Broadcast rights, contracts and the consumer's interest

[The Law]

As you may, or may not, know, I'm a football fan - football, that being, of the ball shaped thing kicked with feet.  I get my fix from Fox Sports World (TWC channel 114).  Fox Sports World shows games from the premier leagues from mostly France, Argentina, Italy, Spain, Holland, France, Germany and England

Now, I know very little about how TV rights work, what peering arrangements may or may not exist, the point of blacking out games and generally how stuff actually gets to my TV set.

So...I ask of you with lots of knowledge if you could analyze the following article for me - Showing the Prem on tv

My questions:

Does this sort of thing generally open up/stimulate competition...and, if so, will that mean I get to see more games?  Or will FSW endup in a situation where they'll show less games since they may have to end up getting re-broadcast permissions (if that is indeed a correct terminology) from too may people that may provide too costly and/or technically challenging?

Also, if so, would that increase or decrease chances of someone ever doing it in HD?

Do you know if HD is even taking off in European markets?

Forgive my ignorance on this, but...well...I just want to know a little more than I do now, at the moment....currently.

erm...thanks