BT delivers Premiership football via Broadband

Broadband continues to make its power play in sports. First it was the
NFL and Verizon delivering last live games over the net and now Telecom
giant BT has teamed up with Irish broadcaster Setanta to show live
Premiership football matches on its new broadband service.

In what ITN reports is a challenge to BSkyB’s dominance as the main
Premiership football broadcaster, Setanta has snapped up the rights for
46 Premiership matches for the 2007/2008 season.

And from next summer BT will include the Setanta channel as part of BT Vision, available via a Broadband set-top box.
The package also offers customers on-demand TV shows and films without a monthly subscription.
BT hopes the deal will turn it into a full multi-media company. It already offers fixed-line, mobile and internet services across the UK and BT Vision is its latest attempt to boost revenue by offering its customers something new in a market that is seeing a number of “free” offers.
“BT Vision is ideal for people who want more choice than Freeview delivers but who want that extra choice without being tied to a pricey, long-term subscription,” said BT’s Ian Livingston.
Independent Television News Limited 2006. All rights reserved.