Adam Crozier, the chief executive of UK commercial broadcaster ITV, said the broadcaster was unlikely to bid for the rights for football’s English Premier League in the next cycle.
The domestic rights for the Premier League for three seasons, from 2013-14 to 2015-16, are due on the market in the first half of the year.
“We always look at all sports rights,” Crozier told the Guardian. “But I doubt it; it is unlikely that it would pay for us.”
ITV has made savings of about £35 million (€41 million/$56 million) on rights fees by renewing deals in recent months with the English Football Association and Uefa, football’s European governing body.
In the FA deal, domestic free-to-air rights for the FA Cup, England matches and the Community Shield were secured for two seasons, from 2012-13 to 2013-14. The Uefa deal covered Champions League rights for three seasons, from 2012-13 to 2014-15.
ITV held the Premier League highlights rights for three seasons, from 2001-02 to 2003-04, but since then the rights have been held by public-service broadcaster the BBC.