Disney may tackle Sky for rights to Premiership

Media giant Walt Disney is mulling over the idea of bidding against BSkyB for Premier League football broadcasting rights next year.

Disney's sports broadcast channel, ESPN, is planning a global expansion and, according to Disney chief Robert Iger, may have UK football in its sights.

"I know ESPN will look at the Premier League rights again, both individually and in partnership with others," Iger said.

The next Premier league broadcast auction is due in January.

It is unclear whether ESPN would seek rights to broadcast Premier league matches only in the US, where rights are held by News Corporation's Fox.

Iger may hope to ride the new interest in the game generated by David Beckham's relocation to California.

He said that ESPN's coverage of Euro 2008 had been so popular, Disney had aired the semi-finals and the final on its mains tream ABC network.

News Corp's BSkyB paid £1.31billion to secure the rights to show 92 live games a season in the existing three-year contract, which expires at the end of the season.