Pubs using European viewing cards to show Premier League football now limited to one 3pm game every Saturday

In a move that could have a significant impact on the way British pubs choose to show live football, the Premier League hopes that it could lead to a “positive outcome” on the issue of foreign satellite broadcasts.

Up until this season, European broadcasters could purchase all the live 3pm Saturday games, and this is believed to have been one of the main attractions for licensees using European foreign satellite systems in their pubs.

It is understood that the Premier League took the decision to limit the number of available games to one following the outcome in the
Karen Murphy case earlier this year.

One supplier of European cards admitted the move has already affected his trade, but added he could understand why the Premier League has restricted the number of matches.

“It has had a significant effect on trade,” said Chris de Hoedt, of EuroTV.

“A lot of publicans have been disappointed not to get the range of games, but I guess the Premier League is trying to protect its interests, and we can only look after the interests of our clients at the end of the day.

“I am retiring from the business because conditions are so difficult now.”

Meanwhile, the man who has developed a system that claims to protect hosts against prosecutions for copyright infringement from the Premier League, suggested it would result in “a smaller market”.

“I guess that half of the pubs using EU systems use them to see the whole range of games, and see it as a cheaper alternative to Sky,” said TV Ad Tech director Richard Konig.