Controversial Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino is bringing a legal action against the Football League over the collective selling of television rights. The action arises from the League taking out an injunction to force Leeds to play Middlesbrough on Monday night.
Controversial Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino is bringing a legal action against the Football League over the collective selling of television rights. The action arises from the League taking out an injunction to force Leeds to play Middlesbrough on Monday night.
Football League clubs currently receive £100m from their television deal with Sky Bet. Leeds probably receive around £2m. As one of the biggest clubs outside the Premier League, they could earn much more by negotiating their own deal.
There is a competition law basis for Cellino’s action and Premier League clubs will be watching with interest. If he succeeds, it would shake up the game in a way that would favour the biggest clubs. The distribution of television money has been relatively egalitarian in the Premier League compared with, say, La Liga which is changing its system.
Leeds subsequently denied that they had taken, or were seeking, legal action to dismantle the collective selling of television rights.