EPL costs could impact other sports, admits Sky Sports chief

The rise in the cost of English Premier League rights as a result of BT’s entry into the market could have implications for BSkyB’s coverage of other sports, according to Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis.

Speaking at the Leaders in Football conference held at Chelsea FC’s Stamford Bridge stadium, Francis said that the inflation in Premier League costs would be absorbed principally by cost savings elsewhere. However, in remarks reported by the Guardian newspaper website, he said that the company may have to “tighten our belts” on its coverage of some other sports.

He said that Sky’s decision not to bid for Premiership Rugby, the rights to which are also held by BT, was one example of this.