UK: "We’ll look at all opportunities" (Marc Watson, BT TV)

"“I’m not going to comment specifically on the Fifa World Cup. But, like I’ve said before, we’ll look at all opportunities and rights and I wouldn’t, at this stage, rule any in and I wouldn’t rule any out," said Marc Watson, CEO of BT TV, the British TV broadcaster, and owner of pay channel BT Sport, during the first two days of the UnitedCity Global Sports Summit 2013 conference, in Manchester (United Kingdom), on the 19/11/2013.

"Getting the World Cup off the BBC and ITV would be a challenge, by the way. I think it sits quite well on those channels. Jerome Valcke is welcome to come in and chat any time," added Marc Watson.

Jerome Valcke, secretary general of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association), said on the 12/11/2013 that any offer by BT Sport for the acquisition of broadcasting rights for the World Cups in 2018 and 2022 would be "welcome". The bidding for TV rights of these two competitions in the United Kingdom, is to be launched shortly.

"We’ve been able so far to afford some pretty eye-watering sums because we believe it drives a position in a big and…