The Times report that ITV and Sky Sports are both keen to snatch back rights from BT, who shelled out £1.2bn for the privilege of showing Champions League matches for three seasons back in March 2017.ITV and Sky shared rights up until 2015, before BT took a seat at the table and nudged the pair aside with successive rights war victories.But while the current deal represented a near-£300m increase on its predecessor, UEFA are said to be concerned about viewing figures and know that a combined Sky/ITV audience would be vastly higher.As a result, BT –under pressure to cut their spending, according to the report – could lose the rights they first won in 2013.With subscription television channels under pressure to provide maximum value in a hugely competitive environment, Sky could return to contention; currently, they have the lion’s share of Premier League football, plus Football League, domestic cups and (non-England) international football.In January 2017 they struck a deal with UEFA to show Nations League matches, which could fall in their favour as they prepare to go back to the negotiating table with European football’s governing body.A prospective deal could see ITV reclaim one or two matches per week on Tuesdays and/or Wednesdays, with Sky taking the rest.The Times also reports that there will be a slight change to kick-off times in the early slot –5:45 pm from 5:55 pm.Winning the rights to the Champions and Europa League will also earn the victors a piece of UEFA’s brand new third competition –the anticipated-by-nobody Europa Conference League, which will have one English representative in it. Lucky them!Tyldesley on West Ham vs Hammarby: it’s the stuff dreams are made of, Clive.While you're here, why not take advantage of our brilliant subscribers' offer? Get 5 issues of the world's finest football magazine for £5 – the game's greatest stories and best journalism direct to your door for less than a pint in London. Cheers!NOW READ...QUIZ! Can you name England’s starting line-ups from their three matches against the Czech Republic? (1998, 2008, 2019)LIST 10 managers whose reputations were ruined in the Premier LeagueWATCH Premier League live stream 2019/20: how to watch every game from anywhere in the worldNew features you’ll love on FourFourTwo.com
