1. The Sports Digital Media-scape
Dr Dan Laughey
Senior Lecturer, Media
Blog

2. 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

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

4. 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’.

5. 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)

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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)

10. 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 key testing ground for digital sports media providers

11. Where to find me EMAIL d.laughey@leedsmet.ac.uk
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