BT to offload TV Sport? Interested Parties

[Neils]

http://news.sky.com/story/bt-confirms-early-discussions-after-report-it-may-offload-stake-in-tv-business-12290056

Amazon Disney and DAZN (they who were behind the ESL) who have bucketloads to burn. If football gets a buyer rugby will have to go to. Unless BT do pull out because ring fencing was not part of their contract.

[hookender]

Considering it was an American investment company that seemed to be behind the ESL ,wouldn’t surprise me if it wasn’t CVC in there somewhere.

[Tervueren]

From Telegraph 31APRIL2021

Amazon linked with moves for top-flight rugby and football
By Tom Morgan

Amazon Prime was touted on Thursday night as a potential contender for BT Sport’s rugby coverage – having previously been in talks with the Gallagher Premiership prior to the latest auction.

The online giant owned by Jeff Bezos is also expected to show serious appetite to extend its Premier League offering following the  success of its first rights packages.

BT chiefs are seeking a partnership with a media company, rather than a sport-by-sport sell-off, as they instead focus resources on upgrades to the national broadband network.

However, with Channel 5 already a rights-holder for the Premiership, industry sources suggested an agreement with a paid-for service could prove less troublesome than agreeing terms with another terrestrial broadcaster.

Mick Crossan, the London Irish owner, had said last December that the Prime Video streaming service was in the running to land the Premiership. However, the following week BT Sport confirmed executives had shaken hands on a new £110 million deal that was due to see the broadcaster through to the end of the 2023-24 season.

The operator has now appointed the investment bank Lazard to explore a partial sale, and is also said to be in talks with Disney and DAZN, an international sports streaming venture funded by Sir Leonard Blavatnik, the Ukraine-born billionaire.

Multiple sources said the uncertainties of sports rights auctions and the pandemic made it impossible to say whether a transaction will be agreed.

However, Julian Aquilina, of market experts Enders Analysis, said Amazon’s progress across sport has been rapid in recent years. “I’m certainly keeping my eye on any Amazon activity in the sports arena across the globe,” he said. “They’ve struck a few deals in Europe, they obviously have a presence already in the UK. It’s getting customers to subscribe to Amazon Prime, and they don’t charge you anything extra for the Premier League.”

Amazon declined to comment on suggestions the company is in talks with BT.

[COYW15]

DAZN in 'advanced talks' to buy BT Sport according to the FT.

[bigad82]

That's me binning BT TV then.Only got it for the rugby.

[Shugs]

DAZN in 'advanced talks' to buy BT Sport according to the FT.

Does that suggest BT branding/team/package will just be available as normal but just owned by someone else?

[NellyWellyWaspy]

£7.99 a month. If only they had F1 as well.

[Raggs]

I'd love Amazon to get it, Amazon prime gives a ton of value.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

I'd love Amazon to get it, Amazon prime gives a ton of value.

It does, and I have it already, so that would be great.

[will311293]

Let's pray for Amazon.... DAZN would be awful as another service to pay for.

[Raggs]

I'd love Amazon to get it, Amazon prime gives a ton of value.

It does, and I have it already, so that would be great.

Same, it just adds more value to something I already have.

[westwaleswasp]

Given that BT pay a shed load for their soccer, if that is part of the package, there is no way it is just getting added on to anyone's package for free.

BT started cheap, single figure iirc, and became expensive.
There is no way Amazon are going to pick up all BTs content and not put the prices up to BT levels.

If it is sport by sport then rugby is relatively small fry, but if that EPL and Euro soccer is in there, I think it is safe to assume  that we can forget 7.99 a month. 

[InBetweenWasp]

Amazon have proven to have a decent setup if some of the Rugby Internationals is anything to go by.  Lovely to be able to pause and restart a programme - not possible on the BT app when it’s live tv.

You might find the time spent in the Amazon app encourages spend from Prime Subscribers.  Frankly though, if Amazon got the rugby and doubled Prime then I’d be a happy camper.

A bit like BT used TV to try and keep and grow a bunch of Broadband subscriptions there’s no reason why Amazon wouldn’t use it to drive spend on their platform.

They can’t spend money fast enough, so keeping Prime at £7.99 but with a bunch of sports wouldn’t be that much of surprise.

[westwaleswasp]

BT also have the Australian cricket, which means little financially apart from the fact it includes upcoming ashes.
If Amazon kept it low price, it would be interesting to see how Sky respond- to have a channel with  plenty of EPL, the Ashes, AIs, Euro soccer etc. at 7.99 would seriously challenge their pricing model.