BT Sport will CHANGE its name after £650m Eurosport merger with Premier League games to be shown on a new channel from next season… but it’s unclear how much fans will have to fork out for a new subscription
- BT Sport will change its name following last year’s £650m merger with Eurosport
- Broadcasters will announce the creation of several new channels on Tuesday
- It is unclear at present how much fans will be asked to pay for the new channels
Premier League matches will be broadcast on a new channel for the first time in 10 years next season with BT Sport to change its name following last year’s merger with Eurosport.
Sportsmail has learned that BT Sport and Eurosport are set to announce the creation of several new channels which will pool all their live sports rights, which also include the Champions League, Olympic Games, Grand Slam tennis and cycling’s Grand Tours.
The creation of a new brand follows last year’s acquisition of BT Sport by Warner Brothers Discovery, who also own Eurosport, in a deal worth up to £650million.
A holding company has been set up called Warner Brothers Discovery Sport, which is likely to feature in new channels’ branding with BT Sport consigned to history.
Although officially described as a joint venture it appears that BT Sport have been taken over by the American giants.
BT Sport will change its name for next season following their £650m merger with Eurosport
In addition to the rebrand BT Sport staff will leave their long-established headquarters in Stratford, East London, at the end of the season to move to the Warner Brothers studios in Chiswick and Stockley Park.
More than 200 BT Sport staff have been told they will have to reapply for their jobs, with around 50 facing redundancy.
High-profile pundits such as Rio Ferdinand, Michael Owen and Robbie Savage will not be affected in the short-term however, as they are under contract for the remaining two years of BT’s contract with the Premier League.
It is unclear at present how much fans will be asked to pay for the new channels, or how many will be on offer, with the broadcasters expected to provide more details of their plans later this week.
BT Sport currently operate five channels and Eurosport two, a number which is likely to be reduced.
BT Sport have had live rights to broadcast Premier League matches alongside Sky Sports since 2013, but face a tough battle to retain them after 2025 despite WBD’s financial firepower, as new players such Apple TV and DAZN are also expected to bid.
Sportsmail has learned BT Sport and Eurosport will announce the creation of new channels
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