January 17 – In what is becoming something of an embarrassment for the richest league in world football, a second high-profile media executive has turned down the chance to become the new head of the English Premier League.
Tim Davie, chief executive of the commercial and production division of the BBC, has reportedly stated he is staying in his role.
The Premier League have been searching for a replacement ever since Susanna Dinnage senior executive with Discovery, the US media group, changed her mind having been announced as Richard Scudamore’s successor in November.
Davie’s decision leaves the Premier League without a permanent chief executive and with managing director Richard Masters in temporary charge. It was hoped that the next chief executive would start in May.
Davie, who was acting director-general of the BBC from November 2012 to April 2013, was involved in the original recruitment process and narrowly missed out on the job when Dinnage was hired. According to the Financial Times, he was second choice but has now also turned down the role.
The failure of two senior TV executives to take the top job in English football at a time when broadcast revenues will face a major value challenge at the next rights negotiation, suggests that the fractured TV market may have a shock coming for the Premier League.
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