Sky hits out at free-to-air sports list benefitting likes of RTÉ

Broadcaster Sky says there is no case for including sporting events on a designated free-to-air list, describing the policy as a tax on sport to the benefit of the likes of RTÉ.

In a submission to the Department of Communications, Sky said it is not the role of Government to dictate what is best for any individual sport.

Sky points out that “given that RTÉ and other terrestrial broadcasters have the resources to bid for non-listed sporting events in the open market, it is both unjustified and unnecessary to force sports bodies effectively to sell their rights to those terrestrial broadcasters by eliminating competition from pay TV broadcasters”.