BT has announced plans to distribute this season’s UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League finals to a wide audience. They’ll be free to view on YouTube, the BT website, BT Sport channels and the BT Sport app.
For the first time the Champions League final will be available over a number of 360 degree streams on both YouTube and the new BT Sport Virtual Reality App. Viewers will be able to switch between a 360° produced programme with commentary and graphics, or select their own camera viewpoint.
John Petter, CEO BT Consumer, said: “Making the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League available for free to everyone in the UK shows that BT really is serious about making sport much more accessible to the public. These are two of the biggest club football tournaments in the world and showing them live on social media and on mobile devices makes it more readily available to a younger audience as well as available to traditional TV viewers.”
The game will also be available for the first time in 4K UHD on YouTube and 4K UHD with Dolby Atmos sound on BT TV.
YouTube’s Senior Director in EMEA, Stephen Nuttall says: “Our users love football, so we’re seriously excited to bring BT Sport’s ground-breaking coverage of these two massive games LIVE on YouTube, for a second year running. Fans today expect quality content on every screen and this partnership delivers just that. People can enjoy it wherever they are, on any screen and experience new ways of watching the beautiful game.”
The finals will kick-off this year on Wednesday 24 May with Manchester United’s quest for European glory in the UEFA Europa League final against Dutch legends Ajax in Stockholm. It is not just the trophy up for grabs, as the winners will be guaranteed a spot in the UEFA Champions League next season.
Coverage will be available on Freeview via BT Sport Showcase HD, BT TV, Virgin Media, Sky, live on BT Sport’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/btsport; www.bt.com and the BT Sport App.
