BT Sport nets 19,000 commercial customers in first year

Independent research commissioned by BT Sport reveals that its package is now used by one in four pubs in the UK, with its market share equivalent to that enjoyed by rival Sky.

The company also said it would push through an inflationary price rise of 2.7% for its commercial customers, effective from 1 September.

BT Sport’s director of commercial customers Bruce Cuthbert said he was delighted with the progress made after 12 months, with its service proving popular across a range of commercial markets including independent pubs and clubs, as well as pub groups, hotels, betting shops, and other premises.

“We said at the launch a year ago that we wanted to make premium sport accessible to pubs previously not showing sport, and we’ve done that. The range of pubs we have signed up is broad and wide,” he added.

The research shows BT has increased the commercial market for TV sport - based on the number of new customers who have not previously subscribed - by about 26%.

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BT Sport will also be revamping its marketing support offered to licensees, with the aim of further engaging customers and driving footfall.

The recent partnership with Carlsberg — which sees freetrade outlets that stock the brewer’s products entitled to a 50% discount on a BT Sport subscription — was going well, Cuthbert added.

Next season, BT Sport will again be showing 38 Premier League matches, alongside a range of other football, including FA Cup and Europa League matches.

It will also jointly broadcast the new European Rugby Champions Cup with Sky together with a range of other sporting action.