EC warns BSkyB about premiership monopoly

The European Commission have warned that BSkyB will not be allowed a monopoly on live Premiership games when their new three-year deal expires in 2007.

It follows the announcement that BSkyB will televise all 138 live Premiership football matches from next season after other broadcasters failed to meet a price for a package of up to eight live games kicking off at 5.15pm on Saturdays.

Sky were forced to put the package of six to eight matches up for tender in order to satisfy EC competition watchdogs but none of the bids matched the reserve price that the satellite broadcaster had agreed with Brussels.

EC competition spokeswoman Amelia Torres said they accepted that BSkyB would now show all the matches but warned that the monopoly would not be permitted in the future.

Torres said: “We did our best to remedy some of the anti-competitive aspects immediately but obviously we failed.

“We like to see football on television, preferably on free-to-air television so that we don’t have to pay for it. Obviously we are very disappointed.

“What is clear now however is that the current situation is one that we consider illegal under European Union law.

“BSkyB now knows that perfectly well and cannot argue in the future that they have negotiated in good faith. So, from 2007 onwards those rights will be auctioned in such a way as to ensure they are available to a greater number of companies out there.

“This will be to the benefit of consumers.”