Golden Goal

With most media rights deals for major U.S. leagues locked up, one of the most frequently discussed properties up for grabs is the English Premier League, which soon will open bids for its 2010-13 seasons. A report out of London today states the league may be prepared to follow many of its U.S. brethren in launching its own channel in the summer of 2010 "if the value of bids for live rights plummets when the auction opens" in the next few weeks. But initial speculation indicates the market likely will be healthy for the EPL. One broadcasting exec whose company will bid in the auction said, "I cannot see the rights value doing a nose dive." Stateside, keep an eye on ESPN's involvement in the auction -- nabbing such marquee rights not only would help drive the sport's growth in the U.S., but also offer another valuable programming asset for ESPN and its digital efforts. File this under one to watch in ’09.