The Premier League has confirmed it will challenge Ofcom's ruling that Sky must sell its pay television sports channels at a discounted price.

According to Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive, the regulatory body's judgement would "effectively subsidise" other TV broadcasters. Scudamore said: "By forcing Sky to sell its sports channels to its competitors at a discount, Ofcom will reduce the incentives of all broadcasters, Sky included, to invest in the acquisition of sports rights.

"The effect will be to subsidise companies that have shown little appetite for investing in content and fundamentally damage the investment models that have helped sport become a successful part of the UK economy and made sport so attractive to UK consumers."