ITV Digital pays up to Premiership

BROADCASTERS Carlton and Granada face new charges of double standards over the Football League crisis as it emerged they have promised to honour a separate £25m contract with the Premier League in full.

Although ITV Digital was placed in the hands of administrators only last week, Carlton and Granada have already given parent company guarantees to English football's leading 20 clubs which will ensure they get what they are owed.

That's in stark contrast to the 72 Nationwide League clubs who are facing a battle to secure the £178m outstanding on their three year £315m deal.

ITV Digital is one of four media companies which bought the rights to show 40 Premiership games on a pay-per-view basis last May. It formed a consortium with BSkyB, NTL and Telewest.

It is thought ITV Digital paid up to £25m a year for the three-year deal which started this season and expires in summer 2004. But unlike the Football League, the Premier League drew up a full contract which required owners Carlton and Granada to guarantee they would cover the payments if ITV Digital hit problems.

At the centre of the dispute with the Football League is the fact its lawyers never drew up a long form contract outlining parent company guarantees. Instead the League has what is known as a short form contract which includes a reference to ITV Digital's bid. That bid document does refer to Carlton and Granada's role on acquiring the rights but the issue is not clear cut.

It is also thought Carlton and Granada made no attempt to cut the money to the Premier League because they would face an even bigger public backlash if they took on the top clubs.

One source said it would be far easier to attempt to cut a deal, worth considerably more, made with 72 different lower league chairmen as opposed to one cut with the 20 most powerful.

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