Liverpool moot breakaway broadcast deal - TODAYonline

LIVERPOOL - The deal that shares television's billions equally between Premier League clubs is facing its biggest threat to date after Liverpool announced they would lead a challenge for overseas TV rights to be sold on a club-by-club basis.

Liverpool's managing director Ian Ayre insists the break-up of the current deal, worth £3.2 billion (S$6.4 billion) in total to all Premiership clubs for 2010-13, is "a debate that has to happen", with the Anfield club in favour of the Spanish model that allows Barcelona and Real Madrid to negotiate lucrative individual contracts.

Ayre believes the Premier League's four biggest global draws - Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal - deserve an increased share from 2013.

"If you're in Kuala Lumpur there isn't anyone subscribing to Astro or ESPN to watch, say, Bolton," said Ayre. "Whereas the large majority are subscribing because they want to watch Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal.

"Isn't it really about who people want to watch on that channel? We know it is us. And others. At some point we definitely feel there has to be some rebalance on that, because what we are actually doing is disadvantaging ourselves against other big European clubs."

Any new arrangement can only be effected with the agreement 14 of the Premiership's 20 clubs. THE GUARDIAN