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#moreballs for UK football fans
15th December 2015
The BBC has today broadcast an interview between Sports Editor, Dan Roan, and Virgin Media CEO Tom Mockridge.
The interview is about the way the Premier League auctions the live TV rights for football.
Watch the full interview here:
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35099081
As part of our ongoing #moreballs campaign to secure a better deal for football fans in the UK, Tom tells the BBC that the Premier League sells domestic TV rights on an exclusive basis and restricts the number of games broadcast and so the wholesale and retail costs increase.
Ultimately, fans end up paying too much.
From next season, only 168 out of a possible 380 Premier League games will be available on UK TV screens.
Tom argues that “…if you go across Europe almost every football game in the major leagues is available on television, the same in the States with NFL, MLB and the NBA."
"The system should be fair, and the consumer should be represented," he says.
Last year, Virgin Media complained to regulator Ofcom about the auction. Ofcom then launched an investigation into the sale of TV football rights, and a decision is expected next year.