The future of football..be very afraid.

[maineflyer 0]

If the EPL money dries up that will only quicken the need for the big clubs of England and Europe to create a super league. We as a club need to be in the negotiations to set the ideas for it's financial running (on the German model) and to make sure of our inclusion.

 

That isn't going to happen though. Two choices in front of us ...... accept where we are or wallow in frustration and envy

[Guest PTB]

Interesting e-mail i've just been sent

 

European Court of Justice set to rule of EPL TV deal

 

 

 

The football industry is fond of using ‘David and Goliath’ imagery to illuminate cup games between the impoverished and the enriched but a far more important battle between a publican from Portsmouth and the combined forces of the world’s most powerful league and most powerful broadcaster, is set to take place this week.

 

Karen Murphy, owner of The Red, White and Blue pub in Portsmouth was ordered to pay fines and costs totaling Ã?£8000 for showing “illegal” broadcasts of FA Premier League games after buying a subscription to Greek broadcaster, NOVA. NOVA own broadcast rights for the league in Greece but customers in the UK are prohibited from using NOVA’s subscription due to FA Premier League terms and conditions, which prohibits the use of broadcaster’s decoder cards outside their home territory.

 

At considerable personal expense, Karen Murphy has stood firm against the might of the FA Premier League lawyers and this week takes her case to the European Court of Justice, asking that the case against her be dismissed on the grounds that the league’s conditions of sale amount to a restriction on the freedom of trade.

 

One of the core tenants of European Law is the freedom of movement of goods and services between member nations, which a restrictive covenant asserting sales territories based on national boundaries clearly flouts. The European Court of Justice has never been asked to rule on these rights before so there is considerable concern at the FA Premier League, and its member clubs, that this decision will go against them.

 

Karen Murphy pays approximately 10% of the UK fee for her NOVA subscription, if she wins her case, the floodgates would be open for all commercial and domestic subscribers to ditch their expensive BSkyB subscriptions and buy them same product from Greece or elsewhere. Her case is being described as the Bosman of TV rights, as the same court previously ruled in favour of Jean-Marc Bosman when he challenged the decades old football transfer system which tied out-of-contract players to their previous clubs.

 

The FA Premier League’s current Ã?£1.78bn 3-year-deal with BSkyB started this summer, a condition of which is that the League restricts cross-national trade. My understanding is that the contract would become invalid if the European Court of Justice rule in favour of an open broadcast market.

 

European football has suffered from the tyranny of the BSkyB-FA Premier League relationship, which has skewed on-field results away from the meritocracy of coaching and scouting towards income like no other time in history. Nowhere are these effects more pronounced than in Scotland, where clubs have been plundered by increasingly lower divisions of the English game as money trickles down the league structure.

 

Having been to court on commercial matters a couple of times, I know it takes an incredible amount of money to do practically anything (advocate fees at Ã?£1750 per day – and that includes the time they need to prepare for the case), so it’s a surprise that Karen Murphy has been able last the course, although she may find support among the licensed trade industry, who are being squeezed by BSkyB.

 

The party’s over if the FA Premier League loses this case; there are Bentley sales-staff pacing the showroom floor up and down the country. Good luck, Karen.

[pete 2,499]

Interesting e-mail i've just been sent

 

European Court of Justice set to rule of EPL TV deal

 

 

 

The football industry is fond of using ââ?¬Ë?David and Goliathââ?¬â?¢ imagery to illuminate cup games between the impoverished and the enriched but a far more important battle between a publican from Portsmouth and the combined forces of the worldââ?¬â?¢s most powerful league and most powerful broadcaster, is set to take place this week.

 

Karen Murphy, owner of The Red, White and Blue pub in Portsmouth was ordered to pay fines and costs totaling Ã?£8000 for showing ââ?¬Å?illegalââ?¬Â broadcasts of FA Premier League games after buying a subscription to Greek broadcaster, NOVA. NOVA own broadcast rights for the league in Greece but customers in the UK are prohibited from using NOVAââ?¬â?¢s subscription due to FA Premier League terms and conditions, which prohibits the use of broadcasterââ?¬â?¢s decoder cards outside their home territory.

 

At considerable personal expense, Karen Murphy has stood firm against the might of the FA Premier League lawyers and this week takes her case to the European Court of Justice, asking that the case against her be dismissed on the grounds that the league�s conditions of sale amount to a restriction on the freedom of trade.

 

One of the core tenants of European Law is the freedom of movement of goods and services between member nations, which a restrictive covenant asserting sales territories based on national boundaries clearly flouts. The European Court of Justice has never been asked to rule on these rights before so there is considerable concern at the FA Premier League, and its member clubs, that this decision will go against them.

 

Karen Murphy pays approximately 10% of the UK fee for her NOVA subscription, if she wins her case, the floodgates would be open for all commercial and domestic subscribers to ditch their expensive BSkyB subscriptions and buy them same product from Greece or elsewhere. Her case is being described as the Bosman of TV rights, as the same court previously ruled in favour of Jean-Marc Bosman when he challenged the decades old football transfer system which tied out-of-contract players to their previous clubs.

 

The FA Premier Leagueâ��s current �£1.78bn 3-year-deal with BSkyB started this summer, a condition of which is that the League restricts cross-national trade. My understanding is that the contract would become invalid if the European Court of Justice rule in favour of an open broadcast market.

 

European football has suffered from the tyranny of the BSkyB-FA Premier League relationship, which has skewed on-field results away from the meritocracy of coaching and scouting towards income like no other time in history. Nowhere are these effects more pronounced than in Scotland, where clubs have been plundered by increasingly lower divisions of the English game as money trickles down the league structure.

 

Having been to court on commercial matters a couple of times, I know it takes an incredible amount of money to do practically anything (advocate fees at Ã?£1750 per day ââ?¬â?? and that includes the time they need to prepare for the case), so itââ?¬â?¢s a surprise that Karen Murphy has been able last the course, although she may find support among the licensed trade industry, who are being squeezed by BSkyB.

 

The party�s over if the FA Premier League loses this case; there are Bentley sales-staff pacing the showroom floor up and down the country. Good luck, Karen.

 

Yes this could have massive consequences for all of football not just the EPL. It will also means any deal with Scotland will also be for much less than it is now. I fear we will also feel the squeeze.

[Jim1955 12]

I saw the Nova broadcasts recently in a pub in Dorset, I won't say where just in case it leads to grief for the owner, only problem was that the commentary was in Greek.

[pete 2,499]

I saw the Nova broadcasts recently in a pub in Dorset, I won't say where just in case it leads to grief for the owner, only problem was that the commentary was in Greek.

Anything is better than Andy Walker

[Jim1955 12]

Anything is better than Andy Walker

 

You have that one right.

[Gribz 743]

Anything is better than Andy Walker

 

Thats true. For the past 4 seasons Ive had a channel called Goal TV who fed the SPL games but the contract ended and nobody has taken it over so Im watching all our games online and always opt to chose foreign commentary over Andy walker, Ian Crocker and Davie Provan. The most recent summeriser I quite like is Craig Burley though, always calls it how he see's it and is honest enough. Was a good player also.

[bmck 117]

I HATTEEEE CRAIG BURLEYY!!!!!! The guy's an utter nightmare. I'm so shocked anyone likes him! I mind against Hamilton he was just moaning about everything - workies not working, the state of the stand, how rubbish the commentary box was. Even Ian Crocker said "Well you're getting paid for watching the game" or something similar. Can't stand the guy, he's a thorough dullard!

[Gribz 743]

workies not working, the state of the stand, how rubbish the commentary box was.

 

Lol, TBH though everything he said there is probably right

 

Aside from that going back to the future of football, I just turned on my laptop and read the BBC footy page and 3 headlines:

 

Liverpool may be docked 9 pts.

Man Utd make 80 Million loss.

Dundee to enter administration.

 

Liverpool and Man Utd are 2 of the biggest clubs in the world and have a fan base in the top 5 world wide and are in a mess. The stories of Leeds and portsmouth are going to become very common soon. If Man city and Chelsea owners walk those 2 would be in free fall.

 

There isnt much success stories of clubs at the moment, Arsenal are a breath of fresh air, making 60 million profits yet still being as good as they are. Shows if wenger would spend they could run away with everything. Id say Hibs are probably the best ran side in Scotland, they produce a lot of decent young players, are not in the red and still manage to upgrade their stadium.