The fragmentation of sports content between Melita and Go was creating an unnecessary burden on consumers in Malta, Mireille Muscat, head of marketing at Melita, said.

She was commenting after Melita confirmed that they had secured the rights for the Uefa Europa League until 2018, a week after Go confirmed that they had won the rights to the Champions League.

“It is far from where Melita would like to see this market heading. Maltese Pay TV subscribers will be forced to continue subscribing to multiple platforms for another three years if they wish to view all top European football events.

“The fragmentation of TV rights reinforces our views of the need to establish a TV rights sharing protocol between pay TV operators, on the lines of what has existed in other European markets for several years,” she said.

“In the UK, Ofcom – the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries – ensured the establishment of a rights sharing condition between operators.

“Such an arrangement would benefit all pay TV customers in Malta. For the past years Melita has been regularly urging the other licensed pay TV operator in Malta (publicly, privately and through the Malta Communications Authority) to discuss and conclude a similar arrangement.

“Since the option to strike a commercial agreement has so far been elusive, then no other option remains except for the regulators to adopt better market regulation that places pay TV customers at the very top of its agenda.”