BT Vision to offer free Setanta subscription

by Fiona Ramsay, Media Week 14-Jul-08, 13:35

LONDON - BT Vision is attempting to fight off competition from Sky and Virgin Media by offering a free Setanta Sports 1 subscription for new customers as part of a range of new packages.

Setanta Sports will be free with BT Vision's new Gold, Silver and Bronze packages.

The Bronze package, priced at £14, comprises TV and TV Replay, plus any two viewing packs (Kids, Music, PictureBox, Sport) and free Setanta when customers opt in. Customers also have to pay a £10 Setanta viewing card fee to receive Setanta Sports 1 from next month.

If users opt for BT's Standard Sports pack as well as the free Setanta Sports 1, football fans will get 242 live and "near-live" Barclays Premier League matches, giving them access to 75% of the season's 380 games, plus 100 matches from the Football League and Carling Cup.

BT Vision has also signed an exclusive deal with the Scottish Premier League to show 28 on-demand SPL games in addition to the 60 live games available on Setanta Sports 1.

Setanta is also offering a three-month free subscription to new Setanta Sports 1 customers on Freeview, as the broadcaster looks to build its customer base ahead of the new football season.