Source: Daily_Mail
Charles Sale: Premier League's Richard Scudamore tuning into £3m TV bonus
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has received a remarkable £3million bonus for his work in negotiating a record-breaking set of TV contracts.[LNB] The payment, which is sure to surprise a number of clubs, was included in the accounts package sent to the 20 teams in advance of next week's Premier League summit. The cash, to be paid over the next four years, is guaranteed even if Scudamore leaves during that period. [LNB] The one to watch: Scudamore (below) helped negotiate record-breaking TVcontracts for the Premier League[LNB] The size of the reward for mastermindingthe £2billion-plus deals for domestic and overseas rights over the nextthree seasons was decided by the League's remuneration committee that includes former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards, Bolton's PhilGartside and Bruce Buck of Chelsea. [LNB]The £3m is a 50 per cent increase on the bonus Scudamore, now English football's highest-paid as well as most powerful administrator, received for the previous round of TV contracts.[LNB] Scudamore has been regularly linked with other major CEO positions across the globe, in sport as well the media and entertainment business. But it would need a big-money offer to compete with the Premier League's attractive bonus system for their chief executive. [LNB] There was great fanfare at the National Television Awards about England batting hero Alastair Cook being accompanied by an Ashes urn, which was brought on stage by a green-blazered MCC official. [LNB]Although it was hyped as a precious trophy, the real one stays permanently in the Lord's museum and the urn being paraded cost just £1,000 - probably less than the watch programme host Dermot O'Leary was wearing on the night. [LNB]One voice not yet heard on Linogate is that of Sky Sports News presenter Claire Tomlinson, whom Richard Keys has claimed to have helped along the way. [LNB]However, Tomlinson's Sky career has never fully recovered from the unhappy time she spent as a touchline football reporter when the Keys-Gray lads culture was at its zenith. [LNB] Shamed: Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys[LNB]FA council minutes from a protocol committee meeting reveal that the organisation refused the Football League high command's request for an extra two tickets for each Wembley match.[LNB] The snub was to keep a lid on freebie seats. But it won't help negotiations over payment stages of the £1.7m compensation agreed after the FA booked the Champions League final for Wembley on the FL's contracted play-off weekend. [LNB] Sky's sorry excuse [LNB]The 'dark forces' conspiracy theory that there was more to the departure from Sky of Andy Gray and Richard Keys than meets the eye won't go away. [LNB] More from Charles Sale... Charles Sale: Sky soft-pedal on YouTube assassin26/01/11 Charles Sale: League chief's fury at Coalition U-turn over funding pledges25/01/11 CHARLES SALE: Wednesday chief Mandaric probes Irvine 'sack' email 24/01/11 CHARLES SALE: Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn bays over Olympic Stadium23/01/11 Charles Sale: 2012 Olympic Stadium legacy expert left two years ago21/01/11 Charles Sale: United defender Rafael hoping to avoid video nasty in FA hearing 20/01/11 Charles Sale: New conflict fear over Olympic bids20/01/11 CHARLES SALE: New FA chairman David Bernstein's battle to avoid board clash18/01/11 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE Central to this is Sky's puzzling explanation for the duo not being allowed to apologise on air during last Sunday's match between Blackburn and West Bromwich for their sexist diatribe against Sian Massey and Karren Brady. [LNB]Sky say that, as the initial comments hadn't been broadcast, TV was the wrong medium for an apology. [LNB]Middle East network Al Jazeera is being mooted as the most likely next destination for Gray and Keys, who worked for the burgeoning sports operation during Euro 2008.[LNB] However, Al Jazeera, who are trying to distance themselves from the reputation of being al Qaeda's preferred mouthpiece, are wary of the negative publicity signing the pair would bring. [LNB]Meanwhile, the disciplinary process continues against touchline reporter Andy Burton over footage of his asking Gray whether he considered assistant referee Massey to be a 'looker'. [LNB]Gary Neville being lined up as the next big-name Sky Sports football pundit has proved anything but positive news for the network in the wake of Gray-Keys controversy. [LNB]An overwhelming majority of those reacting online with their comments about yesterday's Sportsmail revelation were scathing about the appointment of Red Nev. [LNB]Many threatened to cancel Sky subscriptions, despite the opinionated Neville having all the attributes to be an excellent analyst. [LNB] Explore more:People: Andy Gray, Karren Brady, Alastair Cook, Bruce Buck, Sian Massey, Richard Keys, Martin Edwards, Dermot O'Leary, Gary Neville Places: United Kingdom, Middle East
