Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-07-04-Speech-2-257"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20060704.31.2-257"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
".
The Commission believes that the result of the Premier League media rights auction, which was carried out in compliance with Commission Decision 38173, will have beneficial effects for English football fans.
The longstanding monopoly of BSkyB concerning the broadcasting of live Premier League matches has ended as a result of this auction. In the auction BSkyB acquired four packages – 92 live matches – and Setanta acquired two packages – 46 live matches. Setanta has now emerged as a viable competitor and will be able to exercise both commercial and pricing pressure on the former monopolist BSkyB. The choice for English football and sports fans has also improved. Setanta is now in a position to offer an attractive alternative sports programme, including live Premier League matches.
The Commission acted in full compliance with EC competition rules and to the benefit of English consumers. It remains to be seen whether costs for consumers will indeed increase. In a market where at least two players are present, individual operators will have to consider carefully whether they can continue to raise prices for their packages without losing customers. It is also far from certain that the acquisition by a single operator of all live Premier League rights would have led to lower costs for English football fans.
In the absence of any constraints from competition, it is not impossible that a single operator would have raised the prices for its sports services without compensating for the increase in price by increased choice, as is now available.
The Commission also notes that English football fans who last season wished to watch more than the 88 live matches offered by BSkyB in its basic sports package also had to sign up for a second subscription channel from BSkyB, Prem Plus. The concept of two separate subscription channels is therefore not a novel one for football fans in the UK."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples