BSkyB wins three Premier League broadcast packages

BSkyB wins three Premier League broadcast packages

	Published : Sat, 29 Apr 2006 10:30 By : Amy Watts Print this Story

LONDON: Britain's satellite pay-TV operator Rupert Murdoch's British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc. bagged three of the six live broadcast packages of Premier League soccer matches. The firm said it is in the field for the second round of bidding for the remaining three packages.

A Premier League spokesperson, while announcing the decision, did not specify which of the 23-game packages BSkyB had been awarded or the financial terms. The award will mean that BSkyB will screen half of the League's 138 live matches from 2007 to 2010. Each package has 23 games.

In 2003, when the last time the League had auctioned the broadcasting rights, including overseas rights and highlights packages, it received 1.6 billion pounds. This time, the value will be in excess of 2 billion pounds, according to analysts.

BSkyB declined to comment on the award, citing confidentiality terms attached to the award.

The broadcaster, which had a monopoly over the broadcasting of Premier League matches, had lost this following a ruling by the European Commission that such exclusivity is anti-competitive, the bids should be open to other operators and at least one of the packages must be awarded to a competitor. The fact that the bidding has gone into the second round is indication enough that it has stiff competition and sources say it could be from Irish pay TV company Setanta and the NTL-Virgin group. BT Group, BBC and ITV are also learnt to be in the bidding process, trying to get one package.

In view of its predominant status and the influence it enjoys, analysts feel, BSkyB is likely to win five out of six packages on offer.

The Premier League does not reveal the process of the auction, but it is known to have reserved the right to reopen the bidding in the event that the offers were either too low or if there was little to choose between two bids.

The League spokesperson did not specify the deadline for the submission of the second round.