The battle to secure Champions League television rights intensified yesterday after it emerged that ITV had written to the British government asking it to investigate the BBC's attempt to broadcast Europe's premier club tournament from the start of next season.
BBC officials were in Monaco yesterday to meet Team, the marketing company responsible for the tournament, to demonstrate how the corporation will be able to broadcast Champions League matches while minimising the heavy advertising that usually takes place before, during and after games.
The BBC director-general Greg Dyke is said to be determined to secure the rights. ITV claims the BBC could be in breach of its charter if it shows advertising during its coverage of the tournament.
The letter, sent to Tessa Jowell, the British secretary of state for culture, media and sport, says: "We understand that the BBC is preparing to demonstrate to UEFA that it can show some form of sponsors' credits in its proposed broadcasts of UEFA Champions League matches.
"This would not be on a one-off basis, but would be across an entire football season, on at least 13 occasions between September and May.
"For the BBC to be preparing to demonstrate to a rights owner just how far it is willing to go in offering advertising to the sponsors of that event, raises great concerns about the BBC's position as a publicly-funded broadcaster which does not carry advertising."
BBC officials also plan to compensate UEFA for showing less advertising if Champions League matches are broadcast by the corporation.
The ITV letter also calls on the government to examine this particular aspect of the BBC's bid.
The letter states: "In other words, they are preparing to pay a supplement to the value of the rights in order to reimburse companies that have lost the commercial benefit of an event that is already shown on a free-to-air basis on ITV.
"This contradicts the BBC's previously stated commitment not to over-pay for sporting rights and always to ensure value for money to the licence-fee payer."
A deal was worked out yesterday between UEFA and G14, the group of Europe's most powerful clubs.
Following the G14 general assembly, the group agreed to accept UEFA's decision to replace the second group stage of the Champions League with a knockout format from the start of next season.
UEFA is examining how money from the tournament can be distributed differently to ensure that the continent's larger clubs receive a larger slice of the cake. Bayern Leverkusen, Valencia, Lyon and Arsenal were accepted into G14 yesterday, but the organisation will not change its name.
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