BT Sport
Sky director defends Premier League rights investment
Sky corporate affairs director Graham McWilliam has defended the UK pay-television broadcaster’s decision to pay a significant increase in its rights fee for live domestic coverage of football’s English Premier League.
Discovery and beIN stay away but status quo still delivers big increase
It is not yet clear whether Sky’s 83-per-cent increase in spending on Premier League rights was down to a blockbuster first-round bid to see off BT, a second-round reaction to aggressive BT bidding, or a combination of both.
Darroch says Sky has ‘clear plan’ for Premier League rights as share price slides
Sky chief executive Jeremy Darroch has said that the UK pay-television broadcaster has a “clear plan” to accommodate the cost of its new English Premier League domestic live rights deal, as the company’s share price took a significant hit today (Wednesday).
Sky and BT send Premier League rights fees soaring again
The UK pay-television market delivered another sensational boost to English Premier League revenues yesterday with new live domestic media rights deals worth £5.136bn ($7.8bn/€6.9bn) over the three seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19.
NBA value up in UK renewal
The National Basketball Association secured a decent rights-fee increase in its extension with UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport earlier this month.
BT Sport extends ESPN relationship
BT Sport and sports broadcaster ESPN have signed a seven-year agreement to expand the range of ESPN content available on the platforms of the UK pay-television broadcaster.
WRC secures UK, Polish rights deals ahead of new season
The World Rally Championship has agreed new rights deals in the UK and Poland ahead of the start of the 2015 season of the motor racing series tomorrow (Thursday).
Watching Brief (Vol.93) Special Focus: UK TV Sports Viewing – 2014 Review
BT Sport strengthens ties with NBA
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has announced a multi-year expansion of its partnership with North American basketball league the NBA.
BT Sport signs wide-ranging deal with PSA
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has agreed a multi-year broadcast and marketing partnership with the Professional Squash Association.
Sky’s sports rights dominance could harm competition, says Ofcom
UK media regulator Ofcom has said Sky’s dominance of the UK pay-television sports rights market could harm competition, but stated it is “less clear” that an obligation to share content with other broadcasters should be extended to its rival, telecommunications company BT.
BT begins offering Sky Sports channels
Telecommunications and pay-television operator BT has confirmed that it will be able to offer Sky Sports 1 and 2 on its YouView boxes from today (Tuesday).
BT Sport secures BDO World Championship rights
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has acquired live rights to the 2015 edition of the British Darts Organisation’s World Professional Darts Championship.
BT Sport snaps up British Squash Grand Prix rights
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has acquired rights for the 2014 edition of the British Squash Grand Prix.
Ancient club has modern dilemma: money or exposure?
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) could be forced to sell at least some of the rights to the British Open to pay-television if it is to increase the media rights value of the competition.
Watching Brief (Vol.91) Special Focus: Motor Cycling – MotoGP
Mike Kiernan, analyst for SportBusiness Intelligence, examines live television audiences in Europe’s five largest markets for motorcycling’s MotoGP world championship
BT Sport to produce Champions League coverage in-house
UK telecommunications company BT will produce the BT Sport pay-television channel’s coverage of the Uefa Champions League club football tournament in-house, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
Sky must offer sports channels to BT
UK pay-television broadcaster BSkyB must offer its Sky Sports 1 and 2 channels to rival telecommunications platform BT, according to the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal.