Premier League 2016-2019 Rights

It will happen eventually, though perhaps not in this auction unless the regulator demands it. You would likely be looking at the introduction of evening (8:00pm KOs) across the weekend and an early evening game on Sunday (6:00pm) as well as more regular MNFs and potentially TV games taking place simultaneously (on Sky and BT at the same time). It could be done without hitting the 3pm blackoutif needs be and the will was there.

In reality I doubt this inquiry will lead to anything other the auction being "delayed" (in reality set back to when it would normally have taken place instead being brought forward) and the FAPL offering maybe an extra package or two that by all accounts they were considering doing anyway.

Agreed. "stripping" PL games across the weekend and monday will make it easier. But the PL will still want their "pound of flesh" More football means more cash.

More rumblings ....

BT going cold on the issue, CEO suggesting may pass if price is too high.

Vodafone CEO muttering that they might enter the fray.

Getting silly now. I must admit I think for transparency's sake this auction needs to be in public. This could make FIFA's troubles look like a storm in a tea cup.

My Solution (nicknamed "Pigs might fly")

20-30 FTA matches on BBC and ITV either on Saturday morning or evening

Sky and BT continue with their deal but Sky put at least 30 matches on Sky 1.

The way you drive down the cost, is by adopting one of two things - both of which would not really be popular (or not allowed under European law)
1 - One company has the rights to all live games.
2- The FAPL indicate that they will only accept bids for live games from the existing rights holders - with both Sky and BT getting 65 live games per season - basically 2 per week, per broadcaster.

Here's the story, but surely it's only a warning to the FAPL rather than an actual threat at this stage:

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-19/bt-to-skip-premier-league-soccer-rights-if-price-too-high.html

With the Premier League the main driver of BT Sport subscriptions you'd have to think losing the rights would lead to them getting out of sports. At that stage they'd be looking at a fire sale of the Champions League rights? I can't see how the Champions League, while a very valuable property, could drive subscriptions on its own, it's too seasonal (there's a nearly two month break at Christmas for instance).

But you can spot BT's exit strategy a mile off from televised sport.
The occasional 'loaned' use of Andy Gray and other things in the background they've done last season, makes me think they'll just sell the entire operation and existing rights to BeIn Sport.
With taking over the existing subscribers to BT Sport, it's far easier getting 'traction' in the marketplace than starting up from scratch.

“If the price becomes even more crazy, we’re not going to be chasing that.”

So basically BT enter the marketplace, massively over inflate the value of football rights and then warn of retreat. The Champions League deal looks like a major miscalculation on their part.

New Subplot.

ITV eyeing up FAPL premier league highlights bid.


see here ……..

FOOTBALL on THEGUARDIAN.COM
20-Nov-2014 @ 15:45

You'd think they'd stay away after the previous debacle.

No surprise as that's how these things happen - ITV lose live rights to FA Cup and Champions League so they're going to begin looking at other options, and Premiership highlights is the first step.

The Premier League though need to get realistic with the highlights packages - ridiculous that both MOTD and MOTD2 still have to wait until Tuesday to be on the iPlayer and surely fine print like that only encourages piracy rather than protects rights holders.

As for BT - wouldn't read much into it other than it being an obvious ploy to try and make their competitors think the rights are worth less than they might have been prepared to bid for them. Sadly it's almost a foregone conclusion the rights value will rise again - the bubble has never burst yet and I see no reason it would this time.


As for more matches being made available - seen various scenarios posted online in recent days with no basis other than guess work so I might as well add my own - surely the one area where they could go further is with midweek matches.

I know there isn't a huge number of midweek fixture dates but there wouldn't be much problem in making all those midweek matches available to air and selling them as packages of five matches on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and it would only really be adding matches at a time when a match would likely be airing anyway. BT currently have 10 midweek matches so that could be an extra 40 matches without affecting the scheduling at all.

Seconded, considering that ITV never made a profit on having Premiership highlights last time, and they well over paid for the package at £80,000,000 per year (2001-04), at that time a tenth of ITV's annual budget.

Considering the BBC have got the FA Cup back I wouldn't rule out ITV making a strong bid, but I hope that the BBC keep the rights.

If anyone saw the MOTD at 50 documentary some time ago, I think it was Greg Dyke who said 'who actually remembered/cared when the football was on the other side?'