UK bar owners get day in Euro Court

[SAT-WORLD]

British pub and bar owners have had a long-running dispute with BSkyB over the cost of screening Premier League soccer matches, and there have been a dozen and one ruses attempted to by-pass the rules. Pubs have now won a small but important victory: a judge has allowed them to take their case to the European Court of Justice.

The argument revolves around the freedom to watch TV signals from a nearby region. The Football Association Premier League (FAPL) has an action running against a group of bar-owners as well as a number of importers of foreign satellite equipment and so-called smart cards.

The decoder cards allow the pubs to view Premier League games when transmitted on other European channels, not normally available in the UK. The equipment and legitimate smart cards are also significantly cheaper than the costs levied by BSkyB.

The defendants in the case have argued that, under European single market rules, the FAPL is not entitled to stop the decoder cards being imported to the UK. In the London High Court of Justice, Mr Justice Kitchin agreed to the defendants' request to have the case referred to the European Court of Justice. The judge told the Court that he tended to agree with the points of law argued by the defendants. A win for the pubs and bars would inevitably lead to a significant loss of income for BSkyB.

Source:Rapid Tv News

[kerrywez]

People should take note of the stance taken by the FAPL with regards to the number of foreign players allowed in the FAPL, it suits them to apply EU rules it that case, but when it comes to broadcasting games they tend to look the other way, funny that? As for Sly losing income, the sooner the better, in my opinion and that of may others.

Very best regards Wez

[merlodlliw]

Originally Posted by kerrywez

People should take note of the stance taken by the FAPL with regards to the number of foreign players allowed in the FAPL, it suits them to apply EU rules it that case, but when it comes to broadcasting games they tend to look the other way, funny that? As for Sly losing income, the sooner the better, in my opinion and that of may others.

Very best regards Wez

Fully agree, like the Irish referendum, stuff the bully



Bob.