Sky Sports is to drop the numbering system it has used for its channels for more than two decades, replacing them with a thematic offer around individual sports.
New channels centred on football, cricket and golf will replace the existing line-up of Sky Sports 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. At the same time a new packaging structure will reduce prices for some viewers by two-thirds.
But by having two channels for football, Sky will be able to lock in fans of the Premier League and international football coverage.
So rather than pay the current £49.50 for the cheapest sports package, the cost is expected to drop to around £18.00. The top Sky package costs £80, but there are also supplements of £6 to pay per month to watch Sky Sports in HD, and additional fees for Sky Go and Sky Q.
Sky will have done its sums that there will be enough football fans willing to pay top price, while those just interested in cricket, will be able to avoid subsidising the £4.18 billion cost of the Premier League.
A further channel, dubbed Sky Arena, will mop up Sky’s remaining sports including rugby and Tennis.
Sky already has one thematic sports channel in the form of Sky Sports F1. The motor racing channel launched in 2012.
Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Mix, already in Sky’s basic packages, complete the set.
