ITV sport closure will not change League stance

The English Football League insist their position has not been changed following the announcement that the ITV Sport channel …

The English Football League insist their position has not been changed following the announcement that the ITV Sport channel will cease broadcasting on May 11th.

The league are still seeking the payment of the remaining Stg£178.5million owed to them as part of a Stg£315million deal they signed with ITV Digital, although they reiterated they are prepared to sit down and talk with the doomed company's owners Carlton and Granada.

John Nagle, the Football League's head of communications, told PA Sport: "I'm sure this announcement will surprise absolutely no-one.

"The Football League's position remains that we will pursue every available option to achieve full value for the Stg£178.5million we are owed.

READ MORE

"If necessary we will take the legal route and we have been advised by leading counsel that we have a strong case and we are confident of success.

"That said, we remain ready, willing and able to negotiate with Carlton and Granada at a moment's notice."

Switching off the ITV Sport signal will not affect any of the sport the channel was scheduled to show, with events on or before May 11th remaining on the channel.

The Second Division play-off final will still be shown on ITV Sport on the final day of transmission, while the Division One final between Birmingham and Norwich was always scheduled to be shown on ITV1.

ITV spokeswoman Nicola Hewson said: "The timing of this is such that we will cease broadcasting once the football season is over, and the Second Division play-off final between Brentford and Stoke will go out on ITV Sport.

"The First Division play-off final was always going to be played on ITV1, and that remains the case."

Champions League games, the Rugby World Cup and Tour de France coverage are expected to go to the digital channel ITV2.

A spokesman for ITV said: "It means that instead of just 200,000 subscribers seeing these sports, they will be available to seven million homes which have access to digital TV."

PA