Post by Bob on Oct 3, 2010 8:02:48 GMT 1
A challange is being made at the European court to try to break the current Sky/Premier League monopoly.
Currently there is an agreement in place between Sky & the Premier league that creates a monopoly in the UK with these rights and enables high prices to be charged.
The court case is challenging this on the grounds of EU law on Freedom of trade in that it stops other EU countries that hold the rights to these games showing them in the UK. It is also being challenged on the basis of it is an unfair restriction on trade.
He says: "This case has the potential to become the Bosman of broadcasting," - the Bosman ruling being another landmark decision made by the ECJ in 1995, which had a profound effect on the transfer of professional football players within the EU.
Continue reading the main story
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Start Quote
This case has the potential to become the Bosman of broadcasting”
End Quote
Frank Dunne
TVSportsMarkets.com
A decision against the Premier League would lead to a similarly radical shake-up in the way the broadcasting industry works.
"The doomsday scenario for rights-holders is that their ability to sell their content on an exclusive basis by individual European territory, charging different rights fees according to the size of the individual market, will be undermined," says Mr Dunne.
"Nobody seems really sure how rights sales would work if that system were ruled to be in breach of European law on the free movement of goods and services
It is looking quite probably that Sky & the Premier Leagure will loose but the vcae wll probably drag on for quite a time
Currently there is an agreement in place between Sky & the Premier league that creates a monopoly in the UK with these rights and enables high prices to be charged.
The court case is challenging this on the grounds of EU law on Freedom of trade in that it stops other EU countries that hold the rights to these games showing them in the UK. It is also being challenged on the basis of it is an unfair restriction on trade.
Next week the European Court of Justice will hear a landmark case brought by a Portsmouth-based pub landlord, which could change the landscape of how sports broadcasting rights are sold across Europe
He says: "This case has the potential to become the Bosman of broadcasting," - the Bosman ruling being another landmark decision made by the ECJ in 1995, which had a profound effect on the transfer of professional football players within the EU.
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
This case has the potential to become the Bosman of broadcasting”
End Quote
Frank Dunne
TVSportsMarkets.com
A decision against the Premier League would lead to a similarly radical shake-up in the way the broadcasting industry works.
"The doomsday scenario for rights-holders is that their ability to sell their content on an exclusive basis by individual European territory, charging different rights fees according to the size of the individual market, will be undermined," says Mr Dunne.
"Nobody seems really sure how rights sales would work if that system were ruled to be in breach of European law on the free movement of goods and services
It is looking quite probably that Sky & the Premier Leagure will loose but the vcae wll probably drag on for quite a time