4. No Free-To-Air Champions League
The Champions League has been ITV's flagship sporting attraction since the competition began in 1992, and has been a welcome addition to the mid-week schedules, providing a constant irritant to Coronation Street obsessives across the country. Had Sky Sports bought up all the rights in the late 1990s for example, Manchester United's
unforgettable stoppage time comeback against Bayern Munich in 1999 would surely not have been the historical phenomenen it is today. Not a match goes by where Clive Tyldsley lets an opportunity to reference 'that night in Barcelona' slip. ITV have already
spoken of their pride at the job they did. As a nine-year old boy whose parents could not afford satellite television, while not a Man United supporter, I will always remember that match as one of football's most stunning spectacles. When the 2015-16 season rolls in, fewer people will have the chance to experience that sort of event, and the Champions League's reputation may suffer as a result. On the plus side, BT will be
making the finals of both the Champions League and Europa League available for everyone, but is that enough?