A trade group has called for Sky to offer a price freeze to all its licensee customers following an announcement over a new package.
The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) urged the broadcaster to freeze the price on the basic business package for pubs, in recognition of the challenges the trade faces.
It comes in the week Sky revealed details of its new Football + package, which replaces Prem Plus.
The broadcaster is offering to freeze pubs' current subscription rate until September 2008, but only if they additionally sign up to Football + before the end of next month.
Licensees will still have to pay extra for Football +, the same rate as for Prem Plus, but will get a 20 per cent discount.
The Football + package will include 46 live Premiership games mostly Monday night matches and Saturday early-evening games.
Nick Bish, the ALMR's chief executive, questioned the deal. "What about the thousands of pubs that don¹t want the extra games, which are often the less attractive ones?" he said.
"In this challenging year ahead, the very least Sky can do is offer a price freeze to all their customers for next season."
Graham King, licensee at the Jolly Abbot in Rugby, Warwickshire, said: "Small community pubs like ours are going to suffer with the smoking ban coming up this year, so it would be nice if there was a price freeze across the board.² Sky claims the offer is recognition of the tough times ahead that pubs face."
A Sky spokesperson said: "We understand that this is a challenging time for our customers, particularly in view of the smoking ban, and we want to recognise their loyalty by ensuring their businesses can continue to best benefit from the range of live sport available with this great new offer."