SKY and ESPN to lodge joint bid for SPL TV Rights
Published: July 2, 2009
SKY and ESPN have reportedly teamed up with one another to force the SPL into accepting a cut price deal for their tv rights. The Daily Record has revealed the rival firms, who had been expected to bid against each other for the rights to show live SPL games after the collapse of Setanta have, in fact, joined forces to table a single “take-it-or-leave-it” offer.
But the proposal would see the complete package of live games divvied up between the two channels and would also force our cash-strapped clubs into accepting a whopping £40million less than they had been banking on from the original Setanta deal.
The Irish broadcaster had pledged to cough up £14m to cover the coming season’s SPL fixtures before a new four-year deal worth £125m kicked in next August – a total of £139m. But analysts have stated since then the company paid well over the odds for the SPL rights.
It is reported that Sky and ESPN are demanding a straight five-year contract until the summer of 2014, but offering less than £100m for the rights. There is little room for negotiations for SPL executive chairman Lex Gold who has promised to save Scotland’s top 12 from the scrap heap, despite the plug being pulled on Setanta’s coverage.
Gold has been left with no other alternatives to the joint Sky-ESPN package and with hardly any hope of talking up the price the two rival companies have joined forces to act as broadcast partners. Gold can’t even attempt to persuade Sky to go it alone as there are not enough available slots on their sports channels to squeeze a full SPL season into the schedules.
And that’s why Sky and ESPN believe a joint bid makes more sense but, by working together rather than bidding against one another,they are also driving the price down at a time when Scottish clubs are in desperate need of cash.
It is still unclear how the partnership would work, whether, subscribers pay one monthly fee to get SPL games on both Sky Sports and ESPN or would they have to pay separately. Either way it is a significant hike in a price for subscribers, but would provide the SPL with a greater platform to show its games than what Setanta was, despite the reduction in price.
Given the season is just little over a month from starting, the SPL must sign on the dotted line before it is too late.
Tagged with: espn, sky, SPL, tv rights
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10 Comments on "SKY and ESPN to lodge joint bid for SPL TV Rights"
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Willie B on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 5:21 pm
This is what the SPL deserve for letting the top two clubs dictate the previous rights deals, they have paid the price for their greed! HA,ha!
Editor on Sat, 4th Jul 2009 7:43 pm
Willie you will find that the Old Firm voted against dealing with Setanta – likewise Aberdeen they voted against going with Setanta and wanted to link up with sky – the other spl clubs outvoted them in favour of going with the setanta deal – it was THEIR greed that has put the SPL in this current predicament and NOT the Old Firm nor Aberdeen. You certainly need to get your facts straight before launching an attack on the OF mate.
martin on Mon, 6th Jul 2009 11:33 am
the two clubs you’re gloating about actually wanted the initial sky deal and not setanta. get you’re facts right
Editor on Mon, 6th Jul 2009 2:09 pm
martin are you talking to me or willie cause I stated that the OF AND Aberdeen wanted the initial Sky deal
danny murray on Mon, 6th Jul 2009 3:52 pm
why do people not do research before making comments maybe they want a job as a journalist or on a football phone in?????????
ulsterdavy on Mon, 13th Jul 2009 10:52 am
right here we go money money money thats what keeps football going not the fans theres more money in tv than any other income in the spl but sky pay 100s of millions to get the epl show it all over the world and when it comes to scotland in shows only in the uk, south of ireland but no one wants to pay for it, please note setanta are not out of the game only there uk company folded, and as a rangers fan we did not want them to have any deal with the spl and now we can all see why just think pubs paid £5000 for one channel showing spl games no one wanted to see so peolpe stopped paying we can hope if sky or espn take it over we will be able to watch a full game without it breaking up, so sign the deal and learn from it come on the gers
DavetheYank on Wed, 5th Aug 2009 7:33 pm
So I take that no deal has been reached yet? So as of right now, how are us SPL supporters in the states going to get to see the matches? I want my SPL! HAIL HAIL!
Editor on Wed, 5th Aug 2009 7:39 pm
Dave the deal has been concluded and both SKY and ESPN have the rights to SPL football.
DavetheYank on Wed, 5th Aug 2009 7:48 pm
Phew! Thank you very much Editor. Ok so when will the schedule of games being aired be released? Any other info you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Its tough being a loyal Celtic Supporter on the wrong side of the pond.
Editor on Wed, 5th Aug 2009 7:58 pm
The schedule has been published – unfortunately due to copyright rules we cannot publish the fixtures however if you go to:
http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=home_Fixtures