Sky lose football court case

[GovanAllan 0]

Courts have decided Sky breach EU rules on football deals. Share price drops 4 points.

 

And the house comes tumbling down.

[ian1964 10,418]

What will be the implications of this I wonder??

[GovanAllan 0]

EPL chairmen shitting themselves.

[Guest Dutchy]

Great news.

 

The ELP chairmen might even consider entertaining the OF, I'd tell them to FO!

[ian1964 10,418]

Former SPL chief executive Roger Mitchell claims the European Court of Justice ruling in favour of a Portsmouth pub landlady could be the first step towards Celtic and Rangers participating in a Euro Super League.

 

Although the judgment will now pass back down to the UK high court for interpretation, the ECJ generally agreed with Karen Murphy from the Red, White and Blue pub in Portsmouth that a ban on using foreign TV decoder cards was in contravention of EU laws on free trade.

 

In doing so, the court effectively ruled that the imposition of national borders to sell television rights on a territory-by-territory basis is illegal.

 

Mitchell believes the news will be welcomed in the boardrooms at both halves of the Old Firm, and the logic of the decision paves the way for a wholesale reorganisation of European football.

 

“Football is currently organised and regulated along geographical lines – that is where its strength comes from – but this judgment says that isn’t valid,” Mitchell said. “What I am getting at is that this might be the first brick to fall in the rights being held by the organisations,” he added, “and probably moves the whole situation a lot closer to a European league. If they are saying you can’t sell on geographical lines, the question is ‘why should you organise it on geographical lines?’

 

“When you have guys like Rangers owner Craig Whyte saying they could go and play elsewhere some day, this is the kind of news they are waiting for. Every other industry looks at Europe as one market, but football has been obliged, much to my chagrin, to make small countries such as Scotland stay as small countries.”

 

In the short term, the ruling means that for the remaining 18 months of the existing Premier League contract, individuals will be able to buy set-top boxes and decoder cards which allow them to beam in football from overseas more cheaply, and sidestep the traditional 3pm blackout.

 

One potential sticking point is the ECJ’s ruling that, while beaming in matches themselves from overseas was not in breach of copyright, items such as the Premier League anthem, graphics, build-up and highlights packages were subject to copyright.

 

But Mitchell added: “I certainly think the news is very dramatic and good news for both Celtic and Rangers. The big clubs in every country, Manchester United in England, Celtic and Rangers in Scotland, are always looking at ways to get a direct return for their value.

 

“So there will be a lot of conversations going on around different tables and this is the kind of news that has always stopped this a European Super League from happening before now.”

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/mitchell-ruling-paves-way-for-old-firm-euro-league-1.1127621

[pete 2,499]

Stewart Fisher

 

5 Oct 2011

 

Former SPL chief executive Roger Mitchell claims the European Court of Justice ruling in favour of a Portsmouth pub landlady could be the first step towards Celtic and Rangers participating in a Euro Super League.

 

Although the judgment will now pass back down to the UK high court for interpretation, the ECJ generally agreed with Karen Murphy from the Red, White and Blue pub in Portsmouth that a ban on using foreign TV decoder cards was in contravention of EU laws on free trade.

 

In doing so, the court effectively ruled that the imposition of national borders to sell television rights on a territory-by-territory basis is illegal.

 

Mitchell believes the news will be welcomed in the boardrooms at both halves of the Old Firm, and the logic of the decision paves the way for a wholesale reorganisation of European football.

 

â??Football is currently organised and regulated along geographical lines â?? that is where its strength comes from â?? but this judgment says that isnâ??t valid,â? Mitchell said. â??What I am getting at is that this might be the first brick to fall in the rights being held by the organisations,â? he added, â??and probably moves the whole situation a lot closer to a European league. If they are saying you canâ??t sell on geographical lines, the question is â??why should you organise it on geographical lines?â??

 

â??When you have guys like Rangers owner Craig Whyte saying they could go and play elsewhere some day, this is the kind of news they are waiting for. Every other industry looks at Europe as one market, but football has been obliged, much to my chagrin, to make small countries such as Scotland stay as small countries.â?

 

In the short term, the ruling means that for the remaining 18 months of the existing Premier League contract, individuals will be able to buy set-top boxes and decoder cards which allow them to beam in football from overseas more cheaply, and sidestep the traditional 3pm blackout.

 

One potential sticking point is the ECJâ??s ruling that, while beaming in matches themselves from overseas was not in breach of copyright, items such as the Premier League anthem, graphics, build-up and highlights packages were subject to copyright.

 

But Mitchell added: â??I certainly think the news is very dramatic and good news for both Celtic and Rangers. The big clubs in every country, Manchester United in England, Celtic and Rangers in Scotland, are always looking at ways to get a direct return for their value.

 

â??So there will be a lot of conversations going on around different tables and this is the kind of news that has always stopped this a European Super League from happening before now.â?

 

This is something that was always going to come. UEFA have been shaping it in the CL for a while now making it almost impossible for smaller teams to get any further than the preliminary rounds. I just hope Rangers don't fall too far down the pecking order before the top tiers are picked. We will never make the top division but hopefully we may get there one day.

[GovanAllan 0]

Still can't see how they are going to work this. Will it be a midweek league we still play in the SPL, or a total breakaway. I can't see the FA's of the countries involved being to happy when all the best teams bugger off.

[pete 2,499]

Still can't see how they are going to work this. Will it be a midweek league we still play in the SPL, or a total breakaway. I can't see the FA's of the countries involved being to happy when all the best teams bugger off.

 

Brought this into Rangers chat as I feel it has a lot to do with Rangers.

 

I think it will work the same as it does in any country with different divisions with a geographical set up for teams under. There could be play-offs between the top-Geo teams to see who gets promoted to the Euro league.

[GovanAllan 0]

Brought this into Rangers chat as I feel it has a lot to do with Rangers.

 

I think it will work the same as it does in any country with different divisions with a geographical set up for teams under. There could be play-offs between the top-Geo teams to see who gets promoted to the Euro league.

 

Going to take a lot of people agreeing on this to pull it off and that's one thing they don't do well in football.

[Ergatrude 0]

It'll only take some rich European company with stacks of cash to take a shine to this & use it to advertise their company. The Etihad Premier League anyone?