BT sport & Eurosport Merger

[Super+Anthony]

@SKY1992bf I agree completely and that's how it should work. SKY please take note

[CardiffMan1992]

@SKY1992bf 

I get my BT Sport Via EE so I am expecting I will still get access to TNT Sports when the rebrand happens as well as BT have yet to sell there stake in the company.

[stereohaven]

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@CardiffMan1992 wrote:

@SKY1992bf 

I get my BT Sport Via EE so I am expecting I will still get access to TNT Sports when the rebrand happens as well as BT have yet to sell there stake in the company.

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Worth noting that WBD have call options (the ability to buy out), BT's 50% share in the joint venture at various points during the first 4 years of the deal. 

Personally I think BT want out sooner rather than later, they are trying to focus on broadband/mobile, I'm not sure they want to be on the hook for 50% of the next round of TV rights.

Access to the content is written into the original deal of course, so BT customers will be able to watch all the time TNT have rights. The bigger long term question is will TNT even retain the rights they now have?

[SKY1992bf]

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@stereohaven wrote:

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@CardiffMan1992 wrote:

@SKY1992bf 

I get my BT Sport Via EE so I am expecting I will still get access to TNT Sports when the rebrand happens as well as BT have yet to sell there stake in the company.

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Worth noting that WBD have call options (the ability to buy out), BT's 50% share in the joint venture at various points during the first 4 years of the deal. 

Personally I think BT want out sooner rather than later, they are trying to focus on broadband/mobile, I'm not sure they want to be on the hook for 50% of the next round of TV rights.

Access to the content is written into the original deal of course, so BT customers will be able to watch all the time TNT have rights. The bigger long term question is will TNT even retain the rights they now have?

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The next premier league tender for 25/26-27/28 is due in the next 12 months, so A. I think it's impossible for bt not to be involved in the next tender process B. We won't have long to wait to find out if TNT retains what they currently have at least 

[stereohaven]

Indeed.

If Amazon or Apple decide to go hard this time round, even Sky should be nervous. 

[SKY1992bf]

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@stereohaven wrote:

Indeed.

If Amazon or Apple decide to go hard this time round, even Sky should be nervous. 

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I don't expect sky to lose out altogether, for me they need to go hard for super Sunday and MNF if TNT can retain Saturday 12:30 I'll personally be happy with that 

[Super+Anthony]

Sky have had it easy in the past and they have dominated the market. They have realised now that there are so many other competitors out there, and not just TV companies. There are more choices with online now. Sky will have to extra careful and if they want to keep their main audience, they will have to continue fighting for access to these apps etc

[CardiffMan1992]

@stereohaven 

Thank you for info so I should be fine for a bit. 

[Doc5907]

If BT do get a lot more games, as I've just moved over to BT broadband, I can get BT Sports for £16/m no contract so I suppose that'll be an option..

[Plektrum]

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@stereohaven wrote:

Indeed.

If Amazon or Apple decide to go hard this time round, even Sky should be nervous. 

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I would probably keep expectations in check for those two... I'm not saying they won't but I don't know if the evidence so far suggests they would do that.

Apple are starting to seem like the new Al Jazeera/BeIn who kept being touted as a threat with unlimited firepower and never did anything. Plus I don't know if Apple are really the type who want to get into the bother of having to bid for rights in one particular country every three years... I think their MLS deal is more indicative of what they want to do... having every game in every territory. Their bid for NFL Sunday Ticket was apparently hampered as they were asking for things that weren't even in the package (global rights, in market games, next gen rights) so it sort of suggests Apple want to essentially do sports their way instead of just being another party in the punch up every couple of years. 

Looking at everything Amazon has done so far in the sports space, it would suggest that if they do make a play,  they're probably more likely to try and get a regular weekly game rather than blowing up the bank with a mega bid... they could have taken the entire Chanpions League rights in both Italy and the U.K. in these recent deals but instead have gone for one top pick game instead so it seems like they're looking for just enough to keep folks subscribed to Prime for a year instead of going all in.

I actually think DAZN are the real threat next time round - they need PL to get a significant foothold in this country if that's their intention so they may take the plunge and make a real play... they outbid Sky in Italy for the majority so I don't think it's an impossibility. 

I just think whatever happens we end up with 4 or even 5 distributors after the next auction. 

[Super+Anthony]

@PlektrumSo you saying we will have to pay for 4 or even 5 different groups. We paying enough as it is. Surely the Govenment or someone needs to step in, on behalf of the customer and its unfair that we need to keep paying more and more, and especially in these tough times. OR they should be offereing all these prices under one roof. This is where SKY/Virgin need to use common sense and show that they REALLY do care for the customer, rather than just being concerned with profits. I know we dont have to pay for everything, but at present , we paying for BT Sports / Sky Sports (Should be more reasonable in price and should not be anywhere near what Sky charge) / Amazon

[SKY1992bf]

There are reports suggesting premier league want no more than three live broadcast partners, as there is concern amongst clubs at the potential of increasing costs to supporters 

so if correct any new player would replace Amazon IMHO

[Super+Anthony]

@SKY1992bf That's very useful to know and positive. I can't see Amazon losing

 Currently it's - Sky / BT and Amazon, I therefore presume TNT will replace BT?

[Plektrum]

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@Super+Anthony wrote:

@PlektrumSo you saying we will have to pay for 4 or even 5 different groups. We paying enough as it is. Surely the Govenment or someone needs to step in, on behalf of the customer and its unfair that we need to keep paying more and more, and especially in these tough times. OR they should be offereing all these prices under one roof. This is where SKY/Virgin need to use common sense and show that they REALLY do care for the customer, rather than just being concerned with profits. I know we dont have to pay for everything, but at present , we paying for BT Sports / Sky Sports (Should be more reasonable in price and should not be anywhere near what Sky charge) / Amazon

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I'm just making a guess and may well be wrong! But the blind auction process for these packages could ensure something like that happens, especially if the likes of Apple, DAZN or Viaplay get into the fray!

There may be an argument for allowing the PL to negotiate with the incumbents (and I think the last deal was a step closer to seeing that happen sometime in the future) before taking them to market but I think the PL like the current process as it maximises the possible outlay and the biggest bid wins - and depending on who it is, they will have their own commercial incentives to offer as they see fit instead of being concerned about us! 

Look at DAZN's recent price hike in Italy - you could be paying over 40-50 Euros a month now (so much for being the streaming good guys of sport) so the winner will do what they need to get a return on that investment.

[Plektrum]

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@SKY1992bf wrote:

There are reports suggesting premier league want no more than three live broadcast partners, as there is concern amongst clubs at the potential of increasing costs to supporters 

so if correct any new player would replace Amazon IMHO

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I hope that is the case - but I also think the PL like money! 😂