Sky and BT have extended and expanded an agreement through which the rival UK pay-television broadcasters share content across each other’s platforms.
According to the Rapid TV News website, the new agreement will result in Sky becoming BT’s exclusive distribution partner in Ireland.
As part of the deal, Sky Ireland customers will receive access to Sky Sports and BT Sport through a single Sky TV subscription from the 2019-20 football season onward.
Sky and BT first teamed up in December 2017, with a landmark multi-year deal ensuring BT TV customers are able to sign up for all content available through Sky’s Now TV platform, including the Sky Sports channels. BT is also able to sell Now TV passes directly to BT customers.
The new agreement marks the first time Sky customers will have access to BT Sport directly as part of a Sky bundle or on a standalone basis and across all Sky platforms. BT TV customers will also be able to record Now TV content from the 2019-20 season onward.
Sky UK chief executive Stephen van Rooyen said: “With Now TV at the heart of BT’s TV offering, Sky’s TV entertainment brands will be available to all UK consumers through every major pay-TV service, and we also open up a new revenue stream for our business.”