BBC’s Catch Of The Day Tainted By New Football Package
The value of the Premiership highlights package acquired by the BBC has been thrown into question as it emerged that a rival broadcaster could snap up ‘near-live’ rights to Saturday and midweek games.
Earlier this month the BBC successfully bid £105 million to secure Premiership highlights for three years starting with the 2004/5 season. The deal will see Match of the Day return to British screens on Saturday nights along with a Sunday morning repeat and a new show that evening (see BSkyB And BBC Big Winners In Premiership Bidding Contest).
However, the BBC’s delight at winning the rights back from ITV could be tempered by news that the Premier League is offering a new package that will allow a broadcaster to show one match not screened live by BSkyB after 8.30pm on a Saturday.
The winning bidder will be also be able to show the remaining games after 10pm on Saturdays or just an hour after the final whistle for midweek matches. In short, this raises the possibility that football fans will have seen their team in action before Match of the Day airs late in the evening.
The deadline for the second round of bids for the alternative highlights package is September 5 and it is believed that ITV and the cable firm Telewest have expressed interest. There is also speculation that BSkyB may swoop for the rights to complement the 138 live games it will be showing from next season.
However, this could further rile the European Commission, which is studying the new bidding process for Premiership television rights for evidence of anti-competitive practice (see Rival Broadcasters Round On BSkyB’s Premiership Deal). BSkyB has agreed to pay more than £1 billion for exclusive live coverage of the Premiership until 2007.
Speaking at this year’s Media Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival, BSkyB chief executive, Tony Ball, defended the deal and questioned the EU’s motives for the investigation. He said: “We’re pleased with the deal and if it gets turned over, then British football will get a lot less money.”
Premier League: 020 7298 160 www.premierleague.com
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