UK pay-TV giant, Sky, has recently announced the launch of a new streaming and linear channel offering called Sky Sports+. This innovative service is set to expand the availability of its portfolio of sports rights for customers.
Sky Sports+ will be available to existing Sky Sports subscribers at no extra cost. The broadcaster claims that this new service will increase sports coverage on Sky by 50%. It's an exciting development for sports fans who can now access more content than ever before.
The service will be integrated into all existing Sky platforms including its linear TV options, NowTV streaming service, and the Sky Sports app. All these platforms will host live streams or linear broadcasts of selected sports events.
EFL fans will enjoy their time at Sky Sports+
One notable feature of this new offering is the extensive coverage it provides for English soccer’s EFL competitions. Each team from across the Championship, League 1, and League 2 will be shown on Sky Sports+ over 20 times per season.
For the first time ever, all 36 Championship games from opening day will also be broadcasted on this platform. To accommodate these additional fixtures several kickoff times throughout the season have been altered.
Sky Sports managing director, Jonathan Licht, said:
“With the introduction of Sky Sports+, we are now able to offer sport fans more choice and an even better experience when watching the live action, at no extra cost.
“For the first time, we will broadcast every game live from across the EFL on the opening weekend. It’s going to be a huge moment for football fans up and down the country and is a fitting way to kick off our ground-breaking new partnership with the EFL. And this is just the beginning; Sky Sports+ unlocks the potential for us to keep evolving and finding new ways to deliver brilliant sport to our customers.”
Broad spectrum of sporting events in different sports
Sky has assigned a wide range of broadcast rights to its new platform. Apart from football matches, other notable sporting events include every game from rugby league’s Super League competition; tennis coverage from ATP and WTA tours as well as US Open; golf coverage from PGA Tour; exclusive access to documentary content produced by Sky Sports.
Sky states that their new service allows them to show “up to 100 events concurrently”. This means that viewers can enjoy a variety of sporting events simultaneously without missing out on any action.
Accessible content for non-subscribers
In addition to catering for existing subscribers, non-Sky subscribers can also access Sky Sports+ content through NowTV contract-free packages. This move allows even more viewers to enjoy comprehensive sports coverage without committing to a long-term subscription.
In April, Sky Sports announced a renewed five-year deal to broadcast over 1000 matches per year of EFL soccer through 2029. With the addition of Sky Sports+ facilitating this ambitious tally, it shows how committed Sky is in providing extensive and quality sports broadcasting.
The launch of Sky Sports+ marks a new era in sports broadcasting by offering an expanded portfolio of sports rights and increased accessibility for customers. Whether you're a football fan or an avid follower of tennis or golf, there's something for every sports enthusiast on this platform.
