EU-EPL Agreement on sale of TV rights

[tpm]

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-englandtv_rights&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Just something to watch as it may affect EPL on FSW and also EPL PPV on DirecTV.

[da_cfo]

Originally posted by tpm
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-englandtv_rights&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Just something to watch as it may affect EPL on FSW and also EPL PPV on DirecTV.


That agreement only covers UK DOMESTIC TV rights.

It has NOTHING to do with the sale of INTERNATIONAL TV rights.

[bigtw64]

Has there been any word on International rights yet, Oliver? You can count me as one of those whose subscription to FSW is predicated on them
keeping the Premiership!
Does EPL sell international rights directly to broadcasters in the various countries, or do they sell to a third party? just curious.........

[DAGSports]

Originally posted by bigtw64
Has there been any word on International rights yet, Oliver? You can count me as one of those whose subscription to FSW is predicated on them
keeping the Premiership!
Does EPL sell international rights directly to broadcasters in the various countries, or do they sell to a third party? just curious.........

The EPL has said they will sell the rights by COUNTRY, NOT by REGION this time.

All this means though is that NewsCorp MAY face competition for the TV rights in Asia, especially China, where EPL is very popular.

But according to Oliver, NewsCorp has the first and last right of refusal on the TV rights anywhere they currently have the rights. NewsCorp has EPL rights ANYWHERE Canal Plus does not exist, except possibly in some parts of Europe.

In the USA, Setanta MAY bid for EPL but EPL is much too valuble to NewsCorp and so they will almost certainly renew the rights for another three years. Their game coverage may increase as they will not likely be carrying Bundesliga after this season, the only other European league they carry live.

[texgator]

Originally posted by DAGSports
Their game coverage may increase as they will not likely be carrying Bundesliga after this season, the only other European league they carry live.

While I enjoy the Bundesligia, I would gladly trade the live Sat and Sun matches for an additional live EPL match on both days. It pissed me off that FSW Canada got to see the Sunday morning match live while the US audience had to suffer through a mid-tier Bundesligia match. Is there any basis for this idea of FSW dropping Bundesligia other then the prevailing opinion that it doesn't make $$$ therefore FSW doesn't need to carry it? In particular, has anyone from FSW said anything to make anyone believe that this is a done deal? I mean, it makes sense to me, but just wondering if its just the conventional wisdom or actual knowledge.

[nyrmetros]

I hope the Bundesliga comes back to FSW. I really enjoy the games and I love the hilight show!

[billf]

I enjoy the Bundesliga too. It's nice that there is a little variety and the games are almost always pretty good. I'd miss the BL if it goes.

I think FSW has a good mix. I wouldn't mind another live EPL game, but we do see quite a bit as it is now.

[da_cfo]

Originally posted by bigtw64
Has there been any word on International rights yet, Oliver? You can count me as one of those whose subscription to FSW is predicated on them
keeping the Premiership!
Does EPL sell international rights directly to broadcasters in the various countries, or do they sell to a third party? just curious.........

FA Premier League Limited does business with both broadcasters and marketing agencies.

The international TV deal done 3 years ago involved:

1. NewsCorp, which bought the rights in North America (FOX Sports Int'l), Asia (ESPN STAR Sports, Japan Sky Sports), and Oceania (FOX Sports Australia).

2. Sport Plus (the programming arm of Canal Plus), which bought the rights in Europe excluding the UK and Ireland. SportFive took over the contracts when it was formed in a 3-way merger among Sport Plus, UFA, and Groupe Jean-Claude Darmon.

3. Octagon CSI, which bought TV marketing rights in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Octagon CSI proceeded to sell the TV rights in Latin America to FOX Sports Int'l for use by FOX Sports Latin America (seen in all Spanish-speaking nations south of the Rio Grande River) and ESPN FOX Sports in Brazil (a 3-way joint venture between Globo, Disney, and NewsCorp with Globo the managing partner).

4. IMG/TWI, which handled the production and distribution of the international telecasts, the preview show, the highlights show, and highlights for use by news organizations (via SNTV, the Associated Press/TWI joint venture.)

NewsCorp absolutely needs to keep the EPL TV rights in North America, Asia, and Oceania.

If NewsCorp ever loses the rights to EPL in North America, then FOX Sports World US would no longer have any business reason to exist and the programming contracts between FOX Sports Int'l and both Global TV (owner of FOX Sports World Canada) and Rogers Sportsnet will have to be reworked.

Also, if NewsCorp ever loses the rights to EPL in Asia, then ESPN STAR Sports would be in big trouble. EPL is the crown jewel of all sports TV properties in the inventory of ESPN STAR Sports (a 50/50 joint venture between NewsCorp and Disney based in Singapore and managed by NewsCorp).

[bigtw64]

Thanks for the info, dude.....
International rights fees look set to rise to make up any revenue shortfall following the compromise reached with Euro bureaucrats on the domestic TV deal.....
http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,1108750,00.html

"With negotiations for radio, overseas and Irish rights still to conclude, the Premier League chief executive, Richard Scudamore, remained hopeful of matching the £1.6bn received under the current deal, with the booming overseas market making up for any shortfall in domestic revenues. "

[Coach_McGuirk]

Since NewsCorp just bought DirecTV, I'm sure that Murdoch will have the EPL in the US. I would think that there would be more games on DirecTV than on any other provider (DISH Network, Comcast, etc.).

If tha turn out to be the case, I might have to switch to DirecTV from DISH.

[texgator]

Originally posted by Coach_McGuirk
Since NewsCorp just bought DirecTV, I'm sure that Murdoch will have the EPL in the US. I would think that there would be more games on DirecTV than on any other provider (DISH Network, Comcast, etc.).

If tha turn out to be the case, I might have to switch to DirecTV from DISH.

How would Murdoch put more EPL on Direct TV? Is he creating a new channel, exclusive to Direct, just to show EPL games? Would they be available on a PPV basis? If so, he should just make them available to anyone for revenue purposes. I don't see this happening.

[csh2000]

Originally posted by texgator
How would Murdoch put more EPL on Direct TV? Is he creating a new channel, exclusive to Direct, just to show EPL games? Would they be available on a PPV basis? If so, he should just make them available to anyone for revenue purposes. I don't see this happening.

DirecTV already offers what is essentially "NFL Sunday Ticket" for the EPL - http://www.directvsports.com/Packages/EnglishPremierLeague/

Are they the only distribution for that sort of PPV package, as they are for the NFL? I don't know whether it's available via cable or DISH, but I suspect it's not.

[texgator]

Originally posted by csh2000
DirecTV already offers what is essentially "NFL Sunday Ticket" for the EPL - http://www.directvsports.com/Packages/EnglishPremierLeague/

Are they the only distribution for that sort of PPV package, as they are for the NFL? I don't know whether it's available via cable or DISH, but I suspect it's not.

It is available on Dish and some cable systems as well.

[kstuart]

Since NewsCorp just bought DirecTV, I'm sure that Murdoch will have the EPL in the US. Sky (Murdoch) only owns the UK rights to the EPL. The US rights are owned by TWI and they produce the matches we see, as well as the Preview Show and Highlights Show. (With the exception of occasional midweek matches which are broadcast by Fox Sports World direct from Sky.)

So, there would be absolutely no reason for any more EPL matches to be on DirecTV, than on Dish or Cable, since all three have PPV and Fox Sports World, the two outlets for EPL matches.

[DAGSports]

Originally posted by kstuart
Sky (Murdoch) only owns the UK rights to the EPL. The US rights are owned by TWI and they produce the matches we see, as well as the Preview Show and Highlights Show. (With the exception of occasional midweek matches which are broadcast by Fox Sports World direct from Sky.)

So, there would be absolutely no reason for any more EPL matches to be on DirecTV, than on Dish or Cable, since all three have PPV and Fox Sports World, the two outlets for EPL matches.

Murdoch also owns the North American, Asian, and Oceania rights. Sky produces the feed and provides announcers.

TWI effectively removes ads and uses a different commentator so that things targeted only for Brits that would be on Sky don't air elsewhere. They also create "language-neutral" graphics and in general make it possible for the EPL broadcasts to be dubbed in the language of the country in which they are airing without looking stupid (i.e. someone speaking in Spanish over Martin Tyler's face/voice).