monti, European Union competition commissioner, has signalled he may push English football's Premier League to revise its £1.02 billion (E1.4 billion) package with BSkyB from a three-year deal to only one. According to the FT, Monti said: "The exclusivity of a contract does not necessarily hurt competition, but the duration and the scope can create more serious problems and shut down the market." He added: "With regard to duration, the Commission maintains that contracts of one season are generally acceptable." Monti gave the Premier League formal warning of his concerns last December in respect of the existing Sky deal, and is expected to do so again this month in light of the latest deal, unless a last-minute agreement with the Premier League is reached.

The deadline is understood to be Christmas and, if a deal is not reached, the commission is expected to pursue a full-blown competition case against the league in order to force it to make certain changes.

jimbo

I make no comment other than to add this link here. No 'political' comments please.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...ht/3027212.stm

Jimbo

BarMoo

LOL :-) um .... but the link Jimbo - the link .....

I would rather the commission din't get there way on this one. Reduced to one season, football right's could be bought-up by (what might be by next year) a money-rich ITV Plc, or worse, be nabbed by the BBC.

Note for people at Football Head Office: BBC channels are shown in the clear. Most everyone in Europe can receive these signals. Bear this in mind if the BBC come begging for those right's.

Being utterly selfish (Cannot receive ITV or BBC) - SKY Sports is fine by me! Good on SKY for paying hard cash for all those right's! Well done boys.

Have Fun,

Mark.

Have Fun, Moo.