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BT buy ESPN channels
tompayne
Posts: 304 Forum Member
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BT have baught the UK version of ESPN and ESPN America. The deal keeps "at least one" ESPN branded channel. I expect that will be ESPN America.
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21577676
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21577676
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ABC1 failed a good few years back
Sold there 25% stake in GMTV
Selling off/winding down ESPN
And Sky Movies Disney agreement
I'm surprised they don't do some joint venture with sky to operate Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Similar to the A+E networks UK which is joint with Sky and in which Disney owns a stake.
There were a few rumours, following the move to BT of a Boxnation exec about a deal here. I think people were putting two-and-two together, but I still don't see how that channel is sustainable. I'd be pleased if Frank Warren's cards, along with some US and German boxing moves over to the BT Sports channel though.
I read that BT might be sponsoring British Athletics, but what actual rights are there still available to BT?
Doesn't seem that BT are looking at broadcast channels for delivery.
Yes you will, plus you will also get one ESPN channel as well, price unknown at the moment for Sky customers and it may or may not be in Virgin's Size XL TV pack
I am also unsure about what will happen in regards to Freeview/Top Up TV, BT Vision and Talk Talk
Sky customers will not be transferred to the BT channels and we can say that with near certainty. Their ESPN subscription will simply be cancelled and no further payment taken beyond the final date of its current form. If the customer chooses to start up a fresh subscription with BT Sport then that's up to them to call the number provided by BT for satellite sales.
As for it being in Virgins XL pack - there is currently no guarantee that it will be on cable at all. Probably... yes. Definitely... no.
I definitely maybe had to read that twice!
I think I maybe had to double take that post. Or maybe I definitely did. Or maybe I didn't at all. I dunno. Guess I just don't know what I'm talking about. :eek:
I'm not so sure. When you buy a business you normally buy their customers too. ESPN America, at least, is going to be continue broadcasting, although they'll be big numbers of cancellations to ESPN come April.
Yeah I agree. But via the Sky platform ESPN don't deal with subscriptions or sales - they let Sky handle it directly so you call Sky and most importantly pay Sky each month. If it was the other way around could you see BT giving their subscriber details over to Sky or Virgin?
ESPN don't have anything to do with the process and this is something that BT are looking to do different by retailing themselves.
I disagree, otherwise why have they already secured two EPG slots on Sky, plus the the ESPN EPGs and satellite transmission contracts?
I think that comment was more in relation to a TUTV deal which is fairly unknown territory. Obviously we know that BT will broadcast to their own customers as a linear streamed channel and to Sky customers as a 'traditional' broadcast channel but the big unknown is what will a) happen to the ESPN slot on TUTV and b) happen to the Sky Sports slots once they go streamed only to BT Vision customers.
Would it really make that much difference if they took the stance of not making them available on DTT? After all, Sky Sports is only there for BT and they're paying a fortune for them so it'd make financial sense at least to pull the plug on them once they've got everybody switched over / able to continue their service via Infinity.
Looking at Virgin as it is a closed platform, it has always made it clear that when subscribing to a bundle of channels, the actual channels in that bundle may vary from time to time, which is inevitable.
I can imagine Virgin allowing XL customers who subscribed to that package for ESPN being allowed to downgrade with no penalty. Virgin may then give them free access for a couple of months to the BT Sport portfolio, discounted access for six months before charging them a slightly less discounted price if they retain the XL package. Assuming of course BT and Virgin are able to come to the appropriate carriage deals.
I can't remember what it was but I read something the other day and I'm sure it was from Marc Watson.
It basically said that it would be available across all platforms... and 'possibly' cable too so it's not definite that it will be on there.
If I can think on and find it, I'll post a link.
As you say, BT's preferred route for broadcasting these channels is streaming these channels - however, there are still a lot of BT Vision customers who aren't in an Infinity area so surely BT will need to get their sports channel on freeview (channel 34) to ensure their non Infinity customers can still receive the BT sports channel. Otherwise you'd have a crazy situation where all sky customers could get BT Sports but only some BT Vision customers could get it. That could potentialy drive customers to Sky so that they could get BT Sports!
Obviously in the longer term (18mths?) when Infinity has much wider coverage I can see, BT removing the channels from DTT.
Whilst BT Sport couldn't survive without Sky's 10m subscribers having access, Virgin isn't quite as important. It could be a useful tool in attracting customers away from Virgin (although they could go to Sky.)