BT Sport’s initial viewing figures for Premier League football games compare very favourably with those previously achieved by such companies as ESPN and Setanta.
What is more, on a typical Saturday or Sunday another 100,000 users now watch content through its app.
Speaking in a presentation entitled Examining the growing role of premium content, Simon Green, head of sport, BT Sport, said that the first Premier League match it showed at the start of the current season in August attracted 900,000 viewers, while the most recent (Tottenham v Man United, on Sunday, December 1) had 1.1 million viewers.
Green said that BT identified sport as the best content to acquire in the short term to build its premium TV business and had committed £2 billion so far, along with £3 billion towards its fibre-optic broadband rollout.
He added that in a market that is dominated by a broadcaster for 20 years BT had no credibility this time last year.
It also accepts that it is still building its credibility.
After 17 weeks BT Sport is focused on what it is doing itself and ultimately wants to improve the public’s perception.
Looking to the future, BT Sport plans to acquire more content.
Furthermore, with the Champions League coming up, it will come up with ideas of how to support it digitally and with the use of the second screen.
The company has to think strategically and creatively at the same time.
Green also said it was important not to put everything behind a paywall.
BT Sport in addition took to a long term view when acquiring content.
