BT chasing Sky’s cricket and golf
CRICKET and golf are going to be the next battlegrounds for BT Sport and Sky in their fight for TV rights.
Sky are finalising a deal for cricket’s Indian Premier League, having paid considerably more for the flagship Twenty20 tournament than the nominal sum the UK rights cost ITV last year.
BT, who have caused consternation at Sky with their capture of football’s Champions League, are now targeting golf’s US PGA tour, which is up for tender this year despite Sky holding the contract until 2017.
And the TV sport newcomers will bid heavily for cricket content, with the ICC planning an auction for their World Twenty20, 50-over World Cup and Champions Trophy portfolio.
Sky announced a raft of sports deals yesterday including Lions rugby, Super League — which interested BT — and Scottish football.
But signing speedway’s Elite League for five more years looks to be a spoiler aimed at BT, with even the sport’s authorities convinced Sky had lost interest in their marginalised product.
THE box-office success of Rush charting the great rivalry between the late James Hunt (right) and Niki Lauda and their legendary tussle for the 1976 F1 world championship may well lead Hunt’s sons, Freddie and Tom, to expand their Racing Collection business. They are developing a range of products inspired by their hell-raising dad, which should stop others cashing in on the Hunt name. FORMULA ONE grandee Ross Brawn, who left Mercedes at the end of last season, dismissed all speculation of him becoming CEO of McLaren under Ron Dennis when he said at Motor Sport magazine’s Hall of Fame awards: ‘I’m focusing on my fishing.’ Brawn looks to be taking a season off from the grand prix circuit, having planned fishing trips to the Seychelles, North America and Iceland after tackling the River Dee.
TOP referee Howard Webb impressed FA staff last week in a question-and-answer session at Wembley. Webb’s ease with public speaking makes it all the more ridiculous that Professional Game Match Officials ban referees from talking to the Press. It would be far better for elite officials to explain their decisions.