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BT Sports Channel
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mogzyboy
26-02-2013
Originally Posted by joshua_welby:
“If BT do a deal like what happened with ESPN then you will get the BT Sports channels and ESPN on all of your boxes, if it is what happened with Setanta then you will need to take out a Multiroom Sub with BT as well”

Probably best if you'd read the posts from earlier tonight which stated that Sky customers would have to contact BT directly before you posted that...
TheBaronSpell
26-02-2013
Sam Matterface was awesome during ITV coverage of the CFC vs Bees cup game. Resisted the urge to make jokes about Brentford despite his famous wife supporting them!
mogzyboy
26-02-2013
Originally Posted by TheBaronSpell:
“Sam Matterface was awesome during ITV coverage of the CFC vs Bees cup game. Resisted the urge to make jokes about Brentford despite his famous wife supporting them!”

Indeed. He was very good. Thoroughly enjoyed his commentary. Townsend, not so much...

That wife of his...wowzer! I look at him, and look at her, and it is astonishing that he has done so well for himself!!
VisionMan1
26-02-2013
Originally Posted by mogzyboy:
“Well I shan't be calling BT to subscribe then. The only way I would even consider it is if it was retailed through Sky (as I have Multiroom and I'd want it on both boxes).

What a shambles.”

Erm, sorry, could somebody explain this multiroom function? Is everyone saying its only for Sky's direct channels, and not sub ones like FX, SciFi, etc?
mogzyboy
26-02-2013
Originally Posted by VisionMan1:
“Erm, sorry, could somebody explain this multiroom function? Is everyone saying its only for Sky's direct channels, and not sub ones like FX, SciFi, etc?”

Channels retailed by Sky (that is all of the channels in the various 'Packs', as well as ESPN, MUTV and Chelsea TV) will work on a second box with a Multiroom subscription. So yes, that includes channels such as FX, Watch, Syfy, Disney Channel etc.)

Currently, if you want ESPN, then you call Sky to get them to add it to your package (so therefore, it'll work on your main subscription, as well as any Multiroom subs you have). It seems that BT are planning to retail their package themselves, as is their right to do if they want, which would suggest that you'd need a 'BT Sport Multiroom' subscription if you want it on more than one box.
VisionMan1
26-02-2013
Originally Posted by mogzyboy:
“Channels retailed by Sky (that is all of the channels in the various 'Packs', as well as ESPN, MUTV and Chelsea TV) will work on a second box with a Multiroom subscription. So yes, that includes channels such as FX, Watch, Syfy, Disney Channel etc.)

Currently, if you want ESPN, then you call Sky to get them to add it to your package (so therefore, it'll work on your main subscription, as well as any Multiroom subs you have). It seems that BT are planning to retail their package themselves, as is their right to do if they want, which would suggest that you'd need a 'BT Sport Multiroom' subscription if you want it on more than one box.”

Thanks for explaining that mogzyboy. But thats one big assumption. As the carriage agreements haven't been finalised yet. So you never know...
kriZbii
26-02-2013
I wonder if BT will try and buy Motors TV's channel slots so they can keep their channels together on Sky. Having 417 from ESPN is one thing, but if they could do a deal for 413, they'd be able to use 414 as well and have both of their main channels straight after Sky Sports and Eurosport. 417 is a bit isolated for BT with Sky-owned slots either side, but as Motors only has one channel, they'd maybe be prepared to do a swap, especially as BT seem prepared to spend a lot on launching these channels
cook0891
27-02-2013
Originally Posted by 1andrew1:
“I've just had a quick check at what was available, there were some 10 channels or affiliates:[LIST][*]Setanta Sports 1[*]Setanta Sports 2[*]Setanta Golf[*]Setanta Sports News (JV with Virgin, FTA)[*]NASN (Co-owned with venture capital firm Benchmark Capital Europe)[*]Racing UK (independent but in the pack)[*]Four football club channels with varying degrees of ownership (Arsenal, Liverpool, Celtic and Glasgow Rangers)[/LIST]”

Thanks for that. Like someone else said they probably just tried to hard to quick. Shame really.
JSemple3
27-02-2013
BT/Sky confirmed for Ireland:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/ne...n-ireland.html

No idea what that will mean for the setanta ireland 3PM kick off's
1andrew1
27-02-2013
Originally Posted by JSemple3:
“BT/Sky confirmed for Ireland:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/ne...n-ireland.html

No idea what that will mean for the setanta ireland 3PM kick off's”

Being discussed on the football rights thread.
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showt...755756&page=20
JSemple3
27-02-2013
Originally Posted by 1andrew1:
“Being discussed on the football rights thread.
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showt...755756&page=20”

Oops. My mistake.
leicslad46
27-02-2013
There is a rumour that BT Sport is the new home for the NRL. If this is true that means that there will be no live NRL action til august until BT Sport starts broadcasting. This to me is totally unacceptable. This whole rights issue has gone on long enough and needs to be put to bed.

At least with premier sports up and running they would be able to start their coverage from round 1
pjex
27-02-2013
My concern with BT not being resold through Sky and having to deal with them direct is that they will add a setup charge and maybe a 12 motnh min contract, the big bonus with ESPN on sky is you can justy dip in for 1 month if you like with no extra charges.

I get the feeling BT are going to require it's viewers to make a long term commitment in order to get access to their new sports channels.
RadioKnower
27-02-2013
Originally Posted by leicslad46:
“There is a rumour that BT Sport is the new home for the NRL. If this is true that means that there will be no live NRL action til august until BT Sport starts broadcasting. This to me is totally unacceptable. This whole rights issue has gone on long enough and needs to be put to bed.”

Couldn't they just use ESPN?
Jaycee Dove
27-02-2013
No multiroom - or multiroom at an even higher cost than the one likely to be greater than ESPN now in the first place -would deter a lot of Sky customers from taking BT Sport.

So I suspect BT will try to bargain with Sky to get around this. They will be taking a risk in terms of losing custom if not.

It might be a chip to play in the battle to get all Sky Sports and HD on BT Sports. Though Sky, of course, might prefer BT Sports to appear restrictve and expensive on Sky boxes and be happy if BT charge - say - £15 pm for three channels if you want multiroom as well. That way Sky Sports might not seem expensive to its own customers by comparison.

There have to be some Sky/BT discussions, I assume, over carriage rates for BT on the EPG and Sky on BT. Both will be playing different games and not all cosying up like Sky and ESPN did.

In fact in the Daily Mail yesterday it was suggested that ESPNs big mistake was to do deals with Sky and not take them on in an all out battle.

If true then BT likely will not make the same error - which might be bad news for Sky customers wanting these BT channels. The decision to retail directly might be only the first bad news to come if BT prefer to try to lure customers away from Sky. For instance, dump Sky Broadband, sign up for BT Broadband with BT sports and we will give you free multiroom and a cheaper monthly sub.
mogzyboy
27-02-2013
£15 a month for BT would be a laugh (still hypothetical, I appreciate that). Even more so when you consider that Sky Sports 1 alone costs £12 on top of your standard Sky sub. The quality on SS1 alone is vastly superior to what BT are offering.

I think that if BT are going to overcharge customers that aren't on their platform, then those customers will just go without, especially if they already have Sky Sports. That is, of course, unless they want Aviva Premiership Rugby. Some second-rate 1st pick PL games isn't a massive draw.

Good luck to BT and all that, but it's them that needs to do all the conceding and bargaining here in order to get customers, rather than trying to hardball Sky.
DragonQ
27-02-2013
I agree. If BT offer their channels free to BT Vision customers (say £15pm all-in, with some entertainment channels like FOX, Comedy Central, etc. thrown in) but charge £15pm just for their sport channels on Sky, the uptake will likely be low.

What they might be hoping is that they get low numbers of Sky Sports subscribers themselves because people see the great value of BT Sport compared to Sky Sports on the BT Vision platform. This would perhaps force Sky to be more competitive in the way their offer their own sports channels, although I doubt they are worried in the slightest right now.
Jaycee Dove
27-02-2013
Was Charles Sale in the Mail right to suggest that by not taking on Sky head on ESPN were doomed? It helped subscribers and probably gained them customers they would not have gained otherwise? So where was this approach worse than a head on collision?

Having no 'free on Virgin XL' deal also would have cost ESPN subscribers as you can see post after post from Virgin customers saying they will not pay for BT Sports so it had better stay free like ESPN was.

Curiously, the media suggested last week that could happen as they were discussing a wholesale deal with Virgin but not Sky.

What is the thinking here, I wonder? Do BT think this might drive some customers away from Sky to Virgin as well as those they hope to take away themselves?

Will there be a BT strategy to weaken Sky by a thousand cuts ready for big strikes when future rights come up?
1andrew1
27-02-2013
Originally Posted by 1andrew1:
“I've just had a quick check at what was available, there were some 10 channels or affiliates:[LIST][*]Setanta Sports 1[*]Setanta Sports 2[*]Setanta Golf[*]Setanta Sports News (JV with Virgin, FTA)[*]NASN (Co-owned with venture capital firm Benchmark Capital Europe)[*]Racing UK (independent but in the pack)[*]Four football club channels with varying degrees of ownership (Arsenal, Liverpool, Celtic and Glasgow Rangers)[/LIST]”

Originally Posted by cook0891:
“Thanks for that. Like someone else said they probably just tried too hard too quick. Shame really.”

Originally Posted by Jaycee Dove:
“In fact in the Daily Mail yesterday it was suggested that ESPN's big mistake was to do deals with Sky and not take them on in an all-out battle.”

It looks like however you compete against Sky, you will have difficulties in succeeding. Setanta went for an all-out battle and lost, ESPN went for a slower and more co-operative approach...and lost too.

I'm not sure how well the other sports channels are faring - subscription channels BoxNation and Premier Sports and packaged channel EuroSport.

I believe Eurosport is certainly loss-making and owners TV3 have sold a stake to the Discovery channel.

Premier Sports could be adversely impacted by sister channel Setanta losing its 33 EPL matches in addition to any escalated rights competition it faces from BT.

I see BoxNation as a possible contender to become a fourth channel in the BT pack. Simon Green (BT's head of sport) used to run BoxNation as its chief executive and surprisingly remains a non-executive director there. BoxNation is not yet available on BT Vision.
The Independent on Sunday suggested BT was in talks to acquire the channel back in January but this story died a death. But the story seemed quite convincing [yes, I know, all stories do! ] and opened with "However, I understand they are likely to add the sport to a portfolio..." so being in a BT sports pack may be a likely outcome. Whether the sports pack in question would just be for the BT platform remains to be seen.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/g...g-8449350.html
d'@ve
27-02-2013
Originally Posted by Jaycee Dove:
“...The decision to retail directly might be only the first bad news to come if BT prefer to try to lure customers away from Sky. For instance, dump Sky Broadband, sign up for BT Broadband with BT sports and we will give you free multiroom and a cheaper monthly sub.”

They will obviously do bundles like that or similar, just as Sky does now. It's a way to get the total costs of all their related services down for individual subscribers, so why wouldn't they? And it's not just Sky customers they are after of course, it's Virgin Media, Talk Talk, even Freeview and Freesat customers too as (Youview from) BT/Vision will not be only about Sports.

But I think it's too early to assume that what we have deduced so far is the last word on their subscription model... there is plenty of time for them to have a re-think, if they spot flaws in their original plans (not that we know much about them yet).

I just hope they are able to get their new broadcast centre at Olympic Park up and running and thoroughly tested in good time for the launch - 6 months isn't very long to do it all and iron out the inevitable gremlins!
Jaycee Dove
27-02-2013
Match day one presented from our luxury new cardboard box and unwrapped cellophane covered chairs looks completely possible from the photo of that empty 'warehouse'.

They might need Sky's help at that rate!

I just hope signing up for BT Sports is not routed via India as last time I tried to report a fault after the BT grid on the street outside our house collapsed I spent 10 minutes persuading the woman at the other end of the phone that Wales was an actual country and we were not in New South Wales in Australia!
ShaunW
27-02-2013
Originally Posted by Jaycee Dove:
“What is the thinking here, I wonder? Do BT think this might drive some customers away from Sky to Virgin as well as those they hope to take away themselves?

Will there be a BT strategy to weaken Sky by a thousand cuts ready for big strikes when future rights come up?”

I said from the start IMHO Virgin customers would be easier to target that Sky customers (if you go onto the BT forum that seems to be the topic of conversation).

Only a quarter of Sky customers subscribe to Sky Sports and Sky offers greater channel choice, more HD/3D, the most extensive movie library and if your just take sports into account across its six sports channels it wins hands down there too.
mlt11
27-02-2013
Originally Posted by ShaunW:
“Only a quarter of Sky customers subscribe to Sky Sports and Sky offers greater channel choice, more HD/3D, the most extensive movie library and if your just take sports into account across its six sports channels it wins hands down there too.”

Not sure where that figure comes from - it's actually between 55% and 60%.

Sky last officially reported this in 2007 when they reported 59%. They no longer report it but have repeatedly said at results presentations that premium channel penetration has not changed significantly.

About a year ago a Sky employee on another thread posted the latest number which implied 57% - no link as they shouldn't have posted it.
1andrew1
27-02-2013
Originally Posted by ShaunW:
“I said from the start IMHO Virgin customers would be easier to target that Sky customers (if you go onto the BT forum that seems to be the topic of conversation).

Only a quarter of Sky customers subscribe to Sky Sports and Sky offers greater channel choice, more HD/3D, the most extensive movie library and if your just take sports into account across its six sports channels it wins hands down there too.”

Should that be "Only a quarter of Virgin Media customers..." ?
Gray77
27-02-2013
Originally Posted by mlt11:
“Not sure where that figure comes from - it's actually between 55% and 60%.

Sky last officially reported this in 2007 when they reported 59%. They no longer report it but have repeatedly said at results presentations that premium channel penetration has not changed significantly.

About a year ago a Sky employee on another thread posted the latest number which implied 57% - no link as they shouldn't have posted it.”

Yeah, that 25% estimate must be wrong otherwise how could they have had a peak audience of 4.4m for the Man City-Man Utd game last April?! Unless over 85% of SS subscribers tuned into a part of that game on that Monday night that would suggest at least 5m subscribe to it, and probably more as your 57-59% alludes to.
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