Sky is starting the new football season with addition of a channel dedicated to European football.
Sky Sports 5 is the seventh channel in the Sky Sports bouquet – Sky Sports News and Sky Sports F1 make up the seven – and will be seen as a riposte to BT’s £897 million deal to screen the UEFA Champions League from the start of the 2015 season.
In the meantime Sky Sports 5 will screen the European cup competition alongside European Qualifiers for UEFA EURO 2016, La Liga, the Coppa Italia and Copa del Rey.
A new deal announced Tuesday will bring exclusively live coverage of Holland’s top division Eredivisie in a four-year deal.
A marketing campaign starring David Beckham goes live this week – in a new deal Sky TV customers with Sky Sports can also get two years’ free totally unlimited Sky Broadband Unlimited – according to Sky the 17 Mbps service represents a saving of £330 a year.
Virgin Media has confirmed to Broadband TV News that its customers will also be able to view the channel.
Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “Sky Sports 5 takes our unrivalled live football coverage to the next level offering more European football than ever before. There’s never been a better time to be a Sky Sports customer and with two years’ free totally unlimited broadband, we offer the ultimate package for sports fans.”
Unlike previous additions customers will be required to register for the channel. Registrations on June 12 and can be completed via red button, online and by calling Sky.
