[Satellite TODAY 02-04-11] The European Union Court proposed a ruling Feb. 3 that would allow U.K. television viewers to bypass U.K. broadcasters and watch cheaper foreign satellite coverage of Premier League football.
    The ruling follows a legal opinion issued last year by the European Court of Justice, which advised U.K. judges to back the right of Karen Murphy, who was fined about 8,000 British pounds ($12,970) last year when she used a Greek decoder in her Portsmouth pub to screen Football Association Premier League matches.
    The final verdict on the ruling is due later this year. In a statement, European Parliament Spokeswoman Emma McClarkin said, if approved, the ruling would have significant and detrimental effects on the Premier League and its current exclusive agreements with Sky Sports and ESPN.
    “This opinion is far more complicated than a simple David versus Goliath battle. Money generated from television rights to sports is funneled back into grassroots development, particularly in cricket and rugby. These are national football leagues that are being broadcast, and they should be subjected to national territorial rights agreements,” McClarkin said.
    The European Commission released a statement Feb. 3 saying the sport should, “be treated as a separate issue when it comes to EU cross-border rules. Today’s opinion failed to recognize the specificity of sport.”