Four of the UK’s largest sports broadcasting and production companies have been fined over £4 million for colluding on freelance pay rates, the UK’s competition watchdog has confirmed.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that BT, IMG, ITV, and the BBC will collectively pay £4.24 million in penalties after sharing sensitive information about fees for freelance workers, including camera operators and sound technicians.
Sky was also implicated in the scandal but avoided a fine after voluntarily reporting its involvement before the investigation began.
The CMA revealed that the five firms regularly engaged freelancers to support the production and broadcast of major sporting events, such as football matches and rugby tournaments.
However, instead of independently setting pay rates, the companies were found to have unlawfully shared pricing details at least 15 times.
In some cases, businesses discussed day rates and pay increases to align their payments, limiting competition and potentially underpaying freelance staff.
One example uncovered by the investigation showed a company telling another they had “no intention of getting into a bidding war” and instead wanted to “benchmark the rates.”
Juliette Enser, executive director for competition enforcement at the CMA, stressed the importance of fair wages for freelancers working in sports broadcasting.
“Millions watch sports on TV each day, with production teams working behind the scenes to make this possible – and it is only right they are paid fairly,” she said.
“Companies should set rates independently of each other so pay is competitive – not doing so could leave workers out of pocket.
“Employers must ensure those who hire staff know the rules and stick to them to prevent this happening in the future.”
In a separate announcement, the CMA also confirmed it had closed an investigation into non-sports TV production and broadcasting.
Companies under scrutiny included the BBC, Hartswood Films, Hat Trick Productions, ITV, Red Planet Pictures, Sister Pictures, and Tiger Aspect Productions.
While no fines were issued in this case, the investigation highlights growing concerns over wage-setting practices across the UK’s media industry.
The CMA’s crackdown serves as a warning to broadcasters and production firms, reinforcing the need for fair pay practices and competition in the industry.
