Outrage over Sky fee rise

Sky is set to cause outrage among licensees by hiking its annual subscription charge for Premiership football by 18 per cent. The move by the satellite giant comes on top of last year's fees increases, which saw licensees hit with bills up by as much as 22 per cent. Letters are being sent out to licensees detailing the new prices for the service. Danny Scott, licensee of Rick's Bar in Greenwich, London, said: "It's definitely coming out of my pub. I can't believe it. I didn't think Sky would have the audacity after last year's outcry from the trade. It's disgusting. How can Sky justify this?"

Christine Desborough, licensee of the Friendship Inn, Ashton-Under-Lyne, in Lancashire, said: "It's absolutely scandalous. I don't know what I am going to do. I'm in a Catch-22 situation. If I take Sky out I will lose trade but I can't afford it."

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers took a case to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) earlier this year claiming that Sky's pricing policy was "anti-competitive". The OFT refused to act although it acknowledged that the company's prices were high.

Nick Bish, chief executive of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, said: "We are very disappointed that Sky has not spoken to the trade. It does not seem to have taken on board the views of licensees. Many licensees will be questioning the value of having Sky."

Sky has defended itself. It says under the terms of this year's subscription there are 22 more live Premiership matches, with extra games on Saturdays and live UEFA Champions League available.

Sky director Iain Holden said: "Sky Business invests heavily in supporting the licensed trade and works hard to ensure that pubs and clubs remain great places to watch sport. Sky's commercial TV package has been greatly enhanced this year - offering licensees even more matches and even more coverage than ever before."

A year of headlines with Sky​

• June 2004:​ Sky hikes fees by 18 per cent
• May 2004:​ Sky retains monopoly over Premiership for the next three years as terrestrial television stations fail to meet price in auction - click here.
• April 2004:​ The OFT closes investigation into Sky's pricing policy - click here.
• Dec 2003:​ EC brokers deal with the Premier League to allow eight games to be shown live on terrestrial television from next season - click here.
• Aug 2003:​ Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers demands Office of Fair Trading (OFT) probe into prices - click here.
• Aug 2003:​ Sky agrees to pay £1.02bn for all Premier League football coverage until May 2007 - click here.
• July 2003:​ Sky hikes fees by up to 22 per cent - click here.