Bskyb Strikes Pl Radio Coverage Deals
BSkyB has further increased the advertising of its sports channels after striking deals with TalkSport and Absolute Radio to sponsor both radio stations’ Premier League football coverage next season.
The deals build on Sky¹s BSkyB’s heavyweight advertising campaign to promote its five HD Sky Sports channels in an attempt to face up to rival offers from BT and Virgin.
BT and Virgin are offering Sky Sports at a discounted rate after a ruling from Ofcom stated that Sky had to sell its packages for less.
However, in a bid to attract customers Sky is removing its Sky Sports News channel as a free-to-view station.
TalkSport struck a deal for two of the seven live radio commentary rights packages from the Premier League, doubling the number of live games it broadcast last season to 64, while Absolute Radio agreed a 32-game deal.
The BBC has the rights to the remaining live Premier League radio commentaries.
Sky will use the radio deals to promote Sky 3D ahead of the channel’s launch on 1st October.
The radio deals include interactive listener promotions and a range of on air and online features and promotions.
