BT’s investment in sports rights is just about paying off, according to its latest financials.
The telco’s consumer division reported a 21% increase in broadband and TV revenue. This however has to be offset against an increase in operating costs of 14% in part due to costs of the first full year of the BT Sport Europe channels.
BT Sport’s average audience figures increased 58% over the year excluding the Showcase and digital channels. Additional viewers have been brought in after the Freeview BT Sport Showcase Channel was streamed on YouTube. The figures for Real Madrid’s victory over Atlético Madrid in Milan reached 1.8m viewers via our BT Sport app, BT.com and the new BT Sport YouTube channel.
TalkTalk TV homes are also now able to subscribe to BT Sport channels on a rolling monthly contract directly from BT.
BT TV itself added 59,000 TV customers, taking the installed base to 1.6 million.