| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights 17:09 - Nov 14 with 11215 views | R_from_afar |
From The Times....
RFA
A majority of the Championship’s 24 clubs have written to the EFL threatening to form a breakaway league if the board signs a £590 million television deal with Sky Sports for the 2019-2024 seasons.
The Times has seen documents sent by 15 clubs to Debbie Jevans, the EFL interim chairwoman, last week in which they warn of “drastic action” if their demands to reject the proposed Sky deal and return to the market are not met.
The letter makes clear that they are threatening to leave the EFL by referencing an anonymous survey of 16 clubs conducted last Tuesday in which all those present were asked whether they would be willing to “leave the EFL and form a new League, eg PL2”.
Andrea Radrizzani, the Leeds United owner, called for the creation of a Premier League 2 last month and he is understood to be the driving force behind the clubs’ rebellion alongside Mel Morris, the Derby County owner.
In a letter sent by the EFL to all the Championship clubs last Friday updating them on the situation, the extent of the threat to the existing league structure is made clear. “While the letter received from a number of clubs only referred to ‘more drastic action’ if an agreement [with Sky] was reached, it was made clear during Tuesday’s meeting that the threat of a breakaway had been discussed,” the EFL wrote.
Earlier in the week the EFL had received the letter from 15 Championship clubs containing the threat of a breakaway. The letter spelt out the clubs’ opposition to “entering into a binding multi-year agreement with Sky” and their proposal to create “a new task force comprising certain Championship club owners and/or senior executives” to pursue a new commercial strategy.
In addition to the leading duo, the 15 signatories are believed to include Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City, Reading, Preston North End, Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, Swansea City and Birmingham City, with smaller clubs such as Rotherham United and Millwall siding with the EFL. Brentford are understood to be the only club of the 16 who attended the meeting not to support the threat to leave the EFL.
The Championship rebels believe that the deal on offer from Sky, which at £119 million per year is an increase on the existing contract of £88 million a season, undervalues their television rights and they want the EFL to reopen the tender process.
Such is the strength of feeling that 16 Championship clubs met in secret last Tuesday morning before a planned meeting with the EFL later that day.
The organisers of the first meeting insist that all 24 Championship clubs were invited, with some choosing not to attend, while others have claimed that they were lured to the meeting under false pretences.
“A significant number of Championship clubs who deliver the majority of the EFL TV audiences were sufficiently concerned about signing this agreement that they felt compelled to convene outside the formal meeting,” the clubs wrote to the EFL. “Furthermore, in this meeting – when surveyed anonymously – almost all attendees expressed the view that if the EFL were unwilling to give these clubs more involvement in the process of commercialising their rights, they would, in extremis, be forced to contemplate more drastic action.”
The survey contained nine multiple-choice questions, with question five asking: “If the only way to control our future direction as a league, achieve fair value for our media rights and league sponsorship deals required us to leave the EFL and form a new League, eg PL2, would you be in support?” The responses available were “a. No, we would not support a breakaway league under any circumstances” and “b. Yes, we would support a breakaway league if it was necessary/advantageous.”
Hammering home their intentions, question six asked: “If you answered no to supporting a breakaway league, but the majority of Championship clubs proceeded to create a breakaway league which adequately addressed the frustrations, concerns, media/sponsorship rights revenues and governances issues discussed, would you then change your stance?” Again the choice of answers was stark, being “a. No, we would still remain with the EFL” and “b. Yes, we would join the breakaway league if it offered better terms and conditions”.
The EFL held an emergency meeting on Monday with all the Championship clubs, which broke up without resolution. The EFL has secured an extension to its provisional agreement with Sky until next week, but the contract must be signed by 4pm on Monday, with the broadcaster understood to be concerned by the stand-off.
The EFL board has the authority to sign the contract without the support of the biggest Championship clubs, as those in League One and League Two are all in favour. While they are planning for both scenarios, they have made it clear that their preference remains to complete the deal with Sky, which was provisionally agreed in September 2017.
There is no other offer on the table from any other broadcaster. The contract is due to start next season.
The disgruntled Championship clubs have yet to contact the Premier League, who would have to endorse the creation of a PL2 and sanction promotion and relegation. The Premier League is believed to be opposed to such a project. |  |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
| |  |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 16:26 - Nov 15 with 3218 views | hopphoops |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 15:39 - Nov 15 by DannyPaddox |
Leeds motivation is clear to see though. A big team languishing in the Championship. Pearls before swine, they even have a U.E.F.A. co-efficiency ranking currently the equivalent of 2 tubs of lard and a soggy Yorkshire pudding made from Angela Ripon's fanny batter. [Post edited 15 Nov 2018 15:41]
|
A tinpot club, you mean :) |  |
| |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 17:01 - Nov 15 with 3194 views | Konk |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 15:28 - Nov 15 by Mick_S |
Is that Curly Watts in front of Mr Fookin' W anker? |
Reg Holdsworth behind? |  |
| Fulham FC: It's the taking part that counts |
| |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 23:03 - Nov 19 with 2938 views | hamptonhillhoop |
The football league have signed the sky deal.
A meeting takes place on Tuesday.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46267320
It could be war!
Apparently [Post edited 19 Nov 2018 23:05]
|  | | |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 08:57 - Nov 20 with 2745 views | Northernr |
Long term security I guess, and we all remember the state the league was left in when left without a TV deal post ITV Digital collapse, but signing a five year broadcast deal in the current climate seems mental to me.
Rugby League did something similar with Sky a few years back, committed for five years meaning they totally missed out on a chance to get a higher price either from Sky or BT when BT came along and suddenly wanted to buy everything.
The footballing broadcast landscape is going to be unrecognisable five years from now. In the last five years think of all the content platforms that have become mainstream - Twitter, Netflix, Prime etc. You've got a Disney streaming service with a $30bn annual budget launching next year, you've got Apple who've hired a dozen of the brightest execs in television to launch their own streaming service, Netflix and Apple will compete with that and they're all going to be starving hungry for content, of which live sports rights and live football rights are among the most sought after. They're going to want Premier League, and probably get chunks of it, but that makes FL more valuable to Sky, as well as a possibility for the new players.
The Football League is basically saying it's not interested in that and believes the amount of money they've been offered now will still be all the package is worth in five years' time, which is a bit mental really. But then I'd expect nothing more from an organisation run by Shaun Harvey, everything that pillock touches turns to dust. |  | | |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 13:21 - Nov 20 with 2573 views | TheChef |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 08:57 - Nov 20 by Northernr |
Long term security I guess, and we all remember the state the league was left in when left without a TV deal post ITV Digital collapse, but signing a five year broadcast deal in the current climate seems mental to me.
Rugby League did something similar with Sky a few years back, committed for five years meaning they totally missed out on a chance to get a higher price either from Sky or BT when BT came along and suddenly wanted to buy everything.
The footballing broadcast landscape is going to be unrecognisable five years from now. In the last five years think of all the content platforms that have become mainstream - Twitter, Netflix, Prime etc. You've got a Disney streaming service with a $30bn annual budget launching next year, you've got Apple who've hired a dozen of the brightest execs in television to launch their own streaming service, Netflix and Apple will compete with that and they're all going to be starving hungry for content, of which live sports rights and live football rights are among the most sought after. They're going to want Premier League, and probably get chunks of it, but that makes FL more valuable to Sky, as well as a possibility for the new players.
The Football League is basically saying it's not interested in that and believes the amount of money they've been offered now will still be all the package is worth in five years' time, which is a bit mental really. But then I'd expect nothing more from an organisation run by Shaun Harvey, everything that pillock touches turns to dust. |
F1 have their own online streaming service with something like 40 million subscribers globally.
If they can, sporting bodies will just take ownership of the content themselves, and s0d the broadcasters. |  |
| |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 13:52 - Nov 20 with 2543 views | whittocksRs |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 13:21 - Nov 20 by TheChef |
F1 have their own online streaming service with something like 40 million subscribers globally.
If they can, sporting bodies will just take ownership of the content themselves, and s0d the broadcasters. |
This is the long-term future of sports broadcasting, though you'll find so-called big clubs fighting the leagues to control their own game rights and monetise them through streaming. Man United or Liverpool or whoever won't want Susanna Dinnage and the Premier League making money out of their 'eyeballs' for much longer, rightly or wrongly. Real and Barca already stop La Liga from really making the most of their brands.
That's why Harvey's EFL deal is mad - it completely locks the Championship out of those conversations.
There's going to be a massive fight here and if it anything underhanded happened to get this deal through - if Harvey is nothing but squeaky clean (not saying he isn't, no allegations here) - it is going to come out in a big way to kill the agreement. |  | | |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 14:24 - Nov 20 with 2509 views | Northernr |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 13:21 - Nov 20 by TheChef |
F1 have their own online streaming service with something like 40 million subscribers globally.
If they can, sporting bodies will just take ownership of the content themselves, and s0d the broadcasters. |
Yep, many possibilities. And the EFL have said, nah we'll stick with a concept devised in 1991 for the next five years and hand it all to Sky cheers. | | | |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 16:01 - Nov 20 with 2431 views | DavieQPR |
Doesn't Harvey get a bonus based on the size of the Sky deal. |  | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 16:37 - Nov 20 with 2405 views | Silverfoxqpr |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 15:39 - Nov 15 by DannyPaddox |
Leeds motivation is clear to see though. A big team languishing in the Championship. Pearls before swine, they even have a U.E.F.A. co-efficiency ranking currently the equivalent of 2 tubs of lard and a soggy Yorkshire pudding made from Angela Ripon's fanny batter. [Post edited 15 Nov 2018 15:41]
|
'Angela Ripon's fanny batter'...............another excellent band name right there. |  | | |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 20:29 - Nov 20 with 2307 views | themodfather |
well whatever happens qprfc will get the blame, the fine and the ban!
how long before play offs are in qatar? or in new york????
they are selling gridiron here, basketball and soon baseball, so the reverse is possible, qpr v rotherham live from washington! 3am ko | | | |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 22:03 - Nov 20 with 2219 views | CincyHoop |
Wouldn't hurt me being a viewer from abroad.
It will always seem insane to me how different the sports packages seem to differ amongst countries. I'm sure a large reason for that is that due to the population differences, and the fact that they can spread out those hefty contract rights over a larger amount of people. It's sometimes baffling how I can watch any PL game from 6k miles away, and it seems as if you may not be able to get a Huddersfield game if you were at the pub across the street.
For $4.99 a month I could now get almost every single Serie A game through ESPN+ this year which is new. I think they might have a game of the week in which is free as well. Obviously ESPN is the most expensive channel, but it comes on every single basic cable package (which unfortunately does cost an arm and a leg). | | | |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 16:08 - Nov 21 with 1980 views | PinnerPaul |
| Ch'ship clubs led by Leeds, Derby threaten EFL breakaway in row over TV rights on 09:55 - Nov 15 by Northernr |
Does feel like football's about to eat itself doesn't it?
Sky have treated this league like utter sht for years:
- ridiculous Thursday night, Sunday morning bolox designed to fit around their precious Premier League
- games moved at around at no notice at all shafting supporters
- absolutely zero thought given to moving things like Middlesbrough v QPR to a Friday night
- unashamed bias towards Leeds and Newcastle so their supporters get basically all their games moved and the viewers see the same two or three clubs over and over again
- This red button nonsense, killing attendances and undermining clubs own fledgling streaming platforms
- gimmicks like 'ten in ten' with no care about what it actually means having your games shifted to Mondays, Thursdays or Fridays in December.
- frequent complaints about all the above from the clubs and the FSF completely ignored.
So they shouldn't be surprised that clubs want a better, bigger deal. Given the added competition for sports rights there is a possibility they could get more elsewhere, or that Sky should be paying more to keep it.
Though I'm not sure it's right that it's the Leeds chairman leading it, given he's just launched a sports broadcaster in this country and already taken La Liga and Serie A rights off Sky, and would no doubt love to have the Football league as well. Was that the intention of the Leeds takeover all along? Buy the club the TV companies love the most and then lead a breakaway from that structure to the convenient benefit of broadcast platforms like the one he owns?
As we've said on here before, all this wonderful extra competition in sports rights doesn't benefit the viewer at all. It'll just mean I have to have five or six different subscriptions to watch the stuff I used to get under one. Forcing a sale of rights to BT hasn't helped me - my Sky sub has gone up, and I now have to pay £14 a month on top for BT.
Likewise, you can't blame clubs for being angry with the EFL and it's fcking useless chairman given all the nonsense he's inflicted on us: the League Cup farce, the Cheackatrade farce, the FFP farce, the fit and proper owner test farce. |
Surely a break option after 2 years would have been a sensible compromise - but as you say EFL doesn't really do sensible. | | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
