EC Stance Threatens BSkyB Football Deal

Following an investigation of the bidding process, the European Commission is expected to register its disapproval at the way BSkyB was able to secure all four rights packages in the recent auction of live Premiership football matches.

According to press reports, the commission will renew its ‘statement of objections’ if it finds that BSkyB was the only bidder for most of its live packages.

Ever since the formation of the Premier League in 1992, Rupert Murdoch’s TV company has held exclusive live rights to top flight English football. This has led to accusations of price fixing and in an attempt to appease the regulators, live games for the next three seasons were split into tranches and the bidding conducted separately.

However, this did not prevent BSkyB acquiring all four available packages for a total of £1.024 billion. It is believed that the premium Sunday afternoon and Monday night packages were acquired unopposed, raising doubts about the competitiveness of the auction.

ITV, NTL and Telewest are thought to have bid for the Saturday lunchtime and evening packages but this may not satisfy the commission, which espouses consumer choice, and would like to see a credible challenge to Sky’s dominance of televised football in the UK.

European Commission: www.europa.eu.int Premier League: 020 7298 160 www.premierleague.com

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