BT, Sky pips ESPN to bag ?3 billion PL broadcasting rights deal

London, June 14(ANI): British multinational telecommunication services company, BT and sports channel Sky have outbid ESPN to win the English Premier League broadcast rights in the United Kingdom for the 2013-14 season in a gigantic 3 billion pound deal.

The current deal has amounted to a staggering 70 per cent increase on the previous deal, and brings it into partnership with BT for the first time.

The Premier League's leading clubs' annual incomes will grow by more than 30 million pound each, with player wages and transfer fees likely to rise, in a deal which adds force to the status of the Premier League as the world's richest domestic football competition.

The overwhelming increase does not even account for any income from overseas, for which deals have yet to be finalized.

Sky's 2.28 billion pound overall bid means it has to pay 6.6 million pound for each match to which it has the rights.

BT will have access to some of the best matches available over the course of the season, with 18 first picks from a total of 38 available to both broadcasters.

"Given that I was surprised by what happened to the domestic rights I can see several chairmen saying 'you've got 70 per cent more on the domestic deals and we want the same from international'," The Telegraph quoted Premier League's Chief Executive, Richard Scudamore, as saying.

Scudamore was keen to stress his hope that ESPN, which as a Disney-owned company has a strong global presence, will retain a relationship with the League with deals in overseas territories. (ANI)