BT

Virgin Media’s XL TV customers get BT Sport Europe AND £3 per month price hike

July 15, 2015 - Staff

bt_sport_europe_750 Virgin Media is to offer BT’s new European sports channel as part of its ‘XL’ top-tier TV channel pack.

Last month the broadband and pay-TV rivals announced that they’s struck a wholesale deal which would see the channel, which from this year becomes the exclusive home of Champions and Europa leagues, added to Virgin Media’s platform but failed to announce how much customers would pay.

Although the two firms already had a deal for the original BT Sport 1 & 2 and ESPN channels, BT’s Jamie Hindhaugh previously confirmed to SEENIT that the agreement didn’t cover BT Sport Europe and that they were in talks about the new channel.

Virgin has offered the BT Sport 1 & 2 and ESPN channels as part of its XL TV package since their launch and viewers will now get the complete pack after the two firms agreed terms.

However the price of the XL pack will rise by £3 which Virgin claimed was “a result of the charges we have to pay BT to add BT Sport Europe to our BT Sport pack.” Customers will also get Nat Geo Wild HD and Lifestyle HD added to their channel line-up.

Gregor McNeil, Managing Director of Virgin Media Consumer, said: “Some of our prices are changing so we can continue to offer our customers the best choice of entertainment.

“The new Champions League deal is the biggest ever and our price change reflects our continued investment in giving our customers more of what they want – we are proud to remain the only provider to offer all the major sporting action in one place.”

BT Sport Europe heading to Virgin Media

June 25, 2015 - Staff

Virgin Media has signed a deal to add BT Sport Europe to its channel line-up after weeks of talks with channel owner BT.

When it launches this summer, BT Sport Europe will be be the exclusive home of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.

Virgin already has a wholesale deal for the original BT Sport 1 & 2 and ESPN channels which it provides to customers taking its XL TV pack. Customers with lower tier packages can pay for the channels as a separate add-on.

However BT’s Jamie Hindhaugh previously confirmed to SEENIT that the current agreement didn’t cover BT Sport Europe and that the two pay TV and broadband rivals were in talks about adding it to the Virgin platform,

Neither BT nor Virgin Media have revealed how much Virgin are paying to add the channel to its line-up. Virgin says details of how BT Sport Europe will be incorporated into its channel packages “will be announced soon.”

Tom Mockridge, Virgin Media Chief Executive, said: “If the football is on, we’ll be showing it. Virgin Media is still the only provider that offers you front row access to all the live sporting action at home and on the go.”

Champions League: Football fans invited to register for BT Sport Europe

June 7, 2015 - Staff

bt_sport_europe BT is inviting football fans to register interest in its new BT Sport Europe channel which is set to become the new home of the UEFA Champions League.

The broadband giant and pay-TV operator has paid £900m to cover the contest for three years from the start of the 2015/16 season. Its deal also includes rights to the Europa League which BT Sport has covered since launch.

Previous rights holders Sky and ITV ended their association with the Champions League on Saturday when they screened Barcelona’s triumph over Juventus at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

Within seconds of the final whistle blowing, BT unveiled new ads starring Jose Mourinho, Gareth Bale and Didier Drogba and launched a webpage soliciting sign-ups from interested fans.

Pricing for the channel, which is expected to be supported by months of high-profile advertising, will be announced at a media event on Tuesday.

Expectations are that BT will continue to offer its current BT Sport 1 and 2 channels, which include coverage of the Premier League, Aviva Rugby and Women’s Tennis, free to broadband customers.

However fans wanting to watch the broadcaster’s Champions and Europa League coverage are likely to have to pay around £5 per month.

Tuesday is also expected to see official confirmation of a new 4K channel, which will be available to via fibre broadband to users with a BT supplied YouView set top box, and the addition of Gary Lineker to its presenting line-up.

BT is also likely to confirm plans for a new free to air channel which will allow any home with a Freeview set top box or TV to watch a selection of “top matches” and the finals for both competitions without subscribing to BT’s channels or broadband.

Jake Humphrey extends BT Sport contract

June 2, 2015 - Staff

jake_H_bt_sport Jake Humphrey has signed a new four-year deal with BT Sport which will see him add hosting the channel’s exclusive live coverage of the UEFA Champions and Europa leagues to his remit.

The presenter has been the face of BT Sport’s Premier League and FA Cup coverage since the channel launched in 2013 and will continue to host both competitions as part of his extended deal.

In November 2013 the channel signed a £900m deal to become the exclusive home of the Champions and Europa leagues from the start of the 2015/16 competition.

The deal marks the first time a single UK broadcaster has the rights to all the 350 live matches from both tournaments.

Grant Best, executive director of programming and creative, said: “Jake has been a big hit with our viewers for his assured and confident style in presenting our Barclays Premier League matches.

“His role is expanding and I know he’ll bring the same quality and professionalism to our coverage of the best club competition in the world.”

There’s speculation that Humphrey could be joined on BT Sport by Gary Lineker, although neither the BBC nor BT have made any official announcement about the Match of the Day host’s future.

Speaking on Tuesday, Humphrey said: “The last two years have been some of the most enjoyable of my career and on the way we’ve had some cracking games, part of the reason we’ve taken the channels from zero to over five million subscribers in the process.

“The next stage is even more exciting as we become the only place to watch live UEFA Champions League.

“Fulfilling a childhood dream to present the Barclays Premier League has been an incredible adventure, and to be able to present big European matches from the world’s most iconic stadiums will be another challenge I can’t wait to take on.”

BT Sport is currently free to BT broadband subscribers but the company is expected to announce a charge for the new european matches, as well as other developments, later this month.

BT Sport Secures Rights for 2015 World Rugby Under-20 Championship

May 19, 2015 - Staff

BT Sport has secured the live rights to show the World Rugby Under-20 Championship taking place in Italy this year.

The tournament consists of three groups of four between Tuesday, June, 2 and Wednesday June 10 in Parma, Calvisano and Viadana.

On Monday, June, 15 both semi-finals will take place in Calvisano ahead of the third/fourth place play-off and the final in Cremona on Saturday, June, 20.

The tournament sees the best young talent in the world compete against each other and the stars of the future will be on show.

All games featuring the Home Nations and Ireland will be shown live during the tournament with highlights also available. England has won the tournament for the past two years and will be hoping to make it three years in a row in 2015.

Simon Green, Sports Channel Director, BT Sport, said: “BT Sport is proud of its commitment to rugby union and our live coverage of the World Rugby Union Under-20 Championships builds on our offering to rugby fans.

“This will be a great opportunity for viewers to see future global stars on show and promises to be an exciting tournament in Italy.”

Murray Barnett, Head of Commercial, Broadcast and Marketing, World Rugby added: “We are delighted to be partnering with a broadcaster that is passionate about Rugby for what promises to be an exciting Under 20 Championship where the future stars of rugby will showcase their talent in what will be rugby’s biggest-ever year.”