EUROPEAN COMMISSION COMPETITION CASE AND THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Early day motion 726, tabled 11 October 2005 by Alan Meale (Labour). Signed by 11 members.

That this House is aware that the European Commission has set itself against the UK Premier Football League over how it sells its media rights, in the belief that by limiting its ownership to 50 per cent. of the total available, income would be generated for the sport, whilst costs to fans would be lowered; believes this strategy to be flawed and misguided, as such a market-orientated intervention would inevitably lead to reduced revenues, thereby lowering and inhibiting football's investments in both local clubs and communities; further believes that this strategy is unfair in comparison with other European football leagues that have sold their rights collectively to single broadcasters without interference either from national regulators or from the European Commission; and calls upon the Government to halt such stupid experiments in the name of common sense.

Signatures by party: Labour 9, Conservative 1, Liberal Democrat 1.