Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has signed a three-year deal with BT Sport, it has been announced.
The deal will see Mourinho perform various roles for the new pay-sport channels, including making football programmes, acting as an expert and becoming a BT Sport ambassador.
Mourinho, who with Chelsea FC won the Barclays Premier League in 2004/05 and 2005/06, has also won the UEFA Champions League with two different teams, FC Porto and FC Internazionale, as well as winning league titles in four different countries.
His partnership with BT Sport will start with a role in the new BT Sport TV advert which airs for the first time on Saturday 12 July at 20.50 before the Brazil v Netherlands game.
“I’m looking forward to working with BT Sport,” Mourinho said. “In their first year they have shown they are not afraid to challenge, are open to new ideas and want to do things differently. This is the kind of team and ambition that I want to work with.”
Grant Best, senior channel executive producer, BT Sport, said: “Jose Mourinho is one of the greatest managers of all time. He is a double UEFA Champions League winner, has won seven domestic league titles including the Barclays Premier League, which he has won twice, as well as numerous domestic cup competitions including the FA Cup.
“To add this winning mentality and wealth of experience to BT Sport’s football coverage, and with the UEFA Champions League coming to BT Sport next season, is simply fantastic.
“Jose is well known for his sense of humour, strong views and unique character and we will showcase this along with his expert insight into our coverage of the Barclays Premier League, European leagues and competitions.”
Approximately five million homes receive BT Sport and it is estimated that three million subscribing homes take the service directly from BT – via satellite, BT TV or the BT Sport app – while the remainder receive the service via wholesale deals struck by BT. Of the three million customers, 25% have signed up since the channel first went live nine months ago.
BT Sport’s debut season included the Barclays Premier League and FA Cup, Moto GP races and NBA Basketball. In 2015 the broadcaster will also show all live matches from the Champions League and Europa League live, after winning the exclusive rights from Sky and ITV in a deal worth almost £1 billion.
