Premiership TV rights - let the battle begin!

[Salty25]

Just to get you started, here are a few articles to give you the run down =>

BSkyB Monopoly to be broken - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/4833552.stm

Further detail from digitalspy.co.uk - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds30773.html

Bidding begins, from Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2006/03/24/sfntel24.xml&sSheet=/sport/2006/03/24/ixfooty.html

Discuss :-wave

 

[Salty25]

Firstly, look at the packages:

Package A: 23 first-choice picks, kick-off 4pm, Sunday.
Package B: 23 second-choice picks, kick-off 1.30pm, Sunday.
Package C: 23 third-choice picks, kick-off at 8pm Monday.
Package D: eight second-choice games and 15 fourth-choice games, kick-off 5.15pm, Saturday.
Package E: five first-choice, nine third-choice and nine fourth-choice games, kick-off 12.45pm, Saturday.
Package F: 10 first-choice, seven second-choice and six third-choice games to be played midweek, bank holidays, Sunday at 4pm and Saturday 12.45pm.

A and B were blatently designed for Sky for Super Sunday!!!

However, Monday Night Football, C, doesnt look sooo attractive - third choice games.

D and E are basically what PremPlus is now. F is VERY interesting.

I think the Premier League have set-up A and B especially for Sky, no doubt about it. However, with regard to the rest, what are Sky's priorities, first-choice games or viewing times?

Also, will Sky go in in like a bull in a China Shop, buy everyone outright, then drop C or D, or will they only bid for A, B, E, and F, pay less, reduce sub prices, and hope an increased number of subbers off-sets the price reduction?

I've thought up to know that BBC and ITV/NTL would battle it out, but the BBC have been told they can't blow their money on footie, and NTL won PremPlus last time, then dropped it. So FIVE, with money from owners RTL, could be a major bidder. There's even been talk of Channel 4 being interested in Saturday games, given that they appointed former BBC Sport chief as their new head of sport recently.

 

[BadWithComputer]

The BBC having sport would have been nice, Five are very poor, they have rubbish commentaters, it would be nice if ITV got some coverage, and channel 4 as well, as C4 do well with the cricket.

 

[_stu_]

My money is on Sky buying all except the Monday night games. No reduction in subs either.

 

[Salty25]

My money is on Sky buying all except the Monday night games. No reduction in subs either.

that would be the normal Sky approach to the problem I guess. Mind you, they still have this target to aim for (10million), so they may get clever. They could go for A and B (Super Sunday), and C (MNF, which they could get on the cheap because I can't see it being attractive), pay a fair (non-premium) price for them, reduce the subs, and hope that the increase in subbers off-sets the reduction.

Anybody know the figures/money we're talking about here?

 

[RedDevil_UK]

Basically Sky are not allowed to buy ALL the packages anymore.... so in other words they will leave just one package

the 1 package left will be the games no-ones interested in..... personally what i would like to happen is this...

no-one buys the last remaining package, and sky cant have it then what happens?

that would be rather funny lol

 

[Salty25]

Basically Sky are not allowed to buy ALL the packages anymore.... so in other words they will leave just one package

the 1 package left will be the games no-ones interested in..... personally what i would like to happen is this...

no-one buys the last remaining package, and sky cant have it then what happens?

that would be rather funny lol

O-Ha yeah, that would be an interesting one! The BBC would properly be given it for next to nothing like the SPL rights pre-Sentanta.

Having said that, it all depends upon Sky's tactics.

 

[john_graydon]

Hope RTE get more Sat 3pm kick offs for next season.

 

[Salty25]

Hope RTE get more Sat 3pm kick offs for next season.

No idea, thats a seperate rights battle altogether.