[Archived] Will Sky lose its monopoly on Football rights in the UK?

[BuckyRover]

We would be able to sell our rights to the sub continent. It wouldn't harm us as much as some of the other smaller teams.

[Alan75]

The clubs could only sell rights to their home games, therefore as there is no game without the opposition team, the opposition team should claim an appearance fee.

Should the big clubs wish to televise away games, the home team should charge what is normally paid to the big club.

[den]

overseas fans only want to watch the big four.

[rog of the rovers]

overseas fans only want to watch the big four.

So thats Liverpool out as well then

[Al]

That would almost constitute a breakaway from the Premier League for the top clubs. If that's what they want then tell them to clear off and start a league of their own. They need the smaller clubs otherwise they would just have to play amongst themselves every week and they would soon find their fans bored with that. The more they receive the greedier they get. It's disgusting.

[den]

That would almost constitute a breakaway from the Premier League for the top clubs. If that's what they want then tell them to clear off and start a league of their own. They need the smaller clubs otherwise they would just have to play amongst themselves every week and they would soon find their fans bored with that. The more they receive the greedier they get. It's disgusting.

It is disgusting Al, you're right.

Ian Ayre ignores the fact that the reason that Liverpool, Man Utd etc are so popular abroad is because of the way the authorities have for the past 50 years shifted football's incomes towards the top clubs. It started with the abolition of the maximum wage, conitnued through freedom of contract, clubs keeping their own gate money, sky money advantaging the top clubs, the CL moved to a league format, and the CL clubs being allowed into the UEFA cup if they are knocked out of the CL. Every single major change over the past 50 years has been to the advantage of the big city clubs.

Liverpool ignore the reasons of how they got to where they are now and argue that they need an even bigger share of the payouts. When I started watching football, Liverpool were a second division club. These shifts put the fans off the game big time. Trouble is, it's the fans of the smaller clubs who are more likely to walk away from the game, meaning that the power shift leans even further towards the top clubs who are ruining the game.

I once commented on here, that the likes of Man Utd, Chelsea etc, would happily put the other clubs out of business. That wasn't accepted by many on here, but I still believe that is certainly the case. If it wasn't the case, then they would try to modify their selfish demands.

It's disgusting and the truth is that nothing is going to change the way the tide has, and is turning.

[LeChuck]

We would be able to sell our rights to the sub continent. It wouldn't harm us as much as some of the other smaller teams.

Are you kidding? In terms of fanbase we are one of the smaller teams. We'd probably do better than Swansea but we're no more popular than other PL teams.

It would be an absolute disaster if happened. Given the strength of European clubs in the Champions League and the strength of the Premier League itself (certainly in economic terms), it's hard to find justification for rocking the boat.

The Alex Ferguson quote around the situation is re-assuring, where he says he believes it is fair that every team takes an equal share. There is no way 14 clubs will vote in favour of this.

[The Gull]

What the Liverpool MD is doing is basically political posturing about the FIFA Financial Fair Play rules being introduced.

As things stand Barcelona and Real Madrid will have a massive advantage over all other teams in Europe as they are able to sell their TV rights indivdually in Spain, where as in all other leagues there are collective agreements, even the Italians recently returned to a collective agreement.

It means that Barca and Real will be able to generate much more income than others and therefore able to spend much more. You may say that it is not too much different from now, but at present Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd etc can compete if they want to, they will not be able to under FFP.

Clubs like Liverpool are concerned about this situation and the American owners will see individual rights as a way to completely transform their club's value and make a pretty penny when they sell up.

Don't think it has a hope in hell of working as it would require 14 of the 20 PL clubs to vote for it, you'd probably get 6 but all the others voting for it would be like a turkey voting for Christmas.

[Moppy]

What the Liverpool MD is doing is basically political posturing about the FIFA Financial Fair Play rules being introduced.

As things stand Barcelona and Real Madrid will have a massive advantage over all other teams in Europe as they are able to sell their TV rights indivdually in Spain, where as in all other leagues there are collective agreements, even the Italians recently returned to a collective agreement.

It means that Barca and Real will be able to generate much more income than others and therefore able to spend much more. You may say that it is not too much different from now, but at present Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd etc can compete if they want to, they will not be able to under FFP.

Clubs like Liverpool are concerned about this situation and the American owners will see individual rights as a way to completely transform their club's value and make a pretty penny when they sell up.

Don't think it has a hope in hell of working as it would require 14 of the 20 PL clubs to vote for it, you'd probably get 6 but all the others voting for it would be like a turkey voting for Christmas.

Good points well made. Maybe UEFA will pressure/force the Spanish FA to follow the collective model to avoid clubs like Liverpool pushing for this. Maybe that is the actual goal.

[LeChuck]

As things stand Barcelona and Real Madrid will have a massive advantage over all other teams in Europe as they are able to sell their TV rights indivdually in Spain

It's a short term advantage though. In the long term they'll suffer if the gulf between the top two and the rest becomes outrageous.

Just look at the Scottish Premier League. Not that long ago the Glasgow clubs could still attract top European names, now they're lucky to get good Championship players. A few years back Celtic could boast a strike force of Larsson and Sutton. Nowadays it's Anthony Stokes and Gary Hooper.

Real and Barca might think it's to their advantage to take the majority of the money from La Liga, just as Celtic and Rangers used to, but ultimately they could do irreversible damage. Sir Alex seems streetwise enough to appreciate the situation, whoever that chump at Liverpool is obviously doesn't have a clue.

[Mattyblue]

Empty rheotric, they aint getting 14 votes for that!

[speeeeeeedie]

If Premier League clubs are allowed to negotiate their own TV rights it will be the end of the Premier League.

It won't happen, it's just some exec looking for publicity.

I do like Alan's appearance fee idea. You have to have 2 teams to play.

[Steve Moss]

I'm beginning to think that SAF is a man of wisdom. Evidence:

1. Jerome Anderson couldn't pick his own nose; and,

2. Stands up for equal shares of revenue.

I'm pleasantly surprised.

[den]

If Premier League clubs are allowed to negotiate their own TV rights it will be the end of the Premier League.

It won't happen, it's just some exec looking for publicity.

Hopefully not, but never say never. If the top clubs want it badly enough they'll threaten a breakaway - just as they did when the PL was formed. People said then that the other clubs wouldn't accept it, but when they considered the alternative - a league without the big clubs and without the sky money - they gave in.

[Speedie Dived]

It's a vicious circle. The top teams claim they are not on a level footing to the 2 Spanish giants, so in order to achieve this they want everyone else in the league not to be on a level footing with overseas TV money. The Championship clubs then claim they are not on a level footing to the relegated premier league teams with parachute payments. The Premier league is basically an 85% closed shop.

It's Platini's anti English Fair Play rules that are forcing the top sides down this avenue. But the only way to become a better side? Invest what is not your's. Where is the fairness in banning that?

[Al]

It's a vicious circle. The top teams claim they are not on a level footing to the 2 Spanish giants, so in order to achieve this they want everyone else in the league not to be on a level footing with overseas TV money. The Championship clubs then claim they are not on a level footing to the relegated premier league teams with parachute payments. The Premier league is basically an 85% closed shop.

It's Platini's anti English Fair Play rules that are forcing the top sides down this avenue. But the only way to become a better side? Invest what is not your's. Where is the fairness in banning that?

I may be being thick but I don't understand what those last three sentences mean. Can you make it a bit clearer for me?

[Speedie Dived]

I may be being thick but I don't understand what those last three sentences mean. Can you make it a bit clearer for me?

Sorry it was worded appallingly. The only way to improve your football club/team drastically is an investment of money/sugar daddy. i.e. money not generated within the club (Us, Chelsea, City). But Platini, with the fair play rules, is stopping this by saying you can only spend what you generate (i know it's not that straight forward, there are some area's you can go over in). So the fair play rules are in fact a "keep the top teams at the top rule".

[BangkokRover]

We would be able to sell our rights to the sub continent. It wouldn't harm us as much as some of the other smaller teams.

Wake up you clown seriously you think people in India are going to pay to watch Rovers???

The only Rovers games that get shown in Asia are us against the big boys.

Here in Thailand we get ever game live but you can bet your bottom dollar if they break up the deal they will buy the top 5 clubs and that's it.

If this happens then the ramifications for smaller Premier League clubs is huge, we will start on the road to becoming like La Liga where individual clubs negotiate their own deals and the smaller clubs get a pittance.

Will never happen in a million years as there needs to be 14 EPL teams that agree to the change. Can you see that happening?

So thats Liverpool out as well then

You are 100% correct Liverpool are not part of the big four at the moment. I know Liverpool fans who are now watching Chelsea and Man U games. They are born here in Asia and only really want to be associated with the best team.

[BangkokRover]

It's a short term advantage though. In the long term they'll suffer if the gulf between the top two and the rest becomes outrageous.

Just look at the Scottish Premier League. Not that long ago the Glasgow clubs could still attract top European names, now they're lucky to get good Championship players. A few years back Celtic could boast a strike force of Larsson and Sutton. Nowadays it's Anthony Stokes and Gary Hooper.

Real and Barca might think it's to their advantage to take the majority of the money from La Liga, just as Celtic and Rangers used to, but ultimately they could do irreversible damage. Sir Alex seems streetwise enough to appreciate the situation, whoever that chump at Liverpool is obviously doesn't have a clue.

This has already been discussed in Spain they are worried they are going to turn in to the SPL. While Real and Barca easy get 90% of the TV money together for Spain you only have to look at the amount that La Liga is sold for around the rest of the world to see that the league is trouble. The last winner of La Liga that was not Real or Barca was Valencia when a certain Fat Waiter was manager in 2003-04. The Spanish clubs know they have to change their TV deal to help the other teams compete. Is just a mater of when and if you think it will never happen just look at Seria A. For the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons, Serie A clubs negotiating club TV rights collectively rather than individually for the first time since 1998–99. The domestic rights for those two seasons were sold for €1.149bn to Sky Italia.

[Mattyblue]

You would think the fans of a a club built on a 'Socialist ethos', Shankly this, Thatcher that would be aghast at such a proposal.

Not so much looking at their forums- Animal Farm esque on there.

[thebigguy]

if clubs sell the rights to games.

Whats stopping them from setting up there own channel(eg Utd channel) and only showing the games on that channel. The club will just sell that channel to where ever they like.

Anyway hope it stays as is and good to see spainish are making a big 'U' turn on it and hopefully it is sooner than later so the so called big clubs cannot use this against other teams and EPL

[RibbleValleyRover]

22 of the 42 spanish teams (La Liga and the division below it) are in administration. Some future eh if clubs like Liverpool get their way?