BT Sport about to snatch the CL off Sky/ITV?

[Matty]

There was some quote that the Champion's League only actually makes up 8% of SKY's live football so, whilst a disappointment to them, it's not the end of the World if they lose it. The Premier League is the big one for SKY, that's a huge chunk of their live football rights. This is a big loss for the public, not because SKY's coverage is anything special, but because we're losing the terrestrial ITV matches, which were free, plus SKY will not be dropping the cost of the Sports package just because they don't have the Champion's League. So, if you've currently got SKY you'll need to keep paying for that (or you'll lose the vast majority of Premier League games) as well as paying for BT Sports to get the games you used to get as part of your SKY package/free on ITV. So, ultimately, this just means more expense to the customer for no added value/benefit. Great.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

Im not sure what BT did during and after privatisation but there name was dirt in my dads house and he has never used them since. Will even pay more on calls as he thinks they are *****. Never asked why but I am aware he isnt the only one

Probably due to the fact that lots of people saw it that their infrastructure was paid for and developed by the tax payers for decades, and the government at the time decided to "sell" it to us even though technically the people already owned it.

 

[blueparrot]

Im not sure what BT did during and after privatisation but there name was dirt in my dads house and he has never used them since. Will even pay more on calls as he thinks they are *****. Never asked why but I am aware he isnt the only one

Probably due to the fact that lots of people saw it that their infrastructure was paid for and developed by the tax payers for decades, and the government at the time decided to "sell" it to us even though technically the people already owned it.

Probably, but not sure how you can blame the company for being sold off, surely it's the government. Just like you can't blame the post office now for being sold by this government.

 

[nedums noodles]

BT= the mafia

 

[without a dream]

There was some quote that the Champion's League only actually makes up 8% of SKY's live football so, whilst a disappointment to them, it's not the end of the World if they lose it. The Premier League is the big one for SKY, that's a huge chunk of their live football rights. This is a big loss for the public, not because SKY's coverage is anything special, but because we're losing the terrestrial ITV matches, which were free, plus SKY will not be dropping the cost of the Sports package just because they don't have the Champion's League. So, if you've currently got SKY you'll need to keep paying for that (or you'll lose the vast majority of Premier League games) as well as paying for BT Sports to get the games you used to get as part of your SKY package/free on ITV. So, ultimately, this just means more expense to the customer for no added value/benefit. Great.

Unless you have no interest in giving Murdoch any money in the first place and have BT broadband, in which case you still get it for free.

 

[Centurions]

Im not sure what BT did during and after privatisation but there name was dirt in my dads house and he has never used them since. Will even pay more on calls as he thinks they are *****. Never asked why but I am aware he isnt the only one

Probably due to the fact that lots of people saw it that their infrastructure was paid for and developed by the tax payers for decades, and the government at the time decided to "sell" it to us even though technically the people already owned it.

Probably also tied into the fact that it was maggie frickin' thatcher that pushed it through.

 

[Centurions]

There was some quote that the Champion's League only actually makes up 8% of SKY's live football so, whilst a disappointment to them, it's not the end of the World if they lose it. The Premier League is the big one for SKY, that's a huge chunk of their live football rights. This is a big loss for the public, not because SKY's coverage is anything special, but because we're losing the terrestrial ITV matches, which were free, plus SKY will not be dropping the cost of the Sports package just because they don't have the Champion's League. So, if you've currently got SKY you'll need to keep paying for that (or you'll lose the vast majority of Premier League games) as well as paying for BT Sports to get the games you used to get as part of your SKY package/free on ITV. So, ultimately, this just means more expense to the customer for no added value/benefit. Great.

Unless you have no interest in giving Murdoch any money in the first place and have BT broadband, in which case you still get it for free.

Unfortunately unless you only watch the terrestrial channels then BTs broadband pricing makes it swings and roundabouts in terms of total costs with Sky (and probably Virgin) undercutting BT by a good amount.
And you don't know yet what BT intend with their pricing structures for CL matches. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the evil empire being taken down a peg or two but in the end I'm 100% certain that us poor schmucks will be footing the bill one way or another.

 

[baildon blue]

I think BT will sell the rights to the BBC or ITV for the Tuesday football .BT will still have the majority of the matches like Sky did . Its nice to see Sky lose the Champions League T.V rights . Not got much left now Sky . League Cup and premier league that's all Sky .

 

[Benarbia_is_god]

I would be a great PR move if they sold one game a week to the beeb or ITV. I think they will end up doing that.

 

[bigf42]

I can't see how this deal is viable for BT. As I understand their business model is to try and get people to transfer to BT Broadband, which seemed like a high risk strategy in the context of the PL, add in the over inflated CL rights package then it starts to look like a very dodgy punt indeed.

If I was one of BT's institutional investors I would be demanding a long hard look at the risks around this strategy. I also think there are issues with this that Ofcom should look at.

As others have said already the bottom line is we'll end up paying double for the same amount of football.