UK Edition
Premier League suffer fresh setback as Tim Davie turns down chief executive role
The Premier League has suffered a fresh setback in its long-running saga to find a new chief executive after another leading candidate reportedly turned down the job. Telegraph Sport revealed last month how Tim Davie, the chief executive of BBC Studios, was the preferred choice after Susanna Dinnage pulled a surprise about-turn six weeks after accepting the job.
However, according to the Financial Times, Davie has now rejected the league and has reassured colleagues that he is happy to remain at the BBC's production and commercial arm. Davie was not immediately available for comment when contacted by The Telegraph. As a result, a five-person panel chaired by Bruce Buck, the Chelsea chairman, is likely to extend its search.
Tom Betts, director of strategy with ITV, is another potential candidate, while Gavin Patterson, the chief executive of BT who is due to step down this month, has reportedly been encouraged to apply. The former Channel 5 boss Dawn Airey, now chief executive of Getty Images, has also been linked with the job, but the Premier League has declined to confirm any potential candidates.
The world's most lucrative domestic league now looks certain to be without a leader at the helm until the end of this season. Richard Masters will remain as interim chief executive while Buck, Leicester chief executive Susan Whelan and Burnley chairman Mike Garlick negotiate over a permanent replacement.
Davie had narrowly missed out on the job when Dinnage was appointed in November. Buck, who is in charge of the recruitment process, surprised many club chief executives by initially hiring Dinnage, 51, a Discovery TV executive. She is said to have got cold feet over her credentials to take the helm of the world's most lucrative domestic football league.
Scudamore has already earned almost £30million during his two decades in charge, but he leaves a daunting legacy, having brokered record-breaking TV deals for the clubs, currently totalling £2.8 billion in global rights pay packets. The league has already raised £8.3billion alone for 2019 to 2022 and could go as high as £9billion, a 20 per cent uplift on the previous deal.
The Premier League is also searching for a new chairman, who is likely to work on a part-time basis. Claudia Arney is currently filling the role on an interim basis. Scudamore announced in June that he would step down from his role as executive chairman. In November, the league rubber-stamped a £5million pay cheque spread over three years to stop him joining a rival outfit. He is likely to provide consultative advice for the league in their fresh search for a successor.