TV audiences and the soccer wars
Stephan F Buck
When Sky won the Premier League contract from ITV last year, the hullaballoo could be heard from here to Houston. Consumers would be starved of their national game, advertisers and ITV of their male viewers. But while the final whistle hasn't blown yet, events have fallen out very differently. Sky Sports has indeed won solid audiences and subscription revenue, in a generally healthy satellite sector. But terrestrial viewers have been able to watch more quality football than before, including regional ITV lst Division games, Italian matches on C4, and a good...