BT YouView customers get Sky Sports

BT has made Sky Sports available to customers of its YouView television service, after a protracted legal battle. YouView box owners will now be able to receive Sky Sports 1 & 2, with prices starting at £16.50 per month for one channel or £22 a month for both.

BT is adding the channels to its line-up following an interim ruling in its favour from the Competition Appeal Tribunal last month. Regulator Ofcom had previously ruled that Sky must make its Sports channels available to rivals including BT, but Sky took the matter to the Competition Appeal Tribunal, which initially ruled that Ofcom’s judgement had been flawed. 

BT and Ofcom subsequently appealed that ruling, and last month the Tribunal ruled that Sky must offer the channels to BT while it considers the matter afresh. It could still mean that Sky Sports is removed from the BT service at a later date. 

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Until now, the only BT customers who could receive Sky Sports were those using the old BT Vision boxes, which the company is phasing out in favour of YouView. BT’s deal to have Sky Sports on BT Vision pre-dated the legal battle. Existing BT Vision customers will be allowed to switch to YouView for £35 at the end of their contract.

It’s worth noting that, unlike BT Vision, YouView boxes won’t be able to receive Sky Sport 5, which broadcasts most of the Champions League football. European football coverage switches to BT Sport from next season, which is free for BT Broadband customers. 

Those wanting access to the full range of Sky Sports channels could ignore BT altogether and purchase a Sky Now TV box, although the prices are much steeper – £6.99 for a day’s access to all Sports channels or £10.99 for a week. TalkTalk offers access to all six Sky Sports channels through its YouView boxes for £30 a month.

BT is currently in negotiations to buy EE for £12.5 billion.