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Plug pulled on ITV Digital, but play-offs will be screened
The ITV network is to screen the remaining play-off matches to honour its contract with the Football League, despite the plug being pulled on ITV Digital.
ITV Sport will broadcast the matches, but they will be available to all ITV Digital customers, not just subscribers to the sport channel.
So far, ITV Digital has not broken its deal with the Football League, money due has been paid and the remaining matches will be shown; consequently the contract is still legally intact and the league cannot sell the rights to anyone else.
However, once the First Division play-offs are shown and the next instalment of payment due, the league can claim the contract is no longer valid and sell the rights on to the highest bidder.
Analysts have warned, however, that despite ITV's £105m a year, the league is unlikely to get more than £10m under a new deal.