4 Feb 2009BSkyB retains Premier League rights

Football Sponsors/ Sponsorship and Media

The Premier League confirmed yesterday (February 3rd) that BSkyB has maintained its share of the rights to broadcast live top-flight matches in the UK between 2010 and 2013.

Although the finer details have not yet been revealed, the company, which operates a subscription-only service, has retained the four out of six audio-visual packages which it has held since 2006.

Interested parties were required to submit their bids on Tuesday and BSkyB beat off competition from two other as yet unnamed firms, thought to be Setanta and US sports network ESPN.

One insider told the Independent: "It was always obvious that Sky would be at the forefront of the bidding because live Premier League football remains core to Sky's business.

"Even with the tough economic climate, it was never going to make sense for Sky to bid much lower, or indeed any lower than last time, because by definition that would lead to them potentially damaging a key product."

The last round of bidding saw BSkyB pay a reported £1.3 billion to secure the four packages, which comprised 23 games in each of three seasons.

There will now be a second round of bidding for the remaining two packages, with media mogul Rupert Murdoch's firm entitled to compete for one of them.

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