TalkSport Asks OFT To Investigate BBC’s ‘Anti-Competitive’ Deal

TalkSport has called on the Office of Fair Trading to investigate the BBC’s successful bid for test cricket rights last week. Britain’s first national sports station bid substantially more for exclusive radio rights to the Series but lost out in favour of the BBC after what it claims was an “anti-competitive abuse of [the BBC’s] dominant position” (see BBC Wins Fight For Test Cricket Rights).

It is believed that TalkSport bid 50% more than the BBC for the radio rights to Test cricket matches to boost the status of the station which launched in January (see Talk To Launch UK’s First Sport Station). However the England & Wales Cricket Board favoured the BBC’s pledge to extend its broadcast to cross-promote the games over a number of BBC services and awarded it the rights.

TalkSport believes this to be in contravention of the Competition Act which prohibits any behaviour by a dominant group which inhibits free trade. As a commercial provider, Kelvin MacKenzie’s Wireless Group, which owns TalkSport, is restricted in its radio and TV interests. The BBC, however, as a publicly-funded service, is allowed to cross-promote over its various media. The has riled MacKenzie, a former Sun editor, on a number of occasions (see ‘BBC Is Monopolistic And Anti-Competitive’ Says Kelvin MacKenzie).

TalkSport’s letter to the OFT said: “Our view is that the BBC is using its market power to damage TalkSport. The BBC’s monopolisation of key radio sports rights together with its extensive use of publicly-financed non-radio media to promote the activities of Radio 5 Live leaves TalkSport in a disadvantaged position and harms our business.”

TalkSport has won a number of sports rights from the BBC in recent months including the Tyson v Francis boxing match in January (see TalkSport Secures Rights To Tyson Fight).

TalkSport: 020 959 7800