'Back The Saints Not Manchester United' MEP Tells EU Commission

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 23rd Apr 2003

A local MEP today warned the EU Commission not to back Manchester United in its attempt to get an unfair share of the television revenues from sales of Premiership TV rights. The move would penalise Southampton FC and other premiership clubs.

Chris Huhne, Hampshire's Liberal Democrat MEP, wrote to Competition Commissioner Mario Monti today saying that the only club that might benefit from striking separate deals to sell TV rights would be Manchester United. 'Man U's agenda is very clear, and very selfish' he said.

'Southampton FC and all the other premiership clubs are opposed to splitting up the rights for the very good reason that the whole league would get less revenue, and that would undermine club efforts to support training academies and community activities' said Mr Huhne.

Following pressure from Manchester United, the EU Commission is considering whether the premiership's sale of all TV rights to games as one package is legal under EU competition law, Mr Huhne said. The Commission issued a 'statement of objections' in December.

'I'm determined to alert the Commission to the secret agenda behind this pressure' said Mr Huhne. 'Nineteen premiership clubs want to negotiate together and share the revenue. Only Manchester United wants out because it thinks it has a big enough name to get more revenue from negotiating separately'.

'This is shortsighted and not in the interest of the English game' he said.

'Man U seem to forget that they need healthy competitors if the game is to thrive' said Mr Huhne. 'This would also be completely against the understanding on which the premiership was based. The Founder Members Agreement in 1991 stated clearly that overseas revenue would be shared equally amongst the clubs'.

Mr Huhne was briefed on the issue by Southampton FC chairman Rupert Lowe last week, and promised to take up the issue personally with Commissioner Mario Monti who reports to Mr Huhne's committee of the European Parliament.

Mr Monti has the discretion to allow joint negotiating if there are clear benefits for consumers from the practice. 'If the revenue of smaller clubs is hard hit, football will suffer and so will the fans' said Mr Huhne.

Notes to editors: Chris Huhne MEP is deputy leader of the UK Lib Dems in the European Parliament and economics spokesman for the European Liberal Democrat group. He sits on the economic and monetary affairs committee, which monitors the activities of Commissioner Monti, and is one of the key committee co-ordinators.

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