BSkyB to lose soccer stranglehold

BRUSSELS - The English Premier League has given the European Commission a final proposal to put live soccer broadcast rights out to bid, a move likely to end BSkyB's exclusive hold on top-flight English soccer.

The commission had said the Premier League must ensure at least two broadcasters had a "viable and meaningful share" of live TV rights so viewers and soccer fans had more choice.

"The Premier League has written to [EU Competition] Commissioner [Neelie] Kroes in response to her letter last week," the league said. "We are confident that we have addressed the clarifications sought."

The two sides met last week and the commission said it liked what it had seen so far.

But Kroes also said she wanted to make sure the league guaranteed what Brussels has called "fair and transparent" bidding, ensuring that no single broadcaster won rights to all the games.

Satellite broadcaster BSkyB has held the rights since 1992, using the allure of matches by clubs such as Manchester United and Chelsea to become Britain's dominant pay-TV service.

It is paying 1.024 billion ($2.58 billion) over three years for the rights to televise games through to 2007.

- REUTERS