ITV Sport May Be Closed By Soccer Contract

The future of ITV Sport could be endangered unless its £315m contract with the Nationwide football clubs is renegotiated, according to a report in today’s Financial Times. The paper maintains that ITV has concluded that the business cannot afford the cost of the contract under the existing terms.

Analysts at ABN AMRO say that this view is backed up by its own forecasts, which suggest that ITV Sport will make losses of around £200m over the next three years. While it would be in the interests of the Football League for ITV Sport to remain as a competitor to Sky Sport, it is not clear how likely it would be that ITV, which paid £165m upfront for the contract, could secure a reduction.

No comment was available today from ITV Digital.

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