According to Sunday Newspaper reports, Ecclestone's advisers have been looking at taking over ITV Digital’s £315m three-year deal with the Football League.
It could see the F1 boss fund some of the difference between what ITV Digital wants to pay and what the league wants. ITV Digital owes the league £178m, having already paid £128m, and is only prepared to pay £50m of the remaining cash it owes. This offer has been rejected by the league.
A deal with Ecclestone would see the billionaire entrepreneur take control of the rights to the Nationwide League and sell them on to other channels.
Ecclestone owns the TV rights to F1, which he sells to ITV Digital. Any money he pays as part of a Football League rescue deal would be seen as downpayment for future F1 TV deals.
According to sources close to deal and spoken to by the Sunday Express, the deal with Ecclestone would in effect be a bridging loan.
"If, say, £85m were given towards the Nationwide League, which is far more than ITV Digital is offering, that would probably keep both sides happy for the duration of the contract -- and give ITV Digital breathing space. At the end of the day, it is in no one's interest for ITV Digital to close."
It is being speculated that a compromise deal could be reached whereby the Football League would be prepared to accept between £80m and £90m. While it is short of the £178m the league is owed under the terms of its contract with ITV Digital, it is almost double the £50m Carlton and Granada have said they are prepared to offer publicly.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .
_1.jpg)
.jpg)
