The Premier League: European Commission broadcasting negotiations

James, MD; Geey, D

Abstract

This intervention analyses the new arrangements for the sale of live television rights to FA Premier League (FAPL) games. The new procedures have been produced as a result of ongoing discussions between the FAPL and the European Commission. To ensure compliance with European Union competition legislation, the Premier League has accepted the Commission’s calls for an end to its exclusive distribution of live broadcast rights, bringing to an end BSkyB’s 15-year monopoly of its main subscription driver (Buck and Terazono, 2005). Here, we examine the aims of the European Commission in pursuing the FAPL’s exclusive deal with BSkyB (Sky) and consider whether the deal that has been brokered provides any tangible benefits to the consumer.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2006
• Deposit Date: Jun 22, 2009
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 22, 2009
• Journal: Entertainment and Sports Law Journal
• Electronic ISSN: 1748-944X
• Publisher: University of Westminster Press
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 1
• Keywords: Broadcasting, competition law, Sky, Football Association Premier League, European Commission
• Publisher URL: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/law/elj/eslj/issues/volume4/number1/geey_james/
• Related Public URLs: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/law/elj/eslj/