28 replies to this topic

[Amber Avenger]

As an aside: Are ESPN leaving the UK once their soccer rights expire?

Pretty much. After the Premier League finishes this year, all remaining sporting rights will transfer over to BT. The American channel is staying open too, under BT's control but I'm not sure what exact branding that will be under. The classic channel will close

[Just to be clear]

Pretty much. After the Premier League finishes this year, all remaining sporting rights will transfer over to BT. The American channel is staying open too, under BT's control but I'm not sure what exact branding that will be under. The classic channel will close

Just to be clear, ESPN will have no longer have a tv operation in the UK, but will still be running their online services here, including their popular rugby web site covering everything rugby for all fans of rugby.

[Ullman]

You don't need a BT line to use any Sky TV Services, although I think Sky certainly prefer it that you do. My parents kept their Virgin line.

Either way, it's not really much to do with the channel and doesn't change anythinh

Correct, nobody in the Hull (Kingston Comms) area has a BT landline.

[Rascal Bongo Stork]

no way that you will require a BT phone line or BT broadband to subscribe to BT Sports. I think people are getting the existing BT Vision product mixed up with what is a new sports channel launching. No doubt there will be discounts if you lump everything in on the same package but that's up to you.
It will be on Sky - they already have two slots on there (the Sailing channels as already mentioned above) and will have more now that they're buying ESPN's slots. I also dont think they're binning ESPN America within the UK. It's ESPN America on other European satellites that's getting binned.
I think that going forward this could be great news for RL. If BT are still going toe to toe with Sky the next time the SL rights are up for grabs things could get interesting!
I also dont think you can draw comparisons to Setanta - BT Sports have financial backing way way way in excess of Setanta and also way in excess of what ESPN/Disney were prepared to throw at the UK market.

[THE RED ROOSTER]

BT I understand will be offering some of their Union coverage on FTA (Free to Air) next season. They may also take Monday Night Football (US) From the BBC . The problem for League us that rights appear to be sold as a job lot as opposed to a series of packages as is the case with other sports. The more platforms you have broadcasting your product (particularily FTA) the greater your viewership, and your commercial revenues

[Cake Tiger]

The problem for League us that rights appear to be sold as a job lot as opposed to a series of packages as is the case with other sports.

Interesting point. I'm pretty sure it was the European Commission that required the Premier League to split up its broadcasting packages so that there could be no accusations of one broadcaster having a monopoly. RU's Aviva Premiership live coverage has also been split between different broadcasters in recent years.

The problem with SL coverage is that no other broadcaster appears interested so there is no-one to make a legal challenge that Sky has a monopoly. Premier Sports seem unlikely to have the resources to bring such a challenge. In any event, I reckon it is better for SL to be with one broadcaster. Imagine if you had to pay subscriptions to two different sports channels just to get the same number of live games that you get on Sky. Sometimes, a monopoly can be a good thing for the viewer.

[gingerjon]

BT I understand will be offering some of their Union coverage on FTA (Free to Air) next season. They may also take Monday Night Football (US) From the BBC . The problem for League us that rights appear to be sold as a job lot as opposed to a series of packages as is the case with other sports. The more platforms you have broadcasting your product (particularily FTA) the greater your viewership, and your commercial revenues

I don't think that's right - I'm sure the last couple of seasons have seen the RFL attempt to split their rights packages, it's just that Sky have bought them all?

[roughyedspud]

they've split the international rights between sky &bbc....but never tried to split super league..



personally i think it could work in skys & RFL's favour if they allowed a weekly sunday afternoon game to be broadcast on another channel (bbc)

[West Country Eagle]

The key to BT's business model is "triple pay" customers - i.e those that take phone, broadband and TV services. With them ramping up their offering by paying top dollar for sports, it sets in motion a three-way showdown between themselves, Sky and Virgin Media for this lucrative market. Their acquisition of sports so far has been driven by the idea that securing rights to certain sports - Premiership, union etc - will attract customers, either those new to "triple pay" or those with existing services that may switch. They would only bid for Rugby League rights if they think it is a strong enough offering to guarantee getting subscribers.

Since RL in the UK has been tied in to Sky for so long, it's hard to know what the sport's "open" market value is for either Sky or BBC. Yes, viewing figures are decent, but chances are it's not the sort of sport that will get new people subscribing. Those who take Sky for RL may switch, but those casual viewers who, say, watch football and RL on occasions, may not see enough worth to switch. From RL's point of view, we may gain more from being on Sky than BT, but then again wrapping up both codes of rugby on the same channels - e.g BT - might also attract some of those open enough to watch both sports.

I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.