BT Sport looking to sponsor the pro 12 teams

[dingodublin]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/b ... -1.1635906

Sabre Rattling by BT?

[Oldschool]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/b ... -1.1635906

Sabre Rattling by BT?

BT lend a helping hand?
What is their telecoms (phone, internet, entertainment etc) penetration (either direct or using agents) in the Irish market does anyone know.
This, I imagine, would be an issue in any discussions.
What links, if any, would they have with the Italian market?

[simonokeeffe]

They only do wholesale/business/infrastructure stuff having sold retail business to Vodafone and mobile (o2) to telefonica

Between Sky, UPC and Eircom home broadband would be very hard market to enter

My guess its offering Rabo sides 30 silver coins to get us hooked on BT junk under vague auspices of promoting BT sport channell
would hope Irish sides would have integrity not to take it, though we may end up desperate enough to need it, thanks to BT of course

[Aird]

As the more observant will have already notice BT have been sponsors of Ulster now for a number of years with their Logo on our Shirts.

[Slipper1]

Why don't they just sponsor the Pro12?

[JB1973]

Why don't they just sponsor the Pro12?

funny enough that's what i said today. Sky would go nuts if that happens!

[Morf]

Why don't they just sponsor the Pro12?

funny enough that's what i said today. Sky would go nuts if that happens!

You'd imagine the league would be bound not to sell the title rights to a competitor of one of the broadcaster.

If not Sky should be pretty miffed for signing a contract without such a clause.

[Keith]

They only do wholesale/business/infrastructure stuff having sold retail business to Vodafone and mobile (o2) to telefonica

Between Sky, UPC and Eircom home broadband would be very hard market to enter

My guess its offering Rabo sides 30 silver coins to get us hooked on BT junk under vague auspices of promoting BT sport channell
would hope Irish sides would have integrity not to take it, though we may end up desperate enough to need it, thanks to BT of course

Why would we not take the money on if its the best available? To keep our "integrity"? You do realise we were sponsored by a bank. I will happily take this sponsor we need to maximise revenue.

[simonokeeffe]

They only do wholesale/business/infrastructure stuff having sold retail business to Vodafone and mobile (o2) to telefonica

Between Sky, UPC and Eircom home broadband would be very hard market to enter

My guess its offering Rabo sides 30 silver coins to get us hooked on BT junk under vague auspices of promoting BT sport channell
would hope Irish sides would have integrity not to take it, though we may end up desperate enough to need it, thanks to BT of course

Why would we not take the money on if its the best available? To keep our "integrity"? You do realise we were sponsored by a bank. I will happily take this sponsor we need to maximise revenue.

Bank of Ireland arent seriously risking and undermining professional and international rugby in Ireland and beyond to increase their share of the UK home broadband market

[hugonaut]

Why don't they just sponsor the Pro12?

Had the same thought myself there. In hindsight, BT could have played this so much better. If they had come in with a name sponsor and broadcaster deal for the Pro12 [which would have cost them less than buttons compared to their outlay on football*], they could have wrapped up coverage of domestic rugby in Britain and Ireland and established good working relationships with the IRFU, SRU, WRU and RRW. Then the question of who broadcasts the Heineken Cup just becomes a case of who wants to pay more for it, Sky or BT. No schism between the PRL and the rest, no guerrilla tactics, just regular competition.

*They've spent just under £900m to secure Champions League rights for three years [source: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/n ... -tv-rights ] and £738m for their share of the Premiership [football, that is] rights for three years as well [source: http://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/j ... ion-sky-bt ].