NTL denies Premier League legal action

LONDON - UK cable company NTL said today it had no intention of taking legal action against the UK's FA Premier League about the way it auctioned off the rights to show live top-flight soccer from 2007.

At the beginning of May, the Premier League awarded BSkyB four television rights packages, with two others going to Irish pay-TV broadcaster Setanta.

The outcome prompted disquiet from a number of the companies that missed out about the way the affair was handled and the packages were split up.

"NTL has no intention of taking legal action against the Football Association Premier League in respect of recent auction of live football rights," said a company spokesman, denying a report in The Times newspaper.

The European Commission agreed the auction process earlier this month after it was concerned that BSkyB was exerting too much of a stranglehold over the rights.

- REUTERS