UK to uphold ‘no single buyer’ rule on Premier League auction

ITRealms:

United Kingdom (UK) has concluded plans to introduce ‘no single buyer’ in the forthcoming Premier League Auction, reports ITRealms.

According to information from the Office of Communications (OfCom), this clause has become necessary to eschew the 2014 controversy, which was recently closed from investigations.

This, ITRealms gathered, will ensure more than one broadcaster has access to rights.

At the last count, 42 matches per season will be reserved for a second buyer, of which a minimum of 30 will be available for broadcast at the weekends.

Ofcom, ITRealms recalls is the communications regulator; including TV, radio and video on demand sectors, fixed line telecoms, mobiles, postal services, plus the airwaves over which wireless devices operate.

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Ofcom shuts door on 2014 sale of Premier League rights investigations

ITRealms:

The United Kingdom (UK) Office of Communications (Ofcom) has shut its doors on the investigation of the 2014 into the sale of rights to the Premier League, ITRealms reports.

ITRealms notes that an investigation was launched in November 2014 following a complaint by Virgin Media that the then process was causing consumer harm, a move that was welcomed by the chief executive officer, Tom Mockridge.

“Football fans will now be able to watch more live action on TV. As the only TV provider to offer all the available games, we are pleased that after a two-year campaign the Premier League has agreed to offer more TV games,” he said.

This, Ofcom said was relied upon the account of the Premier League’s recent decision to increase the number of matches available for live broadcast in the UK, to a minimum of 190 per season from the start of the 2019/20 season.

“This is 22 more matches per season than were included in the Premier League’s 2015 auction,” Ofcom said.

ITRealms also reports that Sky Sports has held rights to the Premier League since its launch in 1992 and following the intervention of the European Commission in 2006 a second rights holder has been brought in; initially Setanta and then ESPN, and currently BT Sport.

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