A football finance expert has warned that Sky’s proposed takeover of ITV could dismantle the free-to-air protection for major sporting events like the World Cup, potentially turning the tournament into a “quadrennial subscriber magnet” that could net FIFA up to £1 billion in UK rights money.
According to a report from FourFourTwo, a football finance expert has warned that Sky’s proposed takeover of ITV could have major consequences for UK sports broadcast rights, potentially spelling the end of free-to-air football, including the World Cup.
Professor Rob Wilson, director of executive education at the University Campus of Football Business (UCFB), believes the merger would fundamentally change the landscape, despite a limited number of sporting events currently being protected by a legal requirement for free-to-air coverage.
Wilson told OLBG that the negotiations signal a shift, stating: “Talks between ITV and Sky mark a moment where British broadcasting edges closer to a landscape dominated by a few very large players. Nothing is agreed, but the intent is clear.”
The financial muscle of a combined Sky and ITV entity would allow the giant to push domestic football rights deals even higher. Wilson calculated the current scale of the market, noting:
“Premier League rights currently sit at around £1.7 billion per season, with the Champions League adding roughly another £450 to £500 million.”
He added that the new broadcaster would be able to “monetise rights across pay TV, streaming and free to air in a way no rival could match, reducing competitive pressure and giving them licence to bid more aggressively.”
This surge in pricing would also threaten the BBC’s ability to retain its Match of the Day highlights package.
The expert’s greatest concern lies with the World Cup, which is currently “locked into listed-event regulation, keeping prices relatively low because rights must remain free-to-air.”
Wilson warned that the regulatory erosion could create a very different market where: “A largely exclusive World Cup becomes a quadrennial subscriber magnet with huge advertising and digital potential.”
Should the tournament move away from the current BBC-ITV sharing model to a subscription-based exclusive, Wilson predicts FIFA could net as much as a cool £1 billion in UK rights money.