The English Premier League has labelled Virgin Media as “self serving” after the pay-television operator asked UK media regulator Ofcom to halt the sales process for the next round of domestic rights to the football top tier.
Virgin Media has filed an “application for interim measures” with Ofcom, asking the watchdog to pause the sales process for the three seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19. Last autumn, Virgin asked Ofcom to look into the increasing cost of Premier League rights, and the regulator’s decision is due to be delivered in March. The league was expecting to award the rights for the next cycle early next month.
Virgin Media said: “If the auction continues unchecked, Ofcom’s ability to act will be prejudiced and it will likely be 2019 until the next opportunity to reign-in the rampant inflation in prices for viewers.”
Virgin Media’s head of corporate affairs, Brigitte Trafford, told the Guardian newspaper: “The Premier League has pushed ahead with its early sale of TV rights despite Ofcom’s investigation. With 18 months until those deals begin, there is plenty of time for Ofcom to pause the auction process while it completes its inquiries. Failure to do so will leave fans, who already pay the most to see the least amount of football in Europe, facing yet another big rise in the cost of watching live football on TV.”
The league responded to the latest move by Virgin Media by saying: “The Premier League made Ofcom aware almost two months ago that its next UK live broadcast rights auction process would be taking place in February 2015. A self-serving media release from Virgin Media should have no bearing on the sale of the Premier League’s rights.
“Given the global interest in our rights it is essential that we give successful bidders ample time to put plans in place to utilise fully the rights they acquire,” the league added. “Moreover, the league's sales process will be conducted fully in compliance with competition law and there is no legal basis whatsoever for any interference with the sales process or the legitimate operation of the market. Unlike Virgin Media, those who are interested in acquiring our rights fully understand and appreciate this.”