BSkyB has won three of six packages giving it the right to broadcast English Premier League football games.

 

The winners of the six different match packages will be able to show games for three years starting in 2007. BSkyB currently has exclusive rights, but a deal between the Premier League and the EU means other broadcasters get access to live Premiership coverage. The remaining TV rights will now go to a second round of bidding. Setanta, an Irish broadcaster, has said it may bid.

 

Cable broadcaster NTL, BT Group and ITV have also been named as prospective bidders for the remaining three packages. A second round of bidding for the final three TV rights packages will take place in due course, the Premier League said, adding that it would not comment any further. BSkyB will not be allowed to win all six of the packages after the European Commission decided it had too strong a grip on the TV rights.

 

The Commission had threatened to take legal action against the Premier League if it failed to give other broadcasters a slice of live TV coverage of matches. Each package is divided into 23 games. The Commission has insisted that at least two broadcasters must have a "viable and meaningful" share of football TV rights in England to ensure viewers have more choice. Analysts said that the most likely outcome of the bidding process was that BSkyB would win either four or five packages, with the remainder going to one of its rivals.

 

Exane BNP Paribas analyst Philip Guest said that it would be difficult for a rival of Sky to win all three of the outstanding TV packages. "Sky could put all its remaining money on one package and have a majority of the games," he explained. "In terms of consumer behaviour, you're going to go where you can get the most games."

 

The Premier League is expected to earn about £1.1bn from the sale of TV rights, about 10% more than the last time they were on offer. BSkyB owns the current packages of live matches running until 2007, under a £1.024bn ($1.77bn) deal agreed with the Premier League in 2003. The satellite broadcaster has held the live rights to Premiership football in England since 1992, a position which has helped it become Britain's leading pay TV service.

 

Other rights, including mobile rights, television highlights packages, and overseas rights, will be determined separately.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4953846.stm

It's about time every Prem match was made available on a pay-per-view/season ticket basis, regardless of the provider!!;)

It's already been possible for years in Germany............................................

Oh, that sounds good, or not? I will know how much these packages will cost... I've heard Sky Sports is the most expensive Pay-TV channel in Europe. :stunned:

 

Yeah, since a couple of years you were able to watch every Bundesliga game on Premiere (similar to Sky Sports). You paid 23€ every month and could watch all Bundesliga games + all Champions League games + International football of Spain, England, Italy etc. + other sports.

 

Next season a new Pay-TV channel called Arena got the Bundesliga rights to show every 1. and 2. Bundesliga match for the following three years. But the price will be more cheaper than at Premiere. The new football package will only cost between 10 and 15€. :) We supporters will keep our Saturday 3.30pm kick-off time, and also got back our lovely Friday night match. The legendary Sportschau (Free-TV Bundesliga summary) will keep his place at 6:30pm. A wonderful decision I think! ;)

Oh, that sounds good, or not? I will know how much these packages will cost... I've heard Sky Sports is the most expensive Pay-TV channel in Europe. :stunned:

 

Yeah, since a couple of years you were able to watch every Bundesliga game on Premiere (similar to Sky Sports). You paid 23€ every month and could watch all Bundesliga games + all Champions League games + International football of Spain, England, Italy etc. + other sports.

 

Next season a new Pay-TV channel called Arena got the Bundesliga rights to show every 1. and 2. Bundesliga match for the following three years. But the price will be more cheaper than at Premiere. The new football package will only cost between 10 and 15€. :) We supporters will keep our Saturday 3.30pm kick-off time, and also got back our lovely Friday night match. The legendary Sportschau (Free-TV Bundesliga summary) will keep his place at 6:30pm. A wonderful decision I think! ;)

 

Lucky b*ggers!!:P

 

Then again, the Premiership is a much better league, so you would expect to have to pay a bit more!!:rolleyes:

Lucky b*ggers!!:P

 

Then again, the Premiership is a much better league, so you would expect to have to pay a bit more!!:rolleyes:

 

Yes of course, the Premier League is much better (IMO except Spain the best in Europe) and Britains have more money for it. :)

These are the 6 packages...

 

Package A: 23 matches shown at 4pm on Sunday.

 

Package B: 23 matches shown at 1.30pm on Sunday.

 

Package C: a minimum of 12 matches at 8pm on Monday, the rest either at 1.30pm on Sunday or 5.15pm on Saturday or other times.

 

Package D: a minimum of 18 matches at 5.15pm on Saturday, the rest either at 1.30pm on Sunday, 8pm on Monday or other times.

 

Package E: 23 matches shown at 12.45pm on Saturday.

 

Package F: seven to 13 matches on midweek evenings/bank holidays, 10 to 16 at 12.45pm on Saturday and 4pm on Sunday.

 

Sky got 3 of them, but you still don't know which one they've picked. They will also try to get 2 more packages. By the way, no broadcaster is allowed to pick all 6 of them, so there must be another channel who will get at least 1 package. ITV don't want to have it...