Premier League: Ofcom rejects Virgin Media request to delay the 2016-2019 UK TV rights auction

Ofcom, the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, rejected the British pay-TV platform Virgin Media's application to delay the auction for the 2016-2019 live UK audiovisual media rights to the Barclays Premier League on 04/02/2015.

Ofcom "does not consider that there is an urgent need to intervene to delay the auction. There will be a significant gap, of around 17 months, between the auction (launched on 12/12/2014) and the start of the 2016-17 season (August 2016) when broadcasting of the relevant matches will commence. In the event that Ofcom’s investigation concludes that there is an infringement, Ofcom has the necessary powers to require the Premier League and Premier League clubs to make changes to arrangements for the broadcasting of matches within the time available before the start of the relevant season", Ofcom stated on 04/02/2015.

Ofcom's investigation into the joint selling arrangements by the Premier League for its 2016-2019 live UK audio-visual media rights: Ofcom will publish a further document in March 2015

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