Will we find that the Premier league will split in two, with Ntl sports clubs and Sky sports clubs each going there own ways in a few years time? Middlesbrough has become the latest club to enter into a lucrative media partnership as the battle for Premiership television rights hots up.

American cable giant NTL, which already has substantial holdings in Newcastle United and Aston Villa and has sponsorship deals with both Rangers and Celtic, has taken a 5.585% stake in the Teesside club for an undisclosed fee through its subsidiary Premium TV Limited.

Under the agreement, the company will act as the exclusive world-wide agent for certain media and commercial rights, excluding those negotiated by the FA Premier League, for a period of five years. NTL would also operate any Middlesbrough channel, Internet and e-commerce services.

Boro chairman Steve Gibson said: "I am delighted at the prospects for our new alliance with NTL. It will bring new opportunities for both the club and its supporters.

"The additional funding and NTL's expertise will strengthen the club and open up new and exciting possibilities for us, the benefits from which will help the club to achieve its ambition to be a major force in the Premier League."

Gibson's view was mirrored by Geoffrey Hamilton-Fairley, managing director of Premium TV, who said: "This strategic alliance is good news for the club and its fans.

"NTL and Middlesbrough will combine their strengths to get the best return for the club from sponsorship, advertising and media rights.

"This is also about harnessing all media opportunities, including e-commerce and the Internet, which is going to be an increasingly important medium in football.

"NTL has invested in Middlesbrough because it is a well-run club with a large and loyal fan base with whom we have been working closely for years.

"We look forward to expanding our long-term relationship with the club into a new and rewarding association." I'm buying a stake in NTL ... watch this space.

-- Anonymous, March 28, 2000

Answers

So is nufc.co.uk still plastering AOL popups all over the place ? Nice to know they're still blatently ignoring the hand that feeds them in return for hard cold cash from elsewhere... ;)

-- http://welcome.to/toonarmy

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2000

NTL have just moved in on Everton as well!

NTL v The Devil...lets get it on.

-- Anonymous, March 30, 2000

I sometimes get this really creepy feeling that the `big brother` of the future will not be the State, but a handfull of big commercial organizations. Some of these companies are so powerful now, and have a profound effect on the average person in so many areas of our lives. At the moment, deficient as is is, Government still seems to have a degree of control over them, but I see the balance tipping every day, and do wonder how individual countries Governments can clip the wings of some the the `global moguls`.

Hmm, six o`clock in the morning, and I`m writing stuff like this - must have had a really bad night`s sleep!

-- Anonymous, March 30, 2000

Galaxy it's called Globalisation and the big brother/s of the future are called TNC's - Trans-National Corporations.

-- Anonymous, March 30, 2000