Virgin push PL on grassroots cash
THE row between the Premier League and Virgin Media over the way live TV rights are sold has been re-ignited by the Government’s sports strategy, published this week.
Minister for Sport Tracey Crouch’s report had the headline announcement that the Premier League would double their investment in grassroots football to £100million a year over the next three seasons.
But the considerable extra funding is subject to the verdict of a year-long investigation by broadcasting regulator Ofcom into the League’s rights process. That probe followed a complaint from Virgin, who want every Premier League fixture shown live in the UK.
Virgin Media’s Brigitte Trafford said: ‘The Premier League will bank well over £5billion of domestic TV rights money, 70 per cent more than the last deal. Why then do we see the PL holding back much-needed cash for investment in grassroots football pending the outcome of the Ofcom investigation? It is entirely wrong that the PL should hold this position, and yet more proof Ofcom needs to step in and secure a better deal for football fans.’
A PL source said their new TV deal does not kick in until next season and described Virgin’s comments as ‘specious and irrelevant’.
CRAIG BELLAMY was given first go from the roster of pundits who will replace Gary Neville on Sky’s Monday Night Football show for the rest of the season. However, Bellamy will do himself no favours by appearing on beIN Sports’ equivalent programme in Doha on Monday. The beIN presenters Richard Keys and Andy Gray, who left Sky after the sexism scandal in 2011, are still seen as the enemy by the Sky hierarchy.
FRICTION between the RFU and Bristol over the release of forwards coach Steve Borthwick (right) to join England has intensified. It is understood Bristol chairman Chris Booy is furious negotiations that started formally with the club were then done between Borthwick and the Union. Bristol can certainly afford potential legal action as their owner Steve Lansdown is a billionaire and engineer Booy a multi-millionaire.
NEW England coach Eddie Jones has all the power he wants at Twickenham. The same cannot be said for his team spokesman. The new RFU media appointment — with Dave Barton going to the Lions — will have two layers of command to answer to just within the RFU communications department.