Claire said "The licence fee actually does act like a subscription. It's just a universal subscription and it's for a different kind of service all together to Netflix. It is public service broadcasting."

"I think it's very unlikely that that system will have run to the end of its road with the public. The BBC is right to offer its services free of charge universally."

Claire said “This is a very good result compared to alternative results, including the elimination of the license fee."

Arrived discreetly in Europe by targeting small sports and "saying that it is content to be number two", DAZN "surprised" observers in March 2021 by taking "an important position" in Italian football with Telecom Italia , believes François Godard , analyst at Enders. 

“Since then, DAZN has established itself in the main markets, in particular by seizing the opportunity of partnerships with distributors such as incumbent telecom operators, who want to invest less [DAZN is allied with Telefónica in Spain, Ed], explains the analyst. In France, it would be logical for DAZN to buy BeIN, which has returned to profit since its distribution partnership with Canal+. 

Claire pointed to the technical complexities of a subscription system, and repeated an old adage that whilst the licence fee wasn’t perfect, it was “the least worst option” for the BBC. Looking at the institution itself, she said the BBC “has an authority and ethos that the world knows and understands”, and believes it is paradoxical that the Conservatives are looking to “undermine” it.

She added “Taking away the licence fee is tantamount to destroying the BBC.”

Abi Watson of Enders Analysis estimated the latest financial settlement would create a shortfall for the BBC of £871m by 2027. That adds to the pressures from two licence fee settlements since 2010 that have squeezed the corporation’s funding by around £1.1bn.