Governing body set for tough negotiations with fears broadcaster will look for cut-price deal
UK Athletics is facing trouble in its negotiations with the BBC over renewing its £3 million-a-year TV rights deal.
The Guardian reports that the national broadcaster may be looking to lower the price for athletics coverage, after years of crises and underperformance.
The BBC currently pays £3 million a year as part of a deal signed in 2013, and covers its own production costs. The chief executive officer who was in charge for that deal, Neils de Vos, left 17 months ago and it has not helped that he is yet to be replaced.
It is now reported insiders believe the BBC will be looking to lower the price for the TV rights – which include two Diamond League meetings, the British championships and the indoor Grand Prix.
Falling popularity has also caused UK Athletics to reconsider its position, with fewer consumers tuning in for the events.
The organisation is currently bullish about the situation, insisting it has had “good progress with a number of potential broadcast partners including the BBC”.
It also has a boost from a recent deal between the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and China’s Wanda Group to be the title partner of the Diamond League series. The 10 year agreement is reported to be worth more than $100 million (£77.6m), and be a record for commercial partnerships in athletics.
However, this week, UK Sport – the government agency responsible for allocating Olympic and Paralympic funding – has added to its woes by announcing a review of UK Athletics following criticism of its handling of banned coach Alberto Salazar and the disbanded Nike Oregon Project.
The latter was shut down after the coach, who trained celebrated Olympian Sir Mo Farah, received a four-year ban for doping.
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