Scudamore fight for unity over TV cash

PREMIER League clubs are split in a £1billion conflict over TV money — the biggest threat to the top flight’s unity since its formation.

A meeting of 14 Premier League clubs, not including the ‘Big Six’, was held at London’s Pullman St Pancras Hotel yesterday to discuss their approach ahead of next week’s summit on the big TV issue.

PL chief executive Richard Scudamore (below), who was invited to address the meeting, revealed that three other clubs — Everton, Leicester and West Ham — had joined Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham in accepting his proposal that 35 per cent of overseas cash would be allocated according to where a club finishes in the table. Currently all the foreign money is shared equally.

Nine clubs are backing Scudamore’s plan — more than expected but still fewer than the 14 needed for a rule change. There will be plenty of lobbying ahead of next Wednesday’s expected vote, but the mood of yesterday’s meeting organised by Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish was that the battle lines will not change much.

There is a lot at stake because 35 per cent of the current overseasrights pot is about £1bn over three seasons and the foreign market has far more potential for revenue growth.

The Big Six, led by City’s Spanish chief executive Ferran Soriano, want more of the bounty, claiming they are responsible for drawing the bigger TV audiences and a growth in interest.

And the threat in the background is of the Big Six breaking away, or more imminently, causing trouble around the next TV rights tender this winter. The other side say the collective approach of 20 clubs is why the Premier League has been such a resounding success.

Scudamore has the difficult task of keeping both factions on side, but crucially he doesn’t want to go into the next TV auction with his most attractive teams not fully behind the payment structure. lWORLD

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