ENGLAND SOCCER CLUBS AGREE ON AUCTION BID FOR TV RIGHTS DEAL

          In an "unprecedented move," the Chairs of England's
     Premier League 20 clubs will not decide who acquires TV
     rights to the League and have "agreed to accept the outcome
     of a sealed-bid auction that will be conducted next week" by
     Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore, according to Harverson
     & Garrahan of the FINANCIAL TIMES.  Also, the club Chairs,
     who "in the past have decided which broadcaster buys the
     rights," will play "no part in the process," in order to
     "remove any suspicion that the broadcasters that own equity
     stakes in Premier League clubs might try to gain an unfair
     advantage in the auction through their links with the
     chairmen" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 6/10).  DOW JONES' Kay Larsen
     reported that "shortlisted bidders will be asked to submit
     sealed bids by" Wednesday, and the decision for each package
     is "likely to be announced the following morning" (DOW
     JONES, 6/9).  Prospective bidders are BSkyB, Pearson,
     Telewest/Flextech, NTL and ONdigital (THE EXPRESS, 6/12).