CHIEF executive John Williams today admitted BSkyB's new TV deal has placed even more pressure on Blackburn Rovers to regain their Premier League status next season.

The satellite channel yesterday agreed to pay £500 million a year for the right to screen live Premiership matches over the next three seasons.

And, as clubs like Rovers today analysed the cost of another season out of the top-flight, Williams revealed it has increased the stakes as they prepare to launch a Nationwide promotion bid.

"The deal is as we anticipated and it just reinforces the need for us to get back into the Premier League as soon as possible," said Williams.

"I don't know as yet exactly how the money is going to be distributed between the clubs.

"But it is clearly a huge sum of money.

"And this latest deal only serves to emphasise that the Premier League is the place to be."

Rovers have already experienced the pitfalls of life outside the top-flight as relegation to the Nationwide League cost the club around £13 million last year.

And Jack Walker has already stated that he is prepared to lose another £15 million this year.

But, with the rich now set to get even richer, Williams admits Rovers simply cannot afford to lag even further behind.

"Our turnover last year was £13 million less than it was in the Premiership which meant our operative loss was £15 million," said Williams.

"Therefore, getting back in the Premier League means the difference between losing £15 million or more or less breaking even.

"So it's absolutely imperative we get back there next year and I'm confident we can do it.

"I think we've got a very good squad and a very good manager and we are going to give it our very best shot."

The Nationwide League's own TV deal is also up for renewal soon.

But, although Williams believes that could help soften the blow, he accepted the gap between the top-flight and the rest is getting bigger.

"The Nationwide deal is still to be negotiated and there is a very good team of people currently working on that," said Williams.

"But quite clearly the Premiership is now in a league of its own.

"And we are putting all our energies into getting back there as soon as possible."

The new television deal -- announced last night -- will revolutionise coverage of soccer in England.

From 2001-02 season, for the first time ever pay-per-view will become a regular part of the domestic diet, as will a Sunday highlights programme.

BSkyB were forced to go through the £1billion barrier in order to retain the rights to the live Sunday-Monday slots they have enjoyed since 1992.

But ntl, who are backed by Microsoft owner Bill Gates, did come away from the negotiating table clutching the rights to screen pay-per-view matches on a Sunday afternoon.

ITV also pulled off a major coup in wrestling the right to screen Match of the Day off the BBC.

Their new £61million-a-season contract will start at the beginning of the 2001-02 season.

The massive overall cash injection will put England's top flight on a par with every major league in Europe.