BSkyB and BT ‘can work together’

BRITISH Sky Broadcasting is keen to sign a mutual wholesale deal with BT so both groups can offer their customers the full range of live sports, chief executive Jeremy Darroch told a conference yesterday.

By Bernard Ginns Business Editor

Published 21st Nov 2013, 08:47 BST

BSkyB, the dominant pay-TV group, lost the rights to show Champions League soccer to BT earlier this month, making it more important that the two groups agree a wholesale deal so BSkyB can show the BT sports channels on its platform and vice versa.

Speaking at a Morgan Stanley conference in Spain, Mr Darroch, a graduate of Hull University, said he did not expect to take a huge hit from the loss of the channels and that they had not been willing to pay any more for the rights.

BSkyB shares rallied 1.2 per cent following the comments.

The stock plummeted more than 10 per cent last week as investors recoiled from the group’s loss of rights.

Analysts said the defeat also raised the likelihood that BSkyB would have to bid very aggressively to keep the English Premier League rights when they next come up for auction.