Sky Sports has "snatched the rights to Spanish football back from under BT Sport's noses" despite having previously pulled out of the bidding process, according to Ben Rumsby of the London TELEGRAPH. El Clásico and the weekly exploits of Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo had looked set to "fall into BT's lap last week when Sky withdrew from the race in protest at its initial offer being turned down." But Spanish Football League rights holder Mediapro "came crawling back just as BT thought it was on the brink of completing its biggest coup since it blew Sky out of the water" two years ago to land the Champions League. After signing a new three-year deal that will "take its unbroken association with La Liga past the 20-year mark," Sky Sports Managing Dir Barney Francis said, "This is fantastic news for Sky Sports and strengthens our position as the first choice of sport in the U.K. and Ireland." It was said that Sky had "secured the competition for less than it had originally bid" (TELEGRAPH, 8/5). In London, Sale & Shergold reported retaining La Liga coverage "will come as a massive relief for Sky, whose cabinet of live European football coverage would have been threadbare had BT swooped." Sky would have been "left with just" the Dutch Eredivisie and a "few matches from the Coppa Italia, the Italian equivalent of the FA Cup." By contrast, BT would have "exclusive coverage of the Champions League and Europa League, plus league games from Italy, Germany, France, Portugal and Switzerland" (DAILY MAIL, 8/5). La Liga will be available to Sky Sports subscribers whether they are on mobile, laptop and selected tablets via Sky Go. Non-subscribers can also see matches without a contract through online streaming service NOW TV. By purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 ($10.90) or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99 ($17.14), fans can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices (Sky Sports).
