BT Sport has unveiled plans for its exclusive live coverage of European football’s biggest club competitions – the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
The broadcaster has revealed that all 351 matches from both competitions throughout the 2015/16 season will be free-to-view for customers who take its BT TV service.
Those customers will be able to receive the full BT Sport Pack for free – comprising BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2, the rebranded BT Sport ESPN and the new BT Sport Europe channel, which launches on August 1 as the new home of top European football from the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
BT Broadband customers who choose to watch on their Sky service, via the BT Sport App or on BT Mobile will be able to add the BT Sport Pack for an extra £5 per month.
BT Sport’s on-air line-up for its new European football coverage will be led by Gary Lineker, who has finally been unveiled as the channel’s main Champions League anchor, alongside Jake Humphrey, after months of speculation.
They will join the BT Sport punditry team which includes Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Michael Owen, Steve McManaman and Owen Hargreaves, as well as new signings Steven Gerrard, Harry Redknapp, Glenn Hoddle and Howard Webb.
The channel will also broadcast a new ‘Goals’ show, presented by James Richardson, where viewers can tune in on Champions League nights to enjoy all of the news and action across all eight games as it happens.
Keeping its promise to “make televised sport more accessible to more people”, BT will give its broadband customers the option of receiving BT Sport 1 for free for a third season, which will continue to show all 38 live Barclays Premier League matches as well as the Aviva Premiership and Scottish football.
BT’s screening of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches will also see new innovation with regard to how viewers can watch games on BT TV.
BT TV will be the only place where customers can watch all of the UEFA Champions League games in HD.
BT Sport’s Connected Red Button service will allow BT TV viewers to switch between matches and track the action with a new ‘Goal Alert’ function which will let the viewer know when a goal is scored in any of the games and check all the latest stats.
Customers will also be able to watch every game live online and through the BT Sport app.
The app will include a great way to instantly access all of the goals and events from every game, at any time, through a new game timeline feature.
This will allow key events to be viewed from multiple camera angles along with a wealth of in-game analysis through new tournament and match homepages.
We are delighted to announce that the Champions League will be FREE with @BTTV #BTSportEurope. http://t.co/JGGVAJoErD pic.twitter.com/vlv11pkdBM
— BT Sport (@btsport) June 9, 2015
BT will make some matches available for everyone to watch, whether a subscriber or not, via a new, free-to-air channel on digital TV.
Called BT Sport Showcase, this channel will show a minimum of 12 UEFA Champions League matches and 14 UEFA Europa League matches and these will be available to anyone to watch for free, with each participating British team to be shown at least once.
Finally, the company has announced that in August it will also launch the first Ultra HD (4K) channel in Europe, BT Sport Ultra HD, and will also introduce a new BT TV Ultra HD set top box.
The Community Shield will be the first such broadcast on August 2, with other live events shown throughout the season, including selected games from the UEFA Champions League, Barclays Premier League, FA Cup and Aviva Premiership Rugby.
BT Sport paid an eye-watering £897m to beat ITV and Sky Sports to claim the exclusive rights to cover the UEFA Champions League and Europa League in autumn 2013, with the deal due to run for three seasons until 2017/18.
John Petter, chief executive of BT Consumer, said: “When we launched BT Sport we promised to make televised football far more accessible and affordable than it has been to date.
“We have opened the market to millions of new customers and we want to build on that as BT Sport becomes the undisputed home of European football.
“We are of course giving our best offer to existing customers – broadband customers will get the new BT Sport Pack for the heavily discounted price of £5 whilst customers who take broadband and TV from us will get it absolutely free.
“This is a new chapter for European football on TV. BT Sport will show hundreds of live matches throughout the tournament using the very latest technology.
“Our presenters and experts will also provide the smartest insight and analysis.”
Commenting on the channel’s plans, Jake Humphrey told btsport.com, “Now is the time to focus on all the great things our game brings, and Champions League football is right up there.
“From next season, the Champions League will be exclusively live on BT Sport. It will be the only place you can see Champions League games, and we are all aware how much of a responsibility and an honour that is.
“I remember when I first left the BBC in 2013 and arrived at BT Sport, I was in a room of just seven people. And that was it. That was every BT Sport employee.
“I can barely believe how things have changed in the past two years. From zero to over five million subscribers – yes, that is FIVE MILLION! We’ve been nominated for broadcast awards, sports journalism awards, and even a BAFTA for our coverage of the FA Cup.
“So, it’s been a remarkable two years, but this summer when you’re sunning yourself, we’ll be preparing to take BT Sport to the next level.
“We will continue to bring you masses of Premier League and FA Cup games, but from August you can also add the Champions League and Europa League to the list.
“And joining me to host the games, a man who I look at as the greatest football presenter of his generation, and not a bad footballer either – Gary Lineker.
“When I first heard there was a chance we’d get Gary, I was all for it. I want BT Sport to become the home of the best sport, and best sports presenters. Welcome, Gary!
“We also have some grand plans for how to make your viewing of the Champions League and Europa League the best ever.
“On big European nights, BT Sport will be the go-to destination, the hub for all the games, the focal point as Europe’s best do battle.”
For more details on BT Sport’s European football plans, visit btsport.com/europe.
Exciting times at @btsport with the launch of #btsporteurope, with the real @ChampionsLeague trophy! pic.twitter.com/ThBCwTjhKe
— David James (@jamosfoundation) June 9, 2015
Thrilled to tell you, I'll be presenting @ChampionsLeague football next season on @btsport
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 9, 2015
Lineker, Rio, Stevie G & Hoddle lead @btsport's new Champions League signings. #BTSportEurope http://t.co/ZlrwmTDP3O pic.twitter.com/sGptPmc4Ve
— BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) June 9, 2015
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