They'd shared broadcast rights throughout the 1980s but the £3.1million, two-year contract the two networks agreed with the Football League in 1986 offered slim pickings of just seven live games between them. Jimmy Hill, in what would be the last of his 15 seasons fronting the BBC's football coverage, welcomed viewers before, hilariously, saying the football coverage would be shared with action from the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Budapest. This innovation didn't come about until Sky took over Premier League coverage in 1992. In June, Dyke met with representatives of Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton at a secret lunch in Knightsbridge. He told them ITV wanted live football every Sunday afternoon and he'd pay each club £1m.

Source: BBC June 19, 2020 11:03 UTC