Premier League 2016-2019 Rights

My own view is that eventually all Premier League games will be televised in the UK and moved to timeslots other than Saturday 3pm. Its the logical long term outcome of the need for UK broadcasters to protect themselves against the foreign satellite players, not to mention the Premier League's desire for more money (which is a legitimate desire for a business to have, incidentally).

It's not likely to happen in this auction and it probably won't happen in the next either. But we will get there eventually.

I disagree. When they announced in the auction for 2004-07 that they were going to have 138 live games, in the press conference Richard Scudamore said this was actually rather more live games than they would like to have on UK TV, but they increased their offering to avoid being seen as anti-competitive. Scudamore is still in charge and I don't think that view has changed.

Similarly there was an interview with Barney Francis of Sky in Broadcast a few months ago who said there's a danger of overkill and they didn't want to saturate the schedules with too much of any one sport because viewers would get bored and the big events wouldn't stand out. I certainly don't think there's a huge demand in the UK for more live games. The number of people not subscribing to Sky and BT because they don't show every match is microscopic, only massive hardcore fans would want it and they're already subscribing anyway. All you'd do is bring down the audience for each match at additional cost.

For Sky there's a further issue of cannibalising Soccer Saturday, one of their flagship shows. And I doubt the rest of football would be happy to see no Premier League games on Saturday at 3pm. The argument is that it would mean the Football League wouldn't be overshadowed but that benefits now from being at the same time, so people tuning in to Final Score and Soccer Saturday for Premier League news and results get Football League news and results as well. If there was no Premier League, they wouldn't tune in at all.

Take a look at next weekend's Super Sunday on Sky Sports where they've got to hype up Villa vs Stoke as the main attraction. You'd have loads more of that if they showed all the matches and viewers would switch off.

Discovery (Eurosport) / BSB JOINT bid for Premiership rights to fight off BT?

Interview with Discovery Chief Executive.

see here ……..

MEDIA on THEGUARDIAN.COM
27-Mar-2014 @ 11:50

If that does happen (which I doubt, somehow), then you've got to be looking at BT and BeIN Sport linking up as an opposition bid...

Oh dear..
So with Sky (allegedly) getting together with Discovery Eurosport, and BT forging ever closer ties with BeIN Sport it looks like the obvious answer for both channels to retain the rights is ever further away.

What actually needs to happen is for Sky and BT to get together, and work out between them how to cover off all-comers at the next auction. Sky tell BT what they are going to bid for, BT do the same.
Yes, that isn't going to happen and yes, it's probably colusion, but at least if sucessful, Sky would still retain the majority of the live games, BT break the 'new secondary rights holder' every 3 years treadmill, and for viewers - they don't have to go to the bother of forking out for another sports broadcasting subscription.

Sometimes it's better to think of the viewers, than how many zeros the cheques will have from the broadcasters wanting a slice of the live premier league pie..

That would be an illegal cartel.

Although, just sensible ambition from both Sky and BT would be no bad thing (similar to what Sky and ESPN had, before BT barged in two years ago), which would end up with the same result.

It will surely be in the Premier League's interest to keep both BT and Sky around as if one swept in for all the rights the other might not be there in 3-4 years time when they're up for renewal again.

HSBC in a research note on BSkyB for their clients today quoted in City AM, outlines 2 probable scenarios where there's a 50:50 share for BT and BSkyB and also where BT wins the greater share of matches. It's recommending caution on BSkyB shares.


see here ……..

BLOG on CITYAM.COM
03-Apr-2014 @ 13:45

.... and tonight another similar, thought piece, article to the Discovery one hinting at beIN Sports coming in to the Auction too.

see here ……..

FOOTBALL on THEGUARDIAN.COM
04-Apr-2014 @ 00:01

.... and it might be of interest to read how the French 2016-2020 rights auction went. The results were announced this afternoon.

Canal Plus remains the lead broadcaster.

here ……..

TV-SPORTS-MARKETS on SPORTBUSINESS.COM
04-Apr-2014 @ 22:36

And from that I see FIFA have begun the process of putting the 2018/22 World Cup rights out to tender. I did think the 2018 rights had been packaged with the 2014 rights, but obviously not.

Usually it's obvious how this pans out but with BT's entrance to the market I'd take nothing for granted. Indeed it's a wonder they didn't buy the rights as part of their deal for the Football Conference games.

In theory the rights should be of lower value than 2010/14 considering it's likely no games in Russia will kick off later than 5pm and Qatar might be earlier than that - unless their solution to the heat is playing in the middle of the night.

http://www.sportbusiness.com/tv-sports-markets/fifa-opens-uk-tender-world-cup-rights

Have heard that the prospectus should be released to interested parties in September, bidding December - January with deals in place March 2015.

If this timetable is correct, then the effect on the respective bidders bottom line going ahead will be featured in their 2014-5 annual reports, which will be awaited with much interest by the international investment community,