Big Six facing TV snub

PREMIER LEAGUE clubs still seem to be gridlocked ahead of a second TV rights meeting tomorrow.

The first summit last month found opposition from 11 clubs to the proposal by executive chairman Richard Scudamore that 35 per cent of overseas TV money from the next contract should be distributed via position in the table, rather than shared equally.

The Big Six — arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, the manchester clubs and Tottenham — have West Ham, Leicester and Everton in their camp. They have pushed strongly for a change because they say they are mainly responsible for the booming foreign interest.

However the opposing 11 are said if anything to have hardened their opposition and any change requires a 14-6 majority. IT was surprising that the four FA witnesses at the DCMS select committee last week claimed to have no knowledge of Lucy Ward’s sex discrimination case against Leeds when a Sports Agenda article only three weeks ago, brought up at the meeting by MP Chris Matheson, detailed that Ward’s camp were attempting to get her case raised that very day. Better preparation would have seen the FA quartet armed with the knowledge that Ward’s employment tribunal ruling was made against Leeds and on the evidence available was below the threshold for the FA bringing action against individuals.