Re: ESPN may lose EPL Football
 

Apparently BT will launch a new football-focused channel to carry the games.

It will offer new interactive features when supplied over BT's fibre network and BT will look to distribute it on other platforms.

Re: ESPN may lose EPL Football
 

Al Jazeera theatened to bid last time around but never did ! probably Richard Scudamore talking the price up sounds like he was successful.

As for ESPN they will either stay part of the TVXL package until the contract runs out and or VM might just ty to get inclusive deal with BT all speculation really,just like the non appearance of the Al Jazeeera bid like last time.;)

Re: ESPN in XL tv pack post 2012?
 

Agreed, Virgin will need to pull something out of the back, I think Spotify premium for the price of Spotify Unlimited for XL customers, also with Tivo etc is one thing, ESPN will so have FA Cup games but less people will subscribe to xl unless there is a real tempter

Re: ESPN may lose EPL Football
 

This is all round bad news for Virginmedia, They pay a lot for Skysports and BT will want a lot for their channelas they have paid A LOT of money for the 2 packs.

Why give Virginmedia a cheap deal? BT is also a platform owner like SKY where premierplus and ESPN were just content. So BT will use this as a pull to get customers onto BT-Vision.

No incentive to give Virginmedia a cheap deal as they're a competing platform. An that is a very important point to keep in mind.

Re: ESPN in XL tv pack post 2012?
 

And what makes you think they will copy Sky's tactics with TV channels. Having the channel on as many platforms as possible is more revenue for BT. Sky never see it that way as their subscribers outnumber everybody elses, so they can get away with it.

Re: ESPN in XL tv pack post 2012?
 

This is BT...they invented difficult, and love monopoly (not the game) :D

Re: ESPN in XL tv pack post 2012?
 

As I said in the other thread, BT are also a platform not just a content provider. This is different to the ESPN thing as it was in ESPN's interest to get on Virginmedia they didn't have their own platform. BT does and this will be its pull.

Re: ESPN in XL tv pack post 2012?
 

I said that on this thread too...but willing to share credits :D

Re: ESPN may lose EPL Football
 

what happens to Setanta Ireland?

Re: ESPN may lose EPL Football
 

Excellent point. ESPN weren't a platform and it was in their interests to make that XL deal with VM.

Once BT's rollout is complete and their linear TV service is up and running, I'm sure BT customers will get the football cheaper than VM customers. I'm going to enjoy 'free' football on XL while I can.

And I'm sure BT will remember how Sky reduced their profit margin on SS1 and SS2 by raising the retail price of those channels, within hours of BT announcing deals for those channels. Love to be a fly on the wall within the room for those BT-Sky talks.

Re: ESPN may lose EPL Football
 

i just hope it come 2 vm

Re: ESPN may lose EPL Football
 

Of that there is no doubt.

Re: ESPN may lose EPL Football
 

I would imagine it 100% will be on Sky and VM.

---------- Post added at 18:26 ---------- Previous post was at 18:21 ----------

You never know that might of been the day BT executives decided no matter what they were going to stick it to Sky when the rights came up again. I get the feeling BT aggressively went in to 3 or 4 packs.

Re: ESPN may lose EPL Football
 

Yeah, but for how much? I think people hoping for a ESPN/XL pack-style will be disappointed.

Call me a cheap bugger but I don't really want to pay any more ££££ for EPL footy. That's what made the ESPN/XL deal so good for VM and its XL customers. BT have no reason to do that kind of deal with VM.

Oh, we'll get it. Probably for an extra £5 per month or something.

Re: ESPN may lose EPL Football
 

^ anyone ^ :confused: