Ofcom has ruled that BSkyB will have to slash the price it charges other broadcasters for its Sky Sport Channel this week. The move should open the way for rivals such as Virgin Media, BT Vision and TalkTalk TV (formerly Tiscali TV) to offer the channel for less on their platform, thus levelling the broadcast sports playing field.
The reductions are expected to be in place later this year in time for the next football season, with BT hinting that it may charge as little as £15 for sports programming and that some of its high-value customers could even get Sky Sports free if they sign up to BT Vision, the company’s Freeview and broadband service.
Ofcom’s pay-TV review has been underway for the last three years, one of the longest in British legal history. Its first report, which emerged last summer, found that Sky should be forced to sell its premium channels and drop the price of Sky Sports 1 and 2 from the £13.48 it currently charges Virgin Media to between £9.41 and £11.24.
Sky is expected to launch a legal challenge to Ofcom’s ruling.