EU fails to break BSkyB control

EUROPEAN UNION antitrust regulators admitted that they failed to break British Sky Broadcasting Group plc's hold on British soccer broadcasting rights and said they will continue to try and limit the company's control from 2007.

BSkyB, which yesterday reported a sixfold gain in third-quarter profit, said it won't sell the right to broadcast six to eight live Premier League soccer matches in the Britain because none of the bids reached the price per match agreed upon with the European Commission.

Commission regulators ordered BSkyB in December to offer the matches for the three seasons to 2007 to other broadcasters to resolve its antitrust probe into the €1.5 billion contract between the Premier League and BSkyB.

"We tried our best to bring some live premiership football to British consumers immediately, for the next season that starts 2004-2005, and we failed," said Amelia Torres, a commission spokeswoman.

The result of the tender "only confirms the need for new arrangements for media rights to Premier League soccer."

A provisional agreement between the commission and the Premier League on new arrangements is currently under public discussion, the commission said.

"As for the future, I have no doubt that from 2007-2008 the (Premier League) will be auctioning its rights in such a way that no single broadcaster will monopolize those rights,' Torres said.