The 20 Premier League chairs "held a secret ballot" in which the move to give a bigger share of overseas TV money to the bigger clubs was defeated -- an outcome that "infuriated" the "big six," according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. The clubs "usually vote openly on any proposals" so that the chairs all know who voted which way but this issue was "so sensitive that it was agreed that they should cast their votes in secret." The outcome was a defeat for the proposal, put forward by Premier League Exec Chair Richard Scudamore, for 35% of the overseas TV money "to be split according to where a club finishes in the table." The chairs "were not told the exact breakdown of the secret ballot." The smaller clubs have been warned that some of the big six may withdraw cooperation from int'l broadcasters "in terms of making players and managers available for interview if they do not get a suitable deal." The issue has "come to a head because the growth in the value of the overseas rights is set to outstrip the domestic rights." The '16-19 deals total £5.1B ($6.7B) domestically and £3.5B ($4.6B) overseas, and clubs have been told the overseas rights "could increase" by 40% for '19-22 and a further 40% for each of the two cycles after that (LONDON TIMES, 10/6).
