BT Sport (1 Viewer)

[samccov1987]

Just seen that BT are discussing selling their sports channel. Suspicion is they may sell to Amazon or DAZN.

Could this be the start of a serious decline in TV rights or will the streaming giants force rights higher?

Whilst I know the intention of multiple rights packages was to increase competition and benefit the consumer it just seems like we’re having to subscribe to more and more services if your a fan of Sport.

Can the market keep growing or is it about to burst?

 

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[Evo1883]

Everything has a limit doesn't it , it will implode at some point

 

[Evo1883]

 

[ovduk78]

There was a report yesterday that the PL don't want TV rights to go to an auction & government are looking at extending current deal at the same rate but may not be able to do so because it will breach bidding laws. Looks likely PL are worried that they may have hit the ceiling with last deal and maybe BT are worried that it is too high and want to pay less.

 

[Evo1883]

For reference Manchester city were royally dominated first half yesterday and this was lineker , a bt sports presenter at full time

 

[samccov1987]

I do wonder why the premier league don’t just create their own app/streaming service. But then without all the promotion from Sky would people sign up?

Just seen that DAZN have signed Eddie Hearn’s boxing so if they did get BT’s sport portfolio may be a cheaper option to sky if the price is right.

 

[SBAndy]

I do wonder why the premier league don’t just create their own app/streaming service. But then without all the promotion from Sky would people sign up?

Just seen that DAZN have signed Eddie Hearn’s boxing so if they did get BT’s sport portfolio may be a cheaper option to sky if the price is right.

If DAZN are making a play for the UK market then we could see a substantially lower monthly price.

 

[chiefdave]

Everything has a limit doesn't it , it will implode at some point

We may be at that point. BT Sport have been racking up losses of tens of millions annually and boosted their subscriber numbers by offering knock down prices to BT customers. And of course the likes of Setanta and Eleven Sports failed miserably. Even Disney couldn't pull it off and backed ESPN out of the UK pretty swiftly, licensing the branding to BT.

Did some reading on this subject when C4 ended up with the England tour to India at the last minute. The rights were originally offered to Sky and BT with an asking price £20m, C4 are believed to have paid £2m and that was for a ready to air product. The feed they received from India already had English language commentary on it, they just had to rebroadcast it.

Seems a lot of things being shown on Sky and BT are actually being provided to them free of charge as the rights market has collapsed. The theory being you can get more income from additional sponsorship than the cost of providing the feed. Even the Premier League found that in the last rights sale, in 2018, for the first time two of the packages on offer went unsold in the initial auction having failed to make their reserve price. The PL are current trying to get the existing deals extended on the same terms, we all know they wouldn't be doing that if they were confident the next round of rights would generate more income.

Put simply the rights aren't generating enough revenue, through subscribers and advertising, to justify the asking price. Direct to consumer (streaming) is an option but interestingly a lot of companies who have been operating that way are moving back to selling rights packages citing the costs of maintaining technology.

 

[wingy]

We may be at that point. BT Sport have been racking up losses of tens of millions annually and boosted their subscriber numbers by offering knock down prices to BT customers. And of course the likes of Setanta and Eleven Sports failed miserably. Even Disney couldn't pull it off and backed ESPN out of the UK pretty swiftly, licensing the branding to BT.

Did some reading on this subject when C4 ended up with the England tour to India at the last minute. The rights were originally offered to Sky and BT with an asking price £20m, C4 are believed to have paid £2m and that was for a ready to air product. The feed they received from India already had English language commentary on it, they just had to rebroadcast it.

Seems a lot of things being shown on Sky and BT are actually being provided to them free of charge as the rights market has collapsed. The theory being you can get more income from additional sponsorship than the cost of providing the feed. Even the Premier League found that in the last rights sale, in 2018, for the first time two of the packages on offer went unsold in the initial auction having failed to make their reserve price. The PL are current trying to get the existing deals extended on the same terms, we all know they wouldn't be doing that if they were confident the next round of rights would generate more income.

Put simply the rights aren't generating enough revenue, through subscribers and advertising, to justify the asking price. Direct to consumer (streaming) is an option but interestingly a lot of companies who have been operating that way are moving back to selling rights packages citing the costs of maintaining technology.

I'm fine with any part of that if some sanity returns.

 

[CCFCSteve]

Theres just too many different channels for people to pay for. This is badged as being good for the consumer (due to choice) but it becomes too costly. A prime example is Matchroom moving to DAZN, which on the face of it could be great if you only get sky sport’s for boxing but will probably be just another cost for most who want to watch boxing as well as other sports (although its only two quid a month at the moment, guessing it will increase once exclusive matchroom deal kicks in)