Four of the UK’s largest sports broadcasters have been fined a collective £4.2m after they were found to have shared sensitive information about fees for freelance workers.

The four companies – BT (£1.7m), IMG (£1.7m), ITV (£340,000) and BBC (£424,000) – each agreed to pay their fines following an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

For BT, IMG and ITV, the penalties were lower because after they had become aware of the investigation, they came forward about their involvement and assisted the CMA in its investigation.

A fifth broadcaster, Sky, was exempt from a financial penalty as it alerted the CMA to its involvement before the investigation had been launched.

Each of the five companies investigated by the CMA often engaged freelancers to assist with the production and broadcasting of sports content, such as major football games and rugby tournaments. The CMA found 15 instances where a pair of companies unlawfully shared sensitive information about pay with each other, including on day rates and pay rises.

On one occasion, a company told another they had “no intention of getting into a bidding war” but “want to be aligned and benchmark the rates”. In a separate instance, a business said they wanted to “present a united front” with its competitor.

Executive director for competition enforcement at the CMA, Juliette Enser, said: “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.

“Labour markets are important for economic growth as a whole. Good recruitment and employment practices help people access the right jobs where they’re paid appropriately and make it easier for businesses to expand and find the workers they need.

“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.”

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