Originally Posted by mlt11:
“The big problem with charging for CL separately is it is under 6 months of the year - one 3 month block and then one 2.5 month block (NB. Exclude final as FTA).
So for much of the time they would be charging for La Liga only and I don't think that is strong enough to sustain a standalone sub.
It would be stronger if they threw in the other European Leagues but even then still doubtful (look at the audiences BT is getting for European Leagues this season) and then there would be the issue that the "main" BT Sport channels would be losing that content.”
“The big problem with charging for CL separately is it is under 6 months of the year - one 3 month block and then one 2.5 month block (NB. Exclude final as FTA).
So for much of the time they would be charging for La Liga only and I don't think that is strong enough to sustain a standalone sub.
It would be stronger if they threw in the other European Leagues but even then still doubtful (look at the audiences BT is getting for European Leagues this season) and then there would be the issue that the "main" BT Sport channels would be losing that content.”
Very fair point about the two separate blocks of CL being a problem ... in fact, I'd take that problem even further on the basis that the autumn block only ever contains a handful of vital games in the 5th & 6th group games in among a shedload of lukewarm matches while the mega-money teams face the qualifiers.
BT might be better off announcing two price schemes going into each autumn as a way of maximising their total revenue from both the CL-diehards and those who'll only pay when they feel it matters ... eg, "£15 for the whole group stage" or "£10 for games 1-to-4 & £10 for games 5-&-6".
But one new aspect of La Liga this season would help BT justify a standalone sub for that coverage because each weekend's 10 games in Spain are now being spread over at least 8 separate time-slots (and sometimes a perfect 10).
They couldn't show them all live because one of those Spanish slots is our Saturday/3pm protected time for fans going to our domestic matches.
But there have been several cases this season where La Liga's 9 other separate kick-offs, translated into UK-time, would have given BT live games at Friday/8-or-9pm, Saturday/5pm/7pm/9pm, Sunday/11am/4pm/6pm/8pm & Monday/8-or-9pm.
Even the occasional midweek rounds of La Liga are now scheduled into double-bills on each of a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday so there are never more than 2 games taking place simultaneously while fitting all 10 games into those 6 slots.



