Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

I've not been able to afford the sports channels for many years, priced themselves well out of many sports fans pockets. Only going to get worse with BT Sports.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

Must admit the pay TV market for sports is getting way too crowded.

Most sport I've enjoyed over the past 2 months has been free. Euro 2012, Wimbledon and now the Olympics. If only more sport could be on the BBC and ITV.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

I enjoy F1, but ITV and then BBC didn't seem to care about it.

I like boxing, used to enjoy the big fights on ITV many years back.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

I grew up on ITV boxing. Too many great fights to mention. Used to watch the fights with my Dad and Grandad. Funnily enough it would be my Mum, who had no prior interest in the fight we were watching, who would be making the most noise and cheering the action. Sadly boxing as a family event is dying out. There just isn't enough proper big fights on free TV. Just hope the Olympics injects some much needed interest. Who knows, good viewing figures might convince the BBC to give pro boxing another try.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

Sadly Chad nowadays The BBC are only interested in two or three major events and even in those we have to put up with extrememy arrogant presenters or even worse then that wooden ones and the only one l can exclude from that is Clare Balding.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

I agree on both points. It has been a golden period for sport on BBC.

I hope there will be some rationalisation of sports channels. If BT are going to play big in the sports market I think people will start making choices. How many channels can you subscribe to?

Virgin need to play their hand wisely, the XL pack has the added attraction of ESPN without subscription. If Virgin are going to continue to add a "sports perk" to the XL pack next year they need to have a careful look at their options.

I am sure BT will use a good sports package as part of their marketing strategy while Sky will still have the most sport in HD.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

Hear hear-she has been excellent during the BBC's Olympics coverage. Not into horses so hadn't seen much of her until now (although met her at the Open last year) but I think she's really good.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

Next year will be very interesting in terms of BT and ESPN. Personally I would like to keep ESPN in XL and make BT a stand alone subscription channel. I don't really watch the English Premiership so ESPN with 30 SPL games and another 10 games featuring Rangers is the channel for me. Not to mention ESPN shows weekly boxing by way of Friday Night Fights.

I know we have a lot of American sports fans in this forum who would be gutted if ESPN / ESPN America got dropped from the XL package.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

I think the lure of the Premier League will probably mean Virgin are keener to keep the football free on xl than they are the ESPN channel suite. That said, with less to offer a mass market, ESPN will have to reconsider their current subscription model anyway I reckon.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

I think it really comes down to what rights BT snap up. Even without the English Premiership, ESPN will still be a major player in terms of live football:

•Scottish Premier League - 30 live games a season from the SPL, featuring all 12 teams
•Scottish Third Division - 10 live Rangers matches.
•FA Cup - 25 live matches including 1 exclusively live FA Cup Semi Final and live coverage of the FA Cup Final live from Wembley.
•UEFA Europa League - At least 1 live UEFA Europa League game each match week
•Italian Serie A - 80 live Serie A matches and matches from the Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup
•German Bundesliga -Up to 5 live matches a week from the Bundesliga and German Cup football.
•Dutch Eredivisie - 2 live games a week from the Dutch Eredivisie
•French Ligue 1
•Russian Premier League - A maximum of 2 live games each week
•Major League Soccer (MLS) and MLS Cup - Including live MLS Play-Offs and MLS Cup Matches
•Live Brazilian Championships - Live matches from the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and Campeonato Paulista
•Women's Super League - Coverage of the inaugaral Women's Super League
•Live England U21 Home Internationals

If Premier Sports can charge £10.00 per month for their limited content, and Boxnation can charge £10.00 per month for about 6 live shows, ESPN must have a good chance of surviving. I think what TV rights they pick up and retain over the next 12 months will also have a massive impact on their future.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

ESPN do also have rights to over sports as well.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

It's an impressive list:

Ultimate Fighting Championship
Aviva Premiership Rugby
French Rugby Top 14
NFL Monday Night Football
American Basketball (NBA)
American Baseball (MLB)
German Touring Car Masters
Formula Super League
FIA GT1
NHRA Drag Racing
NCAA Basketball
NCAA Football
British Darts Organisation
PGA Championship Golf
Sri Lanka Premier League Cricket
ATP World Tour Tennis
WTA International Tennis
Australian Football League (AFL)
Friday Fight Night Boxing

Plus there is more that's not included in this list.

With the London Olympics being a roaring success so far in terms of viewing figures for the BBC, and medal wins for team GB, I wonder if this will have a positive impact for sports channels like ESPN. With people really buying into sport, and sporting achievement, a channel like ESPN with it's diverse coverage might see growth in its subscription figures over the next couple of months. I'm sure if ESPN can snap up coverage of athletic events in the coming months they would be onto a winner.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

I would not be surprised if BT surrendered it's Premier League packages to ESPN within it's 1st year.

If ESPN & Sky continue to renew existing deals then BT will have nothing to show apart from 4 Premier League games per month.

Plus people would be more interested in Channels that offer more than just one Sport. Sky & ESPN offer that.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

Sorry but thats not going to happen.

Re: ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news
 

There is no guarantee BT will get the subscriptions required.

Overspending on that will prove to be there downfall. I can't see their Channel lasting long.