Premier League inked overseas TV rights deal

The Premier League agreed to a new GBP 625 million deal for overseas television rights with the winner of the league getting an extra GBP 50 million next season. The money will come from domestic broadcast and internet contracts.

The last place club will also benefit by claiming GBP 30 million, which is about the same amount that Chelsea, the current title holders, won last season.

"This deal really does take us on to another level," league chief Richard Scudamore told the Daily Telegraph.

BSkyB and Setanta will share the domestic television rights for Premier League matches next season.

The rivals were the winning bidders in an auction to show top-flight games, beginning in the 2007-8 season.

The domestic TV rights auction produced GBP 1.7 billion for the Premier League, with BSkyB paying GBP 1.3 billion for its four packages of games and Setanta paying GBP 392 million for its two packages.

Setanta broke Sky's monopoly and has rights to 46 live matches a season, while BSkyB has won the rights to 92 live matches, including the "A" package of matches that are held on late Sunday afternoons.

The Premier League's overseas appeal is due to high-profile players and the league's reputation for excitement.

BBC sports editor Mihir Bose said that the big winners of the new deal would be top-flight players and their agents, while supporters and lower league sides would not see any real benefits.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.