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

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 2012 - key testing ground for digital sports media providers

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