ITV To Review Football League Deal?

ITV’s three year £315m deal with the Football League is “under review,” according to a report in today’s Financial Times.

The deal, signed last year (see ITV And ONdigital Secure Football League Rights), gives ITV exclusive pay and free TV rights to show live Nationwide League games for the for the next three seasons. ITV currently broadcasts the games on ITV Sport and speculation that the broadcaster is attempting to renegotiate the deal has led to growing concern over the future of the recently launched sports channel and the platform on which it is carried, ITV Digital.

A spokesperson for ITV Digital could not confirm rumours that ITV is looking to renegotiate a cheaper deal and when questioned over the possible closure of ITV Sport and ITV Digital, said: “We don’t dignify that kind of speculation with a response.”

Stuart Prebble last week ruled out the closure of the ITV Digital after receiving assurance from shareholders, Carlton and Granada, that they would continue with their investment in the troubled pay-per-view platform (see Prebble Denies ITV Digital Will Close). However, analysts have expressed concern that ITV Sport, which currently has 138,000 ITV Digital subscribers, will be unable to break even unless it secures carriage on Sky, which has almost 6 million subscribers (see Sky Still Strong Despite Pre Tax Losses).

ITV has long been unable to reach an agreement with Sky Digital over the issue of carriage. When rumours of co-operation between the rival satellite operators resurfaced last month (see

ITV Partners May Co-operate With BSkyB www.itv.co.uk ITV Digital: 0808 100 0101 www.itvdigital.co.uk

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