BT launches new Premier League package that challenges Sky Sports

July 1 – BT today launched a package allowing its customer to view Sky Sports from as little as £6.99 ($10.62) a month on top of the basic monthly subscription.

The telecoms provider is offering Sky Sports 1 for £6.99 ($10.62) a month, or both Sky Sports 1 or 2 for £11.99 ($18.21), to customers willing to sign up to other services, such as broadband and telephone, for a minimum of two years.

This is cheaper than both Sky and Virgin, which charge £9 ($14) and £13.50 ($20.51) respectively a month for Sky Sports 1 or 2 and £27 ($41) or £28.50 ($43.30) respectively for a Sky Sports package that includes ESPN.

A basic monthly subscription to either Sky, Virgin Media or BT is £18, while monthly line rental differs from £11 ($17) with Sky, to £11.54 ($17.53) with BT to £11.99 ($18.21) with Virgin Media.

While BT remains cheaper for the monthly cost of sports channels, unlike Sky and Virgin Media customers, its customers will also have to pay set up and set top box costs of £60 ($91) for its basic bundled package.

However, a BT basic bundle that includes both Sky Sports channels and ESPN works out around £100 ($152) cheaper in the first year than the equivalent with Sky or Virgin, even taking into account the set up costs, according to price comparison website Digitalchoices.co.uk.

Once the set up costs have been paid, it is £160 ($243) cheaper than its rivals in year two.

BT is launching the package with a television ad features Michael Owen, Shay Given, Gareth Bale and Wes Brown plus BT advert regular Adam, played by Kris Marshall.

The ad follows Adam from his flat, down the lift and into the carpark as the sound of a football crowd gets louder and louder.

He heads toward a square of bright light ahead and as he keeps walking toward the light, he finds himself in a football tunnel, joined by Owen, Given, Bale and Brown lining up to go out on the pitch.

The ad culminates with Adam running out on to the pitch.

Matthew Dearden, marketing director BT Retail said, “We are proud and excited to bring our customers the best in UK sports viewing in time for the new football season, including Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2 and ESPN.

“By using footballers such as Michael Owen in this campaign we are tapping into the passion that fans feel for their sport, and showcasing the quality of the BT Vision sport offering.

“Entry prices as low as £6.99 ($10.62) will welcome in a huge number of extra customers who’d love to enjoy these channels, but thought they were too expensive.”