Seems like a good move this by BT Sport. They get a whole lot of extra content making it a much more viable service from day 1, and carriage on all the major platforms. So does this mean that all ESPN subscribers will automatically become subscribers to the BT Sport service ?
BT will operate one ESPN branded channel, so presumably the main channel will become the main BT Sport Channel ?
Looking forward to there being another pay TV outfit that can actually take the fight to Sky. Interesting times.
The problem with the previous competitors was the lack of trust that it would be a service that lasted. Setanta didn't do very well, because nobody had heard of it (and thanks to their crap adverts, earned nicknames such as Sultana), and ESPN didn't really hold much relevance either. Having an established name provide a service will garner more initial trust.
Yes, although BT doesn't have a universally good reputation.
The big difference this time round is that it's essentially a driver for a platform rather than a channel for a channel's sake. It's more like Sky Sports in that respect
What I meant was that BT is an established, large company that's unlikely to go under any time soon. BT has had a poor reputation in the past for its broadband (which, nowadays, is rather unwarranted), but it is more likely to last. Obviously the factors you mentioned hold true.
Could it be that ESPN classic could be rebranded as BT Sport classic?
From what I've read ESPN Classic remains in the hands of ESPN (as it isn't just a UK channel), but it's likely to be wound down not just here, but in Europe, Africa and Asia too. I suspect they'll have BT Sport 1 & 2 and ESPN America as part of this bundle - with the latter retained to just enable BT to screen content direct from the US version rather than shell out for their own hosts etc.
Separate from the agreement with BT, ESPN is proposing the wind down of ESPN Classic throughout the EMEA region and the non-UK ESPN America TV businesses.
It looks like ESPN America will disappear for those outside the UK and Ireland, and ESPN Classic will be closed down altogether.
What this deal also does it give BT capacity to have two HD channels, BT sport 1 and BT Sport 2, as well as the SD versions.
I should add that back in the mid 1990s (1996 I think), when the Premier League TV deal was being announced, there were rumours that BT were thinking of making a bid. They didn't, but the fact they were considering a bid does show they had ideas even back then.
I wouldn't be at all surprised with Discovery's interest in Eurosport to see some BT talks between themselves and Discovery over Eurosport's activities in the UK, afterall BT has already taken Women's Tennis away from them.,
Future interests
1. If England Cricket continue to be successful, I could see the ECB wanting more for their assets. Cricket rights could be offered in two packages as a result. BT could well be interested in the Limited Over games, and maybe County matches to fill their summer void.
2. US Sports, I can see BT going hard for NFL in the future.
3. Football, the next UEFA round will be very interesting, A split between BSB and BT for the pay component is almost inevitable, even if BT get the less attractive matches, from the UK point of view., I'd expect some interest in from the Football League maybe offering the League Cup as a separate deal which BT could go for. Spanish Football could be on BT's radar too.
4. Combat sports could find a home on the channel.
5. The Olympic Park location of their operations could see a challenge for Athletic events, previously not covered by Pay TV,
6. F1, With Jake Humphrey onboard, and Bernie Ecclestone's tenure coming to a close, I can see BT having a go for the Pay Rights when they come up for renewal.
The real crunch will come with pricing, Inevitably both BSB and BT will be hiking their pricing, possibly by 20percent plus from August to recoup the huge hike in EPL rights for the next few seasons. That'll add to churn.
So basically you see BT bidding for practically everything, which practically I suspect they couldn't do. The ECB definitely need to look at breaking down their packages though - the current deal may put money in the counties pockets but it has done it no favours in terms of raising it's profile and setting up a Twenty20 tournament of it's own which could rival the IPL and Aussie Big Bash series in terms of attracting attention.
As for UEFA - although plenty of group games on offer I just don't think they have enough knock-out games to enable them to split it between two pay TV broadcasters - and also have a FTA broadcaster on the scene, with at most two games per night from the second round onwards. OK, they could probably split them so it's something like ITV+BT on Tuesday and Sky on Wednesdays but don't see how that would benefit either BT or Sky.
It'll be interesting though to see how UEFA package the World Cup/Euro qualifiers, especially with the factor of their being four rather than one home nation. From what I've read so far they're planning to split each match day over three, so international weeks having games from Thursday to Saturday then Sunday to Tuesday. I would guess like the Champions League that free to air broadcasters will get first pick, then pay TV get the rest - but whether the FTA broadcaster would get first pick of both sets of matches, or like the Champions League only be involved in one "match day" remains to be seen.
I wouldn't be at all surprised with Discovery's interest in Eurosport to see some BT talks between themselves and Discovery over Eurosport's activities in the UK, afterall BT has already taken Women's Tennis away from them.,
Future interests
1. If England Cricket continue to be successful, I could see the ECB wanting more for their assets. Cricket rights could be offered in two packages as a result. BT could well be interested in the Limited Over games, and maybe County matches to fill their summer void.
I think this is unlikely and would be likely to serve the sport poorly.
6. F1, With Jake Humphrey onboard, and Bernie Ecclestone's tenure coming to a close, I can see BT having a go for the Pay Rights when they come up for renewal.
I don't see how Bernie's retirement would have anything to do with it. Presuming a similar split paid/fta model is maintained for 2016 onward, whoever puts in the highest bid will get it regardless of who's head of the FIA.
6. F1, With Jake Humphrey onboard, and Bernie Ecclestone's tenure coming to a close, I can see BT having a go for the Pay Rights when they come up for renewal.
I don't see how Bernie's retirement would have anything to do with it. Presuming a similar split paid/fta model is maintained for 2016 onward, whoever puts in the highest bid will get it regardless of who's head of the FIA.
Likewise, why would the fact Jake Humphrey is at BT be relevant in any decision to pick up Formula 1 rights? It's not as if someone at BT is going to think, "our Jake's good at presenting F1, we should get the rights for him". Anyway, if he went to presenting F1 for BT it would be a demotion from big Premier League footie games and I imagine the traveling that is attached with the F1 role given his young family was a factor in him taking the BT football job.