Premier League rights

[Uter]

Can't see how the ESPN business model will survive this - got to be curtains for them inside a year - wihtout Premier League football the numbers can't add up

ESPN are 80% owned by Disney. They can afford to run it at a loss and I am sure will do so if they think it still has a part to play in their long term strategy.

 

[Rugrat]

ESPN are 80% owned by Disney. They can afford to run it at a loss and I am sure will do so if they think it still has a part to play in their long term strategy.

Maybe they'll take a crack at Championship footie? Unlikely but they'll get it at a modest price and can at least test out the popularity. Don't suppose the FL will negotiate a Championship only deal either.

The PL really should have been distributing a bit more money through the leagues from the off, too late now though

 

[Hotchilidog]

I hope this doesn't mean the end of ESPN on this country, ESPN America is my main sports channel. I can't go without my college football and hoops.

The most depressing thing about this extra injection of cash into the PL is that it will all just flow into the pockets of already ludicrously wealthy players and agents and fans will still be expected to cough up for ridiculous ticket prices and tv contracts.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Can't see how the ESPN business model will survive this - got to be curtains for them inside a year - wihtout Premier League football the numbers can't add up

It can't live without the Prem I'm sure. That's all I ever use it for, so I'll be cancelling at the time - or switching to the new BT channel.

 

[Aadam]

The PL really should have been distributing a bit more money through the leagues from the off, too late now though

Wasn't that the point of the PL in the first place? Split to make more money for themselves.

 

[Dave the OAP]

I assume this will mean skysports price will go up...I thought this when they spunked all the money getting F1.

I can't say, even though we have ESPN via Virgin that I watched over 3 or 4 games and I think they were all Cup games.

I can see this can only move the premier league moving away from the rest of the leagues even more...puts terrible pressure on all the championship clubs to finance their teams to get into the Premiership....I think this could lead to more teams overstretching themselves in the same way Leeds did.

 

[Rugrat]

Wasn't that the point of the PL in the first place? Split to make more money for themselves.

Absolutely. It was a long time ago and I don't recall the actual detail of it but I assume the FL were either bad negotiators and the (old 1st Div) clubs thought they could do better or that the FL were digging their heels in and trying to distribute the revenues "too fairly". Hindsight's a wonderful thing of course but if a better compromise could have been reached back then maybe the gap between the haves and have nots wouldn't be as huge as it is today.

I can defo see the day when the Prem vote for no relegation and lock in their revenues ... the only thing that I imagine preventing it now is which 20 or so clubs actually form the new league that has no relegation ... I reckon if they could sort that out it'd be job done and the only way in that anyone would have would be to buy the club (the licence) and relocate it in the same way as they do in the US - indeed it's the standard model over there so why not follow what they do given the riches available?

 

[severnside gull]

As "Call me Dave" seems more likely to create some more tax breaks for SKY with its mega-billions, perhaps he could compensate with a windfall tax on the EPL?

He would certainly have my support (for the one and only time)

 

[Aadam]

Absolutely. It was a long time ago and I don't recall the actual detail of it but I assume the FL were either bad negotiators and the (old 1st Div) clubs thought they could do better or that the FL were digging their heels in and trying to distribute the revenues "too fairly". Hindsight's a wonderful thing of course but if a better compromise could have been reached back then maybe the gap between the haves and have nots wouldn't be as huge as it is today.

I can defo see the day when the Prem vote for no relegation and lock in their revenues ... the only thing that I imagine preventing it now is which 20 or so clubs actually form the new league that has no relegation ... I reckon if they could sort that out it'd be job done and the only way in that anyone would have would be to buy the club (the licence) and relocate it in the same way as they do in the US - indeed it's the standard model over there so why not follow what they do given the riches available?

I don't think there will ever be a locked league. The relegation battle is as exciting as the league chase, more often than not more exciting due to it always going to down to the last game of the season, which the league title doesn't always do.

 

[narly101]

I would rather have The Albion stay in The Championship and living within our means than end up paying stupid money in transfer fees/wages and ending up in administration, or worse.

Very much this. I have enjoyed the football this year more than any I have seen at Withdean. If it continues in the same frame for the foreseeable, I will be happy. I don't want us to collapse at the mercy of the tax man, just because we've tried to get into the Prem spunking money we don't have. Crazy crazy times.

 

[ofco8]

Now you know why TB wants to get us in the Premier League ASAP

Not if we can't compete with Charlton and Huddersfield etc. for players as hinted at in Argus!!!

We're doomed!!!!!