A group representing foreign satellite suppliers and licensees says it is writing to the licensing authorities in every town and city with a Premiership football club to put its side of the satellite football row.
The European Satellite Television Association (ESTA) wrote to members of Bolton's licensing committee after Bolton Wanderers FC applied for licence reviews of nearby pubs which were showing foreign satellite football, saying they were impacting on its matchday gates.
I’m from Lancashire and I’ve been to watch Bolton and Blackburn. There are empty seats because the prices are too high ESTA chairman Colin McGhee.
The licensing authority refused the applications on the grounds that the pubs were not “in the vicinity” of the club.
But ESTA chairman Colin McGhee told #################.co.uk they would send the same letters to all licensing authorities with Premiership clubs to pre-empt further action.
He said: “I’m from Lancashire and I’ve been to watch Bolton and Blackburn. There are empty seats because the prices are too high – Bolton has just announced it is reducing them.
“That is the reason the stadia are not full.
“The dispute has nothing to do with a few people sitting in a pub watching by satellite.”
McGhee added: “We aim to change the whole way the FAPL sells football in the European satellite TV market and put publicans back in charge of entertainment with a choice of programme providers.”
The European Satellite Television Association (ESTA) wrote to members of Bolton's licensing committee after Bolton Wanderers FC applied for licence reviews of nearby pubs which were showing foreign satellite football, saying they were impacting on its matchday gates.
I’m from Lancashire and I’ve been to watch Bolton and Blackburn. There are empty seats because the prices are too high ESTA chairman Colin McGhee.
The licensing authority refused the applications on the grounds that the pubs were not “in the vicinity” of the club.
But ESTA chairman Colin McGhee told #################.co.uk they would send the same letters to all licensing authorities with Premiership clubs to pre-empt further action.
He said: “I’m from Lancashire and I’ve been to watch Bolton and Blackburn. There are empty seats because the prices are too high – Bolton has just announced it is reducing them.
“That is the reason the stadia are not full.
“The dispute has nothing to do with a few people sitting in a pub watching by satellite.”
McGhee added: “We aim to change the whole way the FAPL sells football in the European satellite TV market and put publicans back in charge of entertainment with a choice of programme providers.”
