Vodafone and BSkyB have joined Hutchison Whampoa in bidding for the rights to show Premiership football highlights on mobile phones from next year, according to reports this week.
Hutchison secured the mobile rights for £35 million back in June 2001 and is keen to retain the contract in order to popularise its third generation service 3 (see
Hutchison Brings 3G To The UK).
Hutchison is naturally committed to a policy of exclusivity but faces competition from Vodafone which has previously shown no interest in media content. According to The Times, Vodafone has held talks with rival mobile operators about reselling the highlights should it win the bidding war.
BSkyB is also believed to be negotiating with UK networks as it sees mobile video clips as a potentially lucrative new revenue source. The satellite broadcaster is currently bidding to retain the right to show live Premiership matches beyond 2004 (see BSkyB Bids To Retain Premiership Prize).
The European Commission is known to oppose the current system under which BSkyB has exclusive rights to live games. As a result, the Premier League has been forced to split the matches available into packages to encourage competitive bidding (see TV Giants Battle For Live Premiership Football Rights).
It has been suggested in the press that the EU Competition Commisssion will take steps to block any deal which results in BSkyB maintaining its monopoly of live televised Premiership football (see EC Could Obstruct New Sky Football Deal).
