UK Sport could disappear from free-to-air following ITV and Sky’s £1.6billion announcement, according to one expert.
A deal between the two broadcasters is being worked on.
It would see Sky take over ITV, acquiring its free-to-air channels as well as streaming service ITVX, which boasts 40million registered users.
The ITV brand would be retained and the two companies run separately, reducing bidding wars on rights for sporting events.
Football finance expert Professor Rob Wilson has warned a takeover could signal the beginning of the end of free-to-air sport.
He told OLBG: “ITV’s channels would remain free to air because their public service obligations would transfer.
“But over time, the strategy would change. Expect more cross promotion between free and paid services, more sport moving into premium windows and more rights carved into layered offerings.
“This deal would be hugely significant in the medium term.
“If it happens, it would reshape how rights are bought, how audiences are reached and how sport and entertainment flow between free and paid screens across the UK.
“It might even start an acceleration away from free-to-air programming as we know it.”
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Sky has 13million existing customers who pay for content behind a paywall.
But a purchase of ITV would present the broadcaster, and parent company Comcast, with an opportunity to create a larger pool of content and subscribers.
