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

[neilo]

Wow, BT would have been better off keeping its games under wraps! The mystery was making me really worried that I'd be missing out if we didn't get BT Sports. But after seeing that list and seeing that every game is at 12.45 on a Saturday, I'm quietly hoping that BT Sports won't go on XL and we'll all get some money off instead!

[Tricky Trevor]

Not much point in me getting it as I'm at work most Saturdays

[coulsontom]

BT have 8 out of 20 weekends first pick and sky 12/20 for the remaining games.

BT got 5/13 first picks and Sky used 8/13 for that period.

Clearly BT will have a greater number of better games in the 2nd half of the season.

Early games, even big ones, tend not to be that great anyway.

[telegramsam]

Originally Posted by neilo

Wow, BT would have been better off keeping its games under wraps! The mystery was making me really worried that I'd be missing out if we didn't get BT Sports. But after seeing that list and seeing that every game is at 12.45 on a Saturday, I'm quietly hoping that BT Sports won't go on XL and we'll all get some money off instead!

12.45 saturday kick off time suits me fine but if I'm out I just record it!

[Risco]

I assume BT Sport will come with ESPN if it launches on XL?

Nobody has a clue.

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by coulsontom

BT have 8 out of 20 weekends first pick and sky 12/20 for the remaining games.

BT got 5/13 first picks and Sky used 8/13 for that period.

Clearly BT will have a greater number of better games in the 2nd half of the season.

Early games, even big ones, tend not to be that great anyway.

No, Sky get to choose which weekends Bt take their top picks.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Good question to ask is - does anyone know if the football commentators from ESPN, will be on BT Sport ?

[thenry]

Joining BT Sport as football commentators will be Ian Darke and Darren Fletcher. Darke has covered all 21 seasons of the Barclays Premier League as well as Champions League finals and five World Cups for various broadcasters. Fletcher joins BT Sport after becoming one of the most familiar voices on BBC Radio 5 Live, through his excellent football commentary on Barclays Premier League, European Championships and World Cups.

Joining them will be former Liverpool and England legend Michael Owen who will retire after the 2012-2013 season and will take up the key role of co-commentator.

In addition, Premier League referee Mark Halsey joins BT Sport in August in a brand new role in the commentary team working across the channels’ football coverage. Halsey has refereed in the Premier League since 1999, officiating over some of the biggest games.

http://www.btplc.com/news/articles/s...7fd94374186%7D

no sign of Jon Champion great news! total bore that guy. Anti-Gooner.

[colin25]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

Good question to ask is - does anyone know if the football commentators from ESPN, will be on BT Sport ?

Moot point, if Virgin don't get it.

But don't worry, enough people here can tell you what happens, when it happens

---------- Post added at 22:06 ---------- Previous post was at 22:05 ----------

That presumes you remain a Virgin

[coulsontom]

Originally Posted by andy_m

No, Sky get to choose which weekends Bt take their top picks.

Yes. But Out of the remaining 20 weekends, Sky have 12, BT 8.

BT are highly likely to pick up some good stuff amongst those 8 weekends.

[andy_m]

There will be no doubt some good games on Bt, after all, there were on ESPN. What there won't be are any of the headline matches that sell subscriptions. Sky can control when Bt get their rremaining 8 top picks - if the best match of that weekend is Man U v. Palace then that's what they're stuck with. They spent ttoo much time trumpeting their number of top picks, and now they've been made to look a little silly (as predicted).

And when you consider that Setanta failed and ESPN didn't want to continue despite having all the xl customers as guaranteed revenue, something Bt don't yet have, and the fact that those who actually attend matches won't be able to watch their output because they'll be on the way to the game, I think it's fair to say that Bt will struggle for viewing figures. I know that's not necessarily the most important factor to gauge the success of this venture for Bt, but I simply can't see that they'll ever be able to make money from it.

[colin25]

Originally Posted by andy_m

There will be no doubt some good games on Bt, after all, there were on ESPN. What there won't be are any of the headline matches that sell subscriptions. Sky can control when Bt get their rremaining 8 top picks - if the best match of that weekend is Man U v. Palace then that's what they're stuck with. They spent ttoo much time trumpeting their number of top picks, and now they've been made to look a little silly (as predicted).

And when you consider that Setanta failed and ESPN didn't want to continue despite having all the xl customers as guaranteed revenue, something Bt don't yet have, and the fact that those who actually attend matches won't be able to watch their output because they'll be on the way to the game, I think it's fair to say that Bt will struggle for viewing figures. I know that's not necessarily the most important factor to gauge the success of this venture for Bt, but I simply can't see that they'll ever be able to make money from it.

It depends on how many subscribers switched to their broadband product.

And depends on BT's end game. Still not obvious

[nstokes]

19 days

[colin25]

Originally Posted by nstokes

19 days

Yes, I am excited. Looking forward to three more sports channels