Ofcom to investigate sale of Premier League football rights

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Ofcom has announced that it has opened an investigation into how the live audio-visual rights for Premier League football are sold in the UK, following a complaint submitted by Virgin Media.

The review is to be carried out in accordance with the Competition Act, with Virgin Media claiming that the "collective" sale of live TV rights in the UK is in breach of competition law.

Virgin Media's complaint also raises concerns about the number of Premier League matches made available for sale, with the current proportion said to be far lower than other countries.

MORE: Virgin Media calls for Ofcom probe into Premier League TV rights

The Premier League sells live TV rights for 41 per cent of its games over the course of a season - the proportion which Virgin Media says leads to higher prices of premium sports channels to both subscribers and retailers.

An Ofcom spokesperson said: "Ofcom is mindful of the likely timing of the next auction of live UK audio-visual media rights, and is open to discussion with the Premier League about its plans."

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Pete Hayman

Pete was content editor on What Hi-Fi?, overseeing production and publication of digital content. In creating and curating feature articles for web and print consumption, he provided digital and editorial expertise and support to help reposition What Hi-Fi? as a ‘digital-first’ title; reflecting the contemporary media trends. He is now a senior content strategist.