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jonty
25-02-2013, 02:30 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21577676


Looks like they're aiming to knock Sky from their perch - about time too.
Overpriced monopoly.


BT has agreed to buy ESPN's UK and
Ireland TV channels as it adds to its live sports coverage.

The deal sees BT acquire the ESPN and ESPN America channels, and their live
rights to show FA Cup, Scottish Premier League, Uefa Europa League, and German
Bundesliga matches.

The company will launch its BT Sport TV package in the summer.

JohnStephens91
25-02-2013, 02:43 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21577676


Looks like they're aiming to knock Sky from their perch - about time too.
Overpriced monopoly.

Hopefully they don't give us a raw deal when it comes to buying the rights to show Scottish football.

down-the-slope
25-02-2013, 02:48 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21577676


Looks like they're aiming to knock Sky from their perch - about time too.
Overpriced monopoly.


Suspected this would happen when BT beat ESPN to EPL rights for next season...looks like BT is looking for a wider mixed package which might just drive up SPL rights a bit.

ESPN have been woeful and the worse offender when it comes to KO times / late changes / bumming up The Rangers etc....

We need to hope that fans groups can put some pressure on BT to be different

PatHead
25-02-2013, 02:58 PM
As title says

Is the SPL contract beyond the end of the season?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21577676

Just Alf
25-02-2013, 03:35 PM
They've bought over the rights, I'm sure I saw something along the lines that the deal ran till the end of 2016/17 season

Sylar
25-02-2013, 03:42 PM
Sincerely hope they keep them (the 2 ESPN channels) as 2 separate channels and don't try and combine them.

One of the joys of ESPN America was the wall to wall coverage of American sports which you can't legitimately watch anywhere else.

If they combine them into one channel, coverage of the NCAAF, MLB, NFL, NCAAB, College Lacrosse and US Motosport will undoubtedly take a back seat to the money cow that is the Premiership. For most people, that'll be fine but for the large number of people in the UK who are fans of American Sport, it would be a huge loss.

PatHead
25-02-2013, 04:11 PM
Sorry didn't see other thread. Admins please merge

Gatecrasher
25-02-2013, 04:41 PM
Sincerely hope they keep them (the 2 ESPN channels) as 2 separate channels and don't try and combine them.

One of the joys of ESPN America was the wall to wall coverage of American sports which you can't legitimately watch anywhere else.

If they combine them into one channel, coverage of the NCAAF, MLB, NFL, NCAAB, College Lacrosse and US Motosport will undoubtedly take a back seat to the money cow that is the Premiership. For most people, that'll be fine but for the large number of people in the UK who are fans of American Sport, it would be a huge loss.
I subbing to ESPN Player for NCAAF season as i cancelled ESPN. More choice of games as well.


The deal will also see BT continue to show the US sports currently shown on ESPN America, which includes college basketball, college football and Nascar racing.

DarlingtonHibee
25-02-2013, 05:18 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21577676


Looks like they're aiming to knock Sky from their perch - about time too.
Overpriced monopoly.

Celtic Director CEO BT....:rolleyes:

big-mo
25-02-2013, 05:49 PM
Surprised that no-one has picked up on the point that if you want to watch any of the BT sports coverage, you will most likely have to get a BT Vision box as I would suspect that they would not be broadcasting via the existing SKY packages.

Gatecrasher
25-02-2013, 05:58 PM
Surprised that no-one has picked up on the point that if you want to watch any of the BT sports coverage, you will most likely have to get a BT Vision box as I would suspect that they would not be broadcasting via the existing SKY packages.
it's going to get expensive for the couch potato :greengrin

Winston Ingram
25-02-2013, 06:00 PM
That's good news.

As long as they don't bring Craig Burley with them:agree:

1two
25-02-2013, 06:00 PM
Surprised that no-one has picked up on the point that if you want to watch any of the BT sports coverage, you will most likely have to get a BT Vision box as I would suspect that they would not be broadcasting via the existing SKY packages.

Currently ESPN is free to virgin Xl viewers, it was one of the few plus points of being with virgin

Now, I'm not so sure what'll happen as I can't see BT giving a competitor in either virgin or sky a good deal

Just Alf
25-02-2013, 06:06 PM
Currently ESPN is free to virgin Xl viewers, it was one of the few plus points of being with virgin

Now, I'm not so sure what'll happen as I can't see BT giving a competitor in either virgin or sky a good deal

Free with BT as well..... that'll probably change :rolleyes:

micka_weer
25-02-2013, 06:20 PM
Hopefully it won't affect them showing the mma or mean I have to buy another bloody box?!

Just_Jimmy
25-02-2013, 06:25 PM
So as Scott said we'll lose coverage of the NCAA football. Thats utter garbage. Basically the only reason I had ESPN. I know it's not relevant to this thread but its a gripe of mine.

weecounty hibby
25-02-2013, 09:52 PM
Surely this can't be true. Isn't Scottish football meant to be Donald Ducked with no one interested outside of Scotland and no money etc etc. How can this be? Has no one told the head of BT? He only has to read the Scottish tabloids over the last 12 months to know that Scottish football died when Rangers went into Div3!

Don't know what it means cash wise for Scottish football but it's another example of Scottish/Hun journalists talking Tom Kite. It may not be the best football in the world but people will still pay for it, and contrary to the media it's not just to watch Celtic and Rangers. How many times have you found yourself watching obscure matches from around the world? Or even obscure sports that you don't know anything about.

With a bit of luck BT will bring something different and Burley will be out of a job for good

Heedersnvolleys
25-02-2013, 10:26 PM
Surely this can't be true. Isn't Scottish football meant to be Donald Ducked with no one interested outside of Scotland and no money etc etc. How can this be? Has no one told the head of BT? He only has to read the Scottish tabloids over the last 12 months to know that Scottish football died when Rangers went into Div3!

Don't know what it means cash wise for Scottish football but it's another example of Scottish/Hun journalists talking Tom Kite. It may not be the best football in the world but people will still pay for it, and contrary to the media it's not just to watch Celtic and Rangers. How many times have you found yourself watching obscure matches from around the world? Or even obscure sports that you don't know anything about.

With a bit of luck BT will bring something different and Burley will be out of a job for good

They have signed up jake Humphrey(f1 guy) and Clare balding(horsey girl) I believe.

The_Todd
25-02-2013, 10:28 PM
As a Virgin Media customer this has left me worried. It could mean in under 12 months I would have lost SPL, EPL and NHL. I know I could get Sky Sports added to my package but to this frugal punter that's not happening. Essentially this could leave a big hole in my Virgin package.

The_Todd
25-02-2013, 10:28 PM
As a Virgin Media customer this has left me worried. It could mean in under 12 months I would have lost SPL, EPL and NHL. I know I could get Sky Sports added to my package but to this frugal punter that's not happening. Essentially this could leave a big hole in my Virgin package.

I just read that last line back to myself. How dodgy.

FranckSuzy
25-02-2013, 10:33 PM
I just read that last line back to myself. How dodgy.

:tee hee:

McD
25-02-2013, 10:57 PM
Surprised that no-one has picked up on the point that if you want to watch any of the BT sports coverage, you will most likely have to get a BT Vision box as I would suspect that they would not be broadcasting via the existing SKY packages.


Not so sure tbh.

BT have approx 700,000 vision customers, sky have several million sports subscribers. Even paying sky for use of their platform to broadcast channels, BT would still make more money by having it accessible through sky than only through a BT vision box. They'd also have a lot less leverage with advertising companies with such a relatively small viewer base.

BT are on the hook for 786million(?), I can't see them making that back and a profit using only their boxes. Also, as far as I know, BT vision has no HD content at all, which will be a turn off for some folk.

all in my humble opinion.

The_Todd
25-02-2013, 10:59 PM
Not so sure tbh.

BT have approx 700,000 vision customers, sky have several million sports subscribers. Even paying sky for use of their platform to broadcast channels, BT would still make more money by having it accessible through sky than only through a BT vision box. They'd also have a lot less leverage with advertising companies with such a relatively small viewer base.

BT are on the hook for 786million(?), I can't see them making that back and a profit using only their boxes. Also, as far as I know, BT vision has no HD content at all, which will be a turn off for some folk.

all in my humble opinion.

Suppose that makes me more hopeful we could yet see it on Virgin.

McD
25-02-2013, 11:04 PM
Suppose that makes me more hopeful we could yet see it on Virgin.


If anything mate, I'd guess its in BT's interests to have it on both Virgin and Sky, it taps into both customer bases, maximises advertising potential due to possible viewers, plus they'd get a cut of every customer taking the channel(s) on their package.

One way or another, I guess we'll find out over the coming couple of months.

Heedersnvolleys
26-02-2013, 07:41 AM
BT are on the hook for 786million(?), I can't see them making that back and a profit using only their boxes. Also, as far as I know, BT vision has no HD content at all, which will be a turn off for some folk.

all in my humble opinion.

The new BT box does have HD content. I fear though you may need to have BT Infinity to get the best out of it.

Sir David Gray
26-02-2013, 01:35 PM
Surprised that no-one has picked up on the point that if you want to watch any of the BT sports coverage, you will most likely have to get a BT Vision box as I would suspect that they would not be broadcasting via the existing SKY packages.

I believe the channels 445 and 447 on Sky, currently branded as "Sailing 1" and "Sailing 2" are eventually due to be renamed as BT sports channels.

SlickShoes
26-02-2013, 01:45 PM
Not so sure tbh.

BT have approx 700,000 vision customers, sky have several million sports subscribers. Even paying sky for use of their platform to broadcast channels, BT would still make more money by having it accessible through sky than only through a BT vision box. They'd also have a lot less leverage with advertising companies with such a relatively small viewer base.

BT are on the hook for 786million(?), I can't see them making that back and a profit using only their boxes. Also, as far as I know, BT vision has no HD content at all, which will be a turn off for some folk.

all in my humble opinion.

I have just left BT for Sky, currently the only perk of being with BT was getting ESPN for free. With BT I got no HD channels, I had a broken homehub they refused to fix, also the ESPN channel only broadcasts at certain times so my recorded UFC events would cut off before the end of the fights.

Sky is a better deal for me currently, I will lose ESPN but I will get Sky, HD channels, new box, new router, call centres that actually answer the phone and it works out £9 cheaper than what I currently pay BT. Also BT wanted me to pay for their new vision box YouView I think it's called.

Golden Bear
26-02-2013, 01:56 PM
I believe the channels 445 and 447 on Sky, currently branded as "Sailing 1" and "Sailing 2" are eventually due to be renamed as BT sports channels.

I thought they might do something like that and I bet the service will be more expensive than ESPN.