How are Premier League television rights granted?

 

With Setanta Sports apparently battling a losing battle against the economic downturn, what does all this mean for the distribution of the Premier League's live UK television rights in the coming seasons?

Currently, live Barclays Premier League TV rights are divided into six packages, each consisting of 23 live matches. Therefore, a total of 138 league matches are shown live on UK TV each season.

In the ข่าวร้อนพรีเมียร์ 2009-10, BSkyB owns the rights to four of the six packages available, meaning the UK TV station will show 92 live matches next season.

Distribution of Live Premier League TV Rights:

2009-10 season

- BSkyB shows 92 live EPL matches

- New ESPN channel shows 46 live games

From the 2010-11 season until 2013

- BSkyB shows 115 live EPL matches

- New ESPN channel shows the remaining 23 live games

The remaining two packages of 46 games, which Setanta was forced to surrender after not coming with the cash, were snapped up this week by Disney-owned American television company, ESPN.

ESPN, which currently broadcasts two channels on UK satellite TV, is expected to announce the launch of a new channel to screen the newly acquired live matches that consumers can purchase on top of their current Sky TV subscription.

The US media company is also expected to watch their new channel on other TV platforms like Virgin Media.

But after the end of the 2009-10 season, Sky will tighten its grip on the live game after it emerged that the company has already won an auction for another 23-match package, bringing the total number of live games on Sky to fierce 115 Meanwhile, ESPN shows the remaining 23 games on its newly-branded channel from 2010-11.

Finally, assuming Setanta's death is in Sky's favor, it may actually be bad news for Rupert Murdoch's business. Industrial regulators require there to be a direct competitor to Sky, as no single TV station is capable of owning all six packages.

This agreement was agreed in 2005 with the European Commission when it was decided that Premier League television rights should be divided between more than one television station.