Big four set for Champions League TV windfall

THE top four clubs in England are set to enjoy a new European payday that will enable them to pull even further away from their domestic rivals.

The cost of the British broadcasting rights for the Champions League is expected to rise by more than 25% — and much of that will be passed on to those English clubs that qualify for the group stage of the competition.

UEFA’s deadline for bids for the rights passed yesterday with the BBC, ITV, Sky and Setanta all understood to have thrown their hats into the ring.

Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool earned between £15 million (€19.5m) and £27m (€35m) from their share of TV rights, sponsorship cash and prize money last season.

The current ITV and Sky deals are understood to be worth just under £90m (€117m) a year, and it is thought that the successful bidders will have to pay around £125m (€163m) to clinch the next deal, which is to run from 2009 to 2012.

That would be reflected by the English clubs enjoying earnings of between £20m and £35m, or even more if less than four make it to the group stage.

The additional matchday revenue from tickets and merchandise sales would mean the disparity between those clubs who qualify for Europe’s elite competition and the rest of the Premier League increasing even more.

However, Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group, said any extra disparity will be offset by the huge value of the Premier League television contracts — the current deals which run until 2010 are worth £2.2bn (€2.8bn).

Jones believes UEFA will try to keep their policy of having one free-to-air broadcaster — ITV and BBC — and one pay-TV channel — Sky or Setanta.