BT just won all the right for Champions League football, Sky didn't win a single bid. Won't be surprised to see BT win the movie rights as well as the rights for American TV Shows, sorta glad this is happening as I hate Murdoch.
The only thing that will happen is that SKY will bid even more for the next Prem TV rights. They can't afford to lose them. More money for Prem clubs, and higher fees for subscriptions.
More money to Champions League top clubs creating an even bigger wealth gap and pissing over UEFA fair play financial regulations ......all subsidised the British viewer great
Sky can't afford it, BT makes in one month what Sky makes in a year. BT will outbid them no matter what Sky can go upto.
Another thing in BT's favour is their monopoly on the broadband infrastructure. I'm sure there will be a time where all our tv can be beamed to us via broadband so we won't need sky dishes. Sky will then be relying on BT for their phone lines to provide their tv as well as their broadband.
As SA9 says, it is British Telecom. Sky Sports is owned by News Corp (United States) while BT are owned by the BT Group (United Kingdom). News Corp revenues are £20.63 billion, whilst BT Group revenues are £18.89 billion. News Corp must share monetary funds with their 100+ child companies, BT only need to share their monetary funds with just 4 child companies. Not even News Corp as Sky's parent entity can get close to competing with BT as News Corp's finance portfolio is spread far too wide in comparison The US publication Forbes believe this new direction BT are taking will make it the most powerful media company on the planet, British football revenues are worth about £6 billion to Sky and News Corp and all the signs suggest that BT is going to take that away from them in the next few years. So News Corp could see a £6 billion drop in revenues down to £14 billion whilst BT Group accelerates away to £24 billion. The BT Group already has ridiculous cash reserves because just like Apple Inc. they have been banking cash by the billions each year for the last decade or so. They are virtually funding the UK Fibre broadband rollout on their own, they get £20 billion from the Government but the total cost for the current plan is in excess of £50 billion.... and that £30 billion overhead not accounted for by tax payer money is being paid for by BT Group alone and they already have the bank account to pay it in one go if they wanted. In short, Rupert Murdoch is bloody screwed because he is up against a sleeping giant who just woke up!
all these companies are rip off merchants at the end of the day but sky is the worst of the lot, watch on the web is my answer as you can always plug your computer/laptop into your TV and watch for the cost of your broadband..I wont give these companies a penny for their way over the top prices they charge...
I agree, I have no doubt that BT will become another Sky who will eventually charge obscene amounts but I have a personal dislike for Murdoch so I would rather BT be the football monopoly. Who knows, I might even be partial to BT going to Australia and taking over their sport coverage.... REVENGE!
Very good post that project. interesting to read for sure. I think once BT start to spread its wings then we will see a situation similar to itv digital ,with sky being the victim .
Bloody good insight Project! Sky have had the monopoly pretty much unchallenged for far too long, it's about time they had their wings clipped
Let's hope then that BT sports sack the arsehole ex Liverpool players and get top quality pundits and presenters/commentators
Whatever happens I think the quality of pundits on both channels is not great. I mean, Jamie Carragher can just about be understood. Paul Merson? You may as well have a plank because he's thick as two short ones. Some of the guys I've seen on BT are not much better. That said I do like Gary Neville and I never thought I'd say that.
I wish they'd get subtitles for Jamie Carragher and Merson is just a pisshead. Looks like we're all singing on the same hymn sheet here, I think Dai just about summed it up perfectly
I always like the sky lad's doing soccer Saturday, make me laugh. Jeff Stealing is the business. Agree on Carragher, his voice goes through me. Redknapps a tidy presenter.
