BT has launched an offensive against Sky ahead of the upcoming bidding war for UK television rights to the Champions League, accusing its rival of excessive dominance in the pay-TV sports market. The competition for the exclusive rights to European football's premier club competition is set to intensify when Uefa opens bidding in March.
BT, which currently holds the rights under a £900 million deal, is reportedly exploring partnerships with free-to-air broadcasters, a move likely mirrored by Sky. The current arrangement has drawn criticism from Champions League sponsors concerned about reduced audience exposure compared to the previous joint Sky and ITV deal.
Despite both companies downplaying expectations of a bidding war, Uefa anticipates the next three-year contract could fetch up to £1.2 billion, a 30% increase. John Petter, chief executive of BT Consumer, emphasised the importance of retaining the rights for BT's pay-TV business, stating, 'Our strong preference is to keep the Champions League.'
Petter also criticised Sky's market position, noting that Sky controls over 70% of pay-TV sports revenues. He argued that such dominance, coupled with low customer switching rates and high prices, would be deemed detrimental to consumers in other sectors, yet has faced no regulatory action in sports broadcasting.
