Guardian:
‘Premier League football matches will be divided up into six "balanced" packages that will be shared between at least two broadcasters, under a provisional agreement that the league's chief executive has struck with the European commission competition authorities.
‘The deal, which could signal the end of the long-running dispute between the league and the commission, will determine how top-flight football is broadcast in Britain from 2007 onwards.
‘Richard Scudamore, the chief of FAPL, will present an outline of the settlement to league club chairmen today. The deal, which is expected to be ratified, is understood to spell out the auction process for the lucrative live broadcast rights that have been owned exclusively by BSkyB since the league was formed 13 years ago.
‘As part of the deal, an independent trustee will be established to ensure that the league keeps its commitments to the commission. Although this is the first time the concept of a trustee has been raised in the long-running negotiations, such a position is often created in controversial mergers agreed to by the commission.’