ESPN Sells U.K. Channels to BT

UK telecommunications operator BT Group PLC snapped up ESPN's U.K. and Irish television channels business, boosting its soon-to-be launched pay-TV sports offering.

ESPN, which is owned by Walt Disney, will be left with only a digital media presence in the region. BT is looking to bulk up its pay-TV offering, BT Vision, with the launch of its own-branded TV sports channels by the summer. With the deal announced, BT will operate at least one-ESPN-branded channel as part of its sports offering on BT Vision. The rest will be rebranded BT Sports. ESPN showed 23 live Premier League soccer matches a year from 2010 to 2012, but after May 2013 it will no longer have any U.K. soccer-league rights. A spokesman for the U.S. cable-sports network said ESPN decided to sell its U.K. and Irish TV channels businesses for several reasons, including the loss of live Premier League soccer matches, BT's move into sports content, intense competition from incumbents in the sports broadcasting space, including BSkyB, PLC and the British Broadcasting Corp.