League lose ITV Digital court case

By Paul Holmes
August 1 2002

The Football League has lost its court case against ITV Digital owners, Carlton and Granada.

Following the collapse of ITV Digital in April, the Football League was left without £178.5million that ITV Digital owed from the contract signed in June 2000 for broadcasting rights to the Football League.

The Football League decided that to get their money they would have to sue the owners of ITV Digital, Carlton and Granada. They claimed that they were not liable as a no liability agreement appeared in the final contract, DESPITE been in the intial offer for the rights.

Because of this the court had no choice but to rule that Carlton and Granada are not liable. In short The Football League will not recieve a penny from Carlton and Granada. This could now lead to a fleet of clubs going under. A view shared by Football League chief executive David Burns: "There's no doubt that the result today will put in jeopardy the finances of many of the football clubs.

Whilst the court-ruling was a fair one, it is clear that morality has not won today.

It is now thought the Football League may take their legal firm to court for missing the no liabilty in the contract.