Premier League 2014/15: Sky & BT confirm live games for festive period
SOTB
Sky Sports and BT Sport have confirmed the Barclays Premier League games they will televise as part of a bumper festive period of live football across both channels.
The Tyne-Wear derby and Manchester United’s home clash against arch rivals Liverpool are just some of the matches selected for live broadcast between the start of December and New Year’s Day 2015, which includes 25 games in total and features three triple-headers.
Sky Sports will be screening live coverage of the derby between Newcastle United and Sunderland on December 21, while BT Sport’s cameras will be at St James’ Park for the match against present Premier League leaders Chelsea on December 6.
The second raft of live TV selections for the 2014/15 campaign includes the busy festive period, which features Chelsea’s home fixture against West Ham United, live on Sky Sports, and QPR’s visit to Arsenal on BT Sport on a bumper Boxing Day TV line-up.
Sky’s schedule for the festive period offers at least three live fixtures a week and coverage of 16 different teams including champions Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
BT Sport’s line-up of nine Premier League fixtures over the festive period includes double-headers on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, with the bookmakers’ four favourites for the title in Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal all in action twice.
The 2014/15 season marks the second year of both broadcaster’s three-year multi-billion pound TV deal with the Premier League, with Sky again screening 116 live games from England’s top flight and BT showcasing 38 live matches during the course of the season.
BSkyB paid a record £2.3 billion for 116 live Premier League games for three years from 2013-2016, including 20 first picks from the 38 rounds of matches, while BT paid £758 million for 38 games, including 18 first picks, although Sky gets to choose when it wants to exercise its first pick choices.
In 2015, Sky Sports subscribers can watch 57 more live Premier League matches between January and May, making Sky the home to more than three quarters of all live televised fixtures over the remainder of the season.
Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis said: “We offer our viewers more of the games that matter from the Barclays Premier League and that continues with a fantastic line up of fixtures for December and the New Year.
“Viewers can enjoy all the stories from both ends of the table, huge fixtures – including Manchester United against Liverpool – plus at least three matches a week. We can’t wait.”
Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said: “We will be treating BT Sport fans to a Christmas feast of football again this year.
“Our double headers on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day last year were extremely popular with football fans, and we are presenting viewers with the same gift this year.
“BT Sport is free for a second season with BT Broadband and with 18 of the ‘top pick’ Barclays Premier League matches we are bringing more of the pivotal, must-see games to a wider audience.”
Full details of December and early January’s live Premier League games on the box can be found below.
