[President]

A report in the Irish Daily Mail today by Consumers Affairs Correspondent Ferghal Blayney says Britain's Channel 4 is favourite to get 23 of the 46 matches the Premier League terminated from Setanta with Sky Sports getting the other 23. Sky would then have the same number of matches as it will have from 2010/11 season onwards. Channel 4 would be expected to bid again for the 2010/11 season onwards if, as expected, Setanta goes bust.

There is speculation that Channel 4 would have to axe Big Brother after its current contract runs out in order to buy these Premier league rights, which are obviously very expensive.

Channel 4 are also reducing their programming budget by £60 million, therefore basically making it a straight decision between Big Brother or Premier League football.

The bids are officially confirmed on Monday, and we'll find out soon what the result is.

More details here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...e-matches.html

[DaniBoi]

Won't happen imo.

[Novo]

I would love that to be honest

Football > big brother

[WAYNEEBRUM]

sky will get them

[President]

Originally posted by WAYNEEBRUM
sky will get them

There are 2 packages.

Sky are only allowed to get 1 package under EU regulations.

So the other package is up for grabs, and Channel 4 are currently favourites to snap it up along with ESPN.

[Mystrios]

If it does Big Brother Will Certainly move to Sky and C4 Ratings will go down...

[Myviews]

Good football is better. Up da epl

[*mazedsalv**]

I would love if BB gets to go to ITV and somewhoe get BB3, BB5 and BB7 ratings again... will NEVER happen, that would be the best though.

[Myviews]

Channel 4 will get huge viewing figures especially if they get matches near the end of the season which are crucial for surviving the drop. If they get any Top 4 team matches against each other them matches are watched by billions all over the world china, australia and loads more. They will defo axe BB an its a good thing for us football fans who dont have sky

[Twilight]

If they do i will kill them

[Locke.]

Premier league football is needed on Channel 1-5.

[Myviews]

I pray they get the deal

[Jack_]

I can definitely see this happening, and after the way they've treated BB so far this year, any oppurtunity they get to dump it and start fresh with something that will rate better they'll jump at, and this is their perfect oppurtunity.

[Chels]

championship football please!
actually no, i got my season ticket

[President]

Originally posted by Chels.x
championship football please!
actually no, i got my season ticket

Who do you support?

[Mystrios]

In all honesty it will be a stupid move Channel 4 will loose most Female Viewers due to the Football in place of Big Brother.

And then most Males will go to the Pub or a mates house to watch the Football, so they will be loosing alot of ratings.

I dont want to be sterotypical in this post but on average this is true

EDIT

Thats another point about Season Tickets lol

[ILoveTRW]

There is nothing on that source that say channel 4 will be dropping BB in favour for football!!!
STOP WITH THE MISLEADING LIES

[Harry!]

What did I say to you in a U2U about misleading titles!!!

[bansheewails]

Football, . Men play with their balls too often as it is.

[President]

Originally posted by ILoveMoney
There is nothing on that source that say channel 4 will be dropping BB in favour for football!!!
STOP WITH THE MISLEADING LIES

You don't need to be Einstein to work out that if Channel 4 get football, they won't be able to afford Big Brother!

I never presented it as a fact. I said "speculation" and "possibility".

[Matt]

Originally posted by President

I never presented it as a fact. I said "speculation" and "possibility".

How do you know Channel 4 is even interested in having football though?

[President]

Originally posted by Matt

How do you know Channel 4 is even interested in having football though?

It's in the link at the top of the page.

And The Irish Times have also said that they have made a bid, as well as other sources saying it as well.

Check Google News. I think it might be on there

[Myviews]

Originally posted by Mystrios
In all honesty it will be a stupid move Channel 4 will loose most Female Viewers due to the Football in place of Big Brother.

And then most Males will go to the Pub or a mates house to watch the Football, so they will be loosing alot of ratings.

I dont want to be sterotypical in this post but on average this is true

EDIT

Thats another point about Season Tickets lol

one premier league match will get triple the viewers Big brother gets so do you really think they give a **** about female viewers?

[Matt]

Originally posted by President

It's in the link at the top of the page.

And The Irish Times have also said that they have made a bid, as well as other sources saying it as well.

Check Google News. I think it might be on there

Interesting. Do you (or anyone else) know if Channel 4 have shown interest in Premier League football before?

[President]

Originally posted by Matt

Interesting. Do you (or anyone else) know if Channel 4 have shown interest in Premier League football before?

No I don't think so.

But this is a pretty unique opportunity because as Setanta have lost the rights, the package will be up for cheaper than normal.

But it's all just assumptions and guesswork at the moment. Probably find out on Monday for definite if they've made a bid or not. Some newspapers are already certain they've made a bid, but we'll see...