Originally Posted by Igloo_Man:
“@Jaycee Dove
I have to disagree. Today is not a game changer. What BT have purchased today is nothing that ESPN didn't have. The game changer came in June 2012 with the bidding for the PL rights and BT's clear indication that they will take on Sky.
Whether BT can make it work or not is difficult to say, but the costs of such a venture are only going to esculate over the coming years if they choose to bid for FA Cup and CL rights in the future. And the thought of the next PL auction doesn't bear thinking about!”
I tend to agree that what you say is true, but I still feel the purchase of ESPN today is also key because it clears the path ahead for BT in ways not immediately obvious.
Had ESPN continued to exist, then it would have meant three subs for some people...eg US sports fans. Now those with ESPN subs already will likely 'become' BT subscribers almost by default, likely get special offers not to leave, and become a sort of captive audience to give them a leg up.
This greatly eases BTs passage into the field and removes a lot of the concern of many would be BT subscribers. Indeed I have looked at several forums and seen a number of posts from people saying they now regard BT as something to look at after this take over.
Check back and see how many people over the past year have said that they will not pay three subs just to get everything. By not having to do this BT have removed an obstacle that would have at least hampered take up.
Anyhow time will tell if this was just an inconsequential shrewd business move by BT or an actual turning point. I might well be proven wrong. I realise that. But I suspect this might just be the day BT assured themselves a real run at Sky in the years to come.
Sky and ESPN have had a cosy relationship. Hard to see BT and Sky being so close. But today will at least have focused minds at Sky that BT are serious about challenging them. It will probably mean that BT/Sky negotiations now become very interesting and Sky cannot approach them glibly.