Some of England’s "most-followed" football clubs currently playing in the League Championship "are in early discussions about forming a breakaway league," people familiar with the matter said, according to David Hellier of BLOOMBERG. Frustrated by a recent broadcast contract with Sky, which they see as "too long and too small in value, at least 10 clubs have given their support to trying to find an alternative," said the sources, "who asked not to identified because the matter is private." One idea being discussed is a Premier League 2, with 18 clubs "that would try to ally with a new broadcast partner," the people said. The teams intend to discuss the plan with current football broadcasters as well as technology companies such as Amazon and Facebook, which are "showing increasing interest in live sports." The sources said that the group has discussed the idea with EPL Exec Chair Richard Scudamore. The Premier League declined to comment. Some of the larger Championship clubs "argue they have been short-changed by the recent deal with Sky, given their viewing figures." Derby County, for example, attracted around 400,000 live viewers to a recent televised match, "almost half the Sky average for Premier League matches of 819,000" (BLOOMBERG, 10/27).
