Sky has paid more than £1bn to secure its position as the main Premiership broadcaster. The company is believed to have kept its hold on the majority of live games, 92 out of the 138 matches available, by retaining its four existing packages. No figures are known, but it is believed that the company will have paid close to the current £1.314 billion. The Premiership will now go to a second round on the two outstanding packages, an auction thought to involve Sky, Setanta and ESPN, the Disney-owned broadcaster. Under EU rules, Sky is allowed a maximum of five out of the six packages.
Sky has paid more than £1bn to secure its position as the main Premiership broadcaster. The company is believed to have kept its hold on the majority of live games, 92 out of the 138 matches available, by retaining its four existing packages. No figures are known, but it is believed that the company will have paid close to the current £1.314 billion. The Premiership will now go to a second round on the two outstanding packages, an auction thought to involve Sky, Setanta and ESPN, the Disney-owned broadcaster. Under EU rules, Sky is allowed a maximum of five out of the six packages. Setanta will be desperate to keep the two packages it bought for £392m last time. The Premiership has already sealed a deal with the BBC for the 2010-13 highlights package for £173m, slightly above the existing cost. More than £5bn has been ploughed into the English game by the television companies since the formation of the Premiership. It is the key to the whole Premiership model.