BT denies report detailing premiership rights bid plan
LONDON (AFX) – BT has denied a report in the Observer newspaper that it is planning to bid for the rights to screen English Premier League football matches.
‘The story in the Observer is nonsense. It is completely false,’ a BT spokesman said.
The Observer reported that BT wanted to buy Premiership TV rights as part of an effort to boost its newly-established entertainment business. The entertainment division plans to offer video-on-demand and pay-TV services to households in the UK via BT’s broadband network.
The right to broadcast live Premiership games is held exclusively by satellite broadcaster BSkyB. However, European competition watchdogs are expected to force the Premier League to sell the rights to more than one buyer after BSkyB’s current deal expires.
Note – Ofcom recently provided the European Commission with research assessing the structure of the premiership rights market in the UK. Ofcomwatch.co.uk has been trying to get hold of a copy of this research but with no luck. This document is likely to be used by the Commission as the key evidence in justifying its decision as to how to structure the premier league rights market going forward.
Despite having indirectly paid for this research through the cost of communications services such as premium content, UK consumers will be the last to see it. However, Ofcom has suggested that the European Commission will publish the research before they make a final decision on the issue. This is likely to be a tense moment for Ofcom – as the key players – particularly BSkyB – give a public opinion of its quality and conclusions.
