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Espn to possibly exit the uk
Neville_Breaksp
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espn is reportedly in talks to sell off its uk sporting rights which could mean an end to its uk presence this could leave top up tv with no sports channels as bt is the host for their skysports channels and they are going on the broadband
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There was an article published about it today on Broadcast Now
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/broadcasters/espn-in-talks-to-sell-uk-sports-rights/5051306.article
Unfortunately as I don't subscribe I can't tell you if there's anything new in it or whether it just repeats old stories
Sports broadcaster ESPN is reportedly in talks to sell its UK sports rights as speculation over the future of its UK channels mount.
ESPN lost out on Premiership Football and other rights following BT's entry to the sports rights market last year.
According to a report in Broadcast today, the broadcaster is now in negotiations with other parties, thought to include BT and Sky, to sell its remaining rights to events including FA Cup and SPL matches.
This could indicate that ESPN's channels might close at the end of the football season. ESPN has been on air in its current format since 2009, when it acquired numerous sports rights following Setanta's collapse in June of that year.
On digital terrestrial TV, the main ESPN channel is broadcast on channel 34. There is ongoing uncertainty over the future of ESPN and the BT-hosted Sky Sports channels delivered alongside the Freeview signal, with BT last month announcing that it would restrict sports channel subscriptions to viewers with BT Infinity broadband, through which BT Vision will broadcast a package of pay TV channels from later this year.
Top Up TV currently offers ESPN alongside the BT hosted Sky Sports channels to subscribers. It could be left without any channels unless it announces new carriage deals.
ESPN has refused to comment on the matter.
http://www.a516digital.com/2013/02/espn-in-uk-rights-sell-off-talks.html
They were stuffed many years ago mate......
Still gets more viewers than the PDC though pal, BDO is the one people grew up with, with the majority of PDC crowds full of annoying drunks it can be off putting, they'll probably go to BT Sport.
As for ESPN, good get the FA Cup package they have back on the BBC.
Although the news ticket they have running at the bottom sporadically is not a welcome presence. Hopefully this "innovation" will be stopped soon
I wonder if ITV4 would put in a bid?
Ah yeah my bad, still can't be worse than ITV.
I don't think the BBC would be able to justify buying rights for ESPN's FA Cup games seeing as the first choice games are already free to air on ITV.
The FA will see more sense and money from sharing the rights between one free channel and one pay channel, so I would put money on BT taking ESPN's deal.
The FA Cup and Europa League - Both would be on BT's wish list, especially the FA Cup as BT will have 5-6 weekends when they can't show a PL game. Having the Cup would be a great way of having top domestic football every weekend from the New Year to May. Would Sky bid for the Cup rights just to keep them away from BT?
SPL - Are ESPN's rights good enough for either BT or Sky to spend any kind of money for them? No Auld Firm games for at least another season and Sky already have what they want SPL wise. But extra games would attract subscribers in Scotland. One of them will take it.
German Bundesliga - One of the best leagues in the World, big crowds, Guardiola at Bayern next season. I see this as more on BT's wishlist than Sky's. BT bought the French and Brasilian rights, so surely they'd want the German rights as well to compliment their Serie A coverage. They'd have rights to 4 of the best 5 leagues in Europe (bar Spain) if they landed this.
UFC - I think BT would love it, and Sky's rumoured agreement with WWE maybe keeps them out of the running.
AFL - Aussie Rules may not get huge ratings, but it's a long season and a great filler sport for Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. A good way of getting the Aussie expats on board as well.
NBA - Again, a great filler sport for late nights. Sky already have what they want with the deal they signed a month or so back, so BT should be free to take ESPN's 'half' of the rights.
If BT landed all of the above it would make their offering a lot more attractive. I don't think Sky would imagine there are many more subscribers that would be attracted by any of the above, with maybe the exception of UFC, so I would make BT favourites to land them all. They are the ones who need the subscribers and need the extra sports.
Maybe you forget that NASN,the forerunner of ESPN America,was originally a single stand-alone chanel.
espn america is a good channel..
How much would that cost? Desmond is pretty tight to be honest but he did splash out for BB...