Bt Challenges Bskyb Over Pl Rights
UK telco BT has challenged rival BSkyB by claiming that is hopes to offer the full Sky Sports Premier League package at a cut price to BT Vision customers by the start of the 2010-11 football season.
Marc Watson, the new chief executive of BT’s pay-television arm BT Vision, has said the company could be in a position to charge consumers only £15 per month, compared to BSkyB’s current £35 per month charge.
His claim followed the latest report by UK television watchdog Ofcom into the country’s pay-television market, which suggested that BSkyB may be forced to cut by up to 30% the wholesale prices it charges rival platforms for its premium channels.
BT Vision was previously restricted to offering its customers the limited Premier League matches whose broadcasting rights were owned by Setanta before that company’s collapse. Those rights have now been taken on by Disney’s sports channel, ESPN.
Watson claimed Sky would benefit from BT Vision offering Sky Sports to a new market, however, media outlets have suggested BSkyB, which depends on its premium content to keep up its nine million-subscription customer base, is unhappy that the Ofcom seems to be giving a competitive advantage to a rival.
Ofcom has deferred its final decision on the issue, pending a further consultation, until late September.
