The Sports Digital Media-scape Dr Dan Laughey Senior Lecturer, Media Email d.laughey@leedsmet.ac.uk Blog http://laughey.wordpress.com/

Digital Britain (2009 White Paper) National Plan for Digital Participation Universal broadband (2Mbps) by 2012 DAB-only national radio by 2015 Next Generation broadband fund Clampdown on internet piracy Public service (BBC/C4) content partnerships

Digital Sporting Britain… A hi-speed, hi-tech, new media future…?

A cautionary tale from (recent) history February 1985…TV DEAL STAND-OFF Football League Chairmen reject £17m 4-year deal offered by BBC/ITV, to include £3.8 million for 19 live games next season (85-86). FL want more money for same number of live games as before (10) and only a 2-year contract – Chairmen worried about TV affecting attendances. ITV Head of Sport, John Bromley, says no more money is available: football had ‘delivered some cracking matches on TV’ but ‘the situation looks gloomy. It will be extremely sad if a game as great as football decides to turn its back on the principle medium of communication in this country’.

What happened next? AUG 85-JAN 86 No league football on TV 86-92 BBC/ITV duopoly (88 ITV sign £44 million 4-year deal) until… AUG 92 Premier League formed as BSkyB sign £191.5 million 5-year deal 97 BSkyB £670 million 4-year deal 01 Sky £1.11 billion 3-year deal 06 Sky/Setanta £1.7 billion 3-year deal (Sky £1.3 billion for 4/6 packages)

And now? JUNE 09 Setanta (GB) collapses AUG 09 ESPN (UK) launches – takes over Setanta’s PL rights to 2013 2009 ONGOING… Ofcom/DCMS review of all Pay TV sports rights, especially events listed in 1996 Broadcasting Act (revised 98)

The Crown Jewels (A-listed live FTA) Olympic Games World Cup Finals European Football Championships FA Cup/Scottish Cup Final Wimbledon (finals weekend) The Grand National The Derby Rugby World Cup Final Rugby League Challenge Cup Final

The ‘New’ Crown Jewels? The Ashes (Home Tests) International Football Qualifiers (World Cup and Euro Champs) Wimbledon (all coverage) Open Golf Championship TO BE REMOVED… The Derby (currently BBC) RL Challenge Cup Final (BBC)

A revival in FTA sports media? FTA presence likely to increase BUT… Subscription Pay TV to remain the dominant platform (satellite, cable, digital terrestrial) Pay Per View TV/web streaming to rise rapidly (club/venue-specific channels, ‘wholesaling of rights’ recommendation by Ofcom)

Other emerging issues Piracy (decoder cards and web streaming) is rife… content providers must create better legal alternatives Online betting increasingly integrated into sports media coverage Image rights - sports clubs/venues/ associations controlling media outputs SNS (Twitter, Facebook) establishing key news/marketing sites London 2012 - key testing ground for digital sports media providers

Where to find me EMAIL d.laughey@leedsmet.ac.uk BLOG http://laughey.wordpress.com/