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View Full Version : Premier League TV football choice 'upheld' by EU advice



**OVERRIDE**
03-02-2011, 12:09 PM
Broadcasters cannot stop customers using cheaper foreign satellite TV equipment to watch Premier League football, an EU legal adviser has said.

A non-binding opinion from advocate Juliane Kokott of the European Court of Justice said a block breached EU laws.

Portsmouth pub landlady Karen Murphy, fined for using Greek decoders, had argued the EU single market should let her use any European provider.

Sky has the exclusive broadcast rights for Premier League football in the UK.

The satellite broadcaster has pumped billions into top flight English football since the league was founded in 1992, with the money given to clubs allowing them to buy some of the top names in the world.

'Contrary to EU law'

The case at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has been about whether a rights holder such as the Premier League can license its content on a country-by-country basis.

Such a set-up has allowed the league to fully maximise the value of its rights.


TV money has helped bring top foreign names into English football Although Advocate General Kokott's opinion is not binding, judges usually follow the guidance from the advocate.

If they do, selling sport, movies, or any other content, on an exclusive territory-by-territory basis within the EU may no longer be possible.

"The exclusivity agreement relating to transmission of football matches are contrary to European Union law," she said in her opinion.

"(The) exclusivity rights in question have the effect of partitioning the internal market into quite separate national markets, something which constitutes a serious impairment of the freedom to provide services."

Fined

Ms Murphy had been convicted for using the cheaper Greek satellite receiver to show top flight football in her pub.

She used the Nova firm to show matches in the Red, White and Blue pub in Portsmouth as it was less expensive than Sky.

Enforcers working on behalf of Football Association Premier League Limited (FAPL) - the private company which represents the broadcasting interests of the 20 English Premier League clubs - brought the prosecution saying only Sky TV had exclusive rights to show its games in the UK.

She had to pay nearly ?8,000 in fines and costs.

Brussels pressure

The Premier League's current deal with Sky is worth nearly ?2bn - money the league argues is invested in maintaining the quality of the product.

Industry experts say satellite companies face having to reform - leading possibly to the creation of just a handful of pan-European broadcasters.

It was pressure from Brussels which forced the Premier League to offer its live matches to more then one broadcaster, rather then just renew the exclusive deals it traditionally had with Sky.

Packages were consequently taken up by Setanta, and when they went bust, by ESPN.


BBC News - Premier League TV football choice 'upheld' by EU advice (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12355022)

**OVERRIDE**
03-02-2011, 12:25 PM
Murphy case: boost for foreign satellite - Morning Advertiser (http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/89619?PagingData=Po_0~Ps_10~Psd_Asc)

**OVERRIDE**
03-02-2011, 12:28 PM
The Publican - Home - EU foreign satellite opinion backs Murphy and suppliers (http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=68973)

notanotherone
03-02-2011, 02:06 PM
the question is ...has she won? or will s** do ther usual tatics and try to blocke everyone form getting it cause i cant see the football leauge standing for this

Diablo13
03-02-2011, 08:20 PM
If the rights to show games can be sold to every European satellite provider, then they can be sold for cheaper than the previously exclusive rights held by Sly.
The majority of people in private residences will continue to watch on Sly, so the prices for subscribing should come down, making subscription more affordable to more people, which should mean more customers = profits for Sly?
The rest of the European union would be able to show UK matches, with a percentage of their rights fees still going to the Football league?

With the rights to sell all league matches to more European providers, I can't see how the football league can lose out financially?
On top of that other Europeans get the opportunity to watch favourit or own National side players perform in other leagues, which is good advertising for the FA, as well as a chance for UK products to be advertised Internationally by product placement and hoardings!
So it shouldn't make any difference where you are in Europe, providing you have bought the hardware, as to what services you choose to subscribe to?
That in turn would be good news for the millions of ex pats from all countries?
No one loses, not even Sly, whose "hands off it's mine policy" actually reduced the revenue coming in and reduced the availability of games to many fans!