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Premier League boss Richard Masters withdrew from a high-profile day of golf with top executives from broadcast partners in a last-minute decision to focus on the crisis tearing English football apart.
The hard-pressed chief executive was due to face figures from Sky Sports and an NBC delegation at the exclusive Loch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland on Wednesday morning.
But the match has descended into civil war following a top-flight legal battle with Manchester City over sponsorship rules Masters decided to withdraw in a “last-minute” telephone call ahead of an emergency meeting with clubs next Thursday to discuss the consequences.
Former Premier League supremo Richard Scudamore was present at the event and worked with Sky Sports director of football Gary Hughes, although league insiders insisted Scudamore would not replace the Masters and that he would always be present. Scudamore left the organization in 2018 but advised it during the Super League crisis after his advisory position was extended.
Masters' failure to show up for a high-profile chat with hugely important broadcasters who contribute billions to the competition's coffers will be a major challenge. Sky is a major player in the £6.7 billion deal, along with TNT and BBC, while NBC will show the matches in the key US market until 2028, which will represent a 15-year partnership. A group of top NBC executives are in the UK for a week to plan meetings.
Premier League boss Richard Masters has withdrawn from a key meeting with broadcasters
The Masters was scheduled to be played with the broadcast director at Loch Lomond Golf Club
Focuses on the civil war unfolding in the Premier League after Man City accused the top flight of “misleading” claims of victory over “inflated” sponsorship deal rules
Scudamore's presence raised eyebrows at the elegant club, considered one of the best golf courses in the world and one of the most difficult rounds to score.
Its former members include Sir Sean Connery, and Sir Rod Stewart celebrated Celtic's 2-1 victory over Ross County there on Sunday. Registration can cost up to £100,000, with annual fees around £7,000.
Masters has no doubt spent time preparing for the critical, hastily arranged summit next Thursday – and could meet face-to-face with City legal adviser Simon Cliff, those he sharply criticized on Monday night in a blistering email.
City has claimed a tribunal victory over top-flight rules introduced in commercial deals with owner-linked groups after an independent tribunal found them unlawful.
However, in a summary to Masters clubs, he downplayed the significance of the ruling, saying the panel had “identified a small number of discrete elements… which, in their current form, do not meet competition and public law requirements.” He added that the changes could be “remedied quickly and effectively.”
Manchester City has accused league bosses of 'misleading teams' with 'inaccuracies' and the meeting will take place next week
Man City claimed to have won a legal victory over the Affiliate Transactions (APT) rules, but the Premier League downplayed the significance of the ruling
These claims were rejected by Cliff, who sent an email to 19 other clubs and the league itself, accusing the top league of providing “misleading” and “inaccurate” information. He rejected Masters' suggestion that new laws could be passed quickly and warned against further, potentially costly, legal action.
It is believed that no seats have yet been handed over to clubs. Top players from across the league are expected to attend, including Tottenham's Daniel Levy, and some may join by telephone.
