Sky Takes Sporting Events Online

BSkyB is launching a subscription-based website, which will broadcast video highlights of major sporting events, such as the Cricket World Cup and Premiership Football.

Sky recently re-designed its website, and the new service is seen as the first step towards screening live sports events online.

Stephen Nuttall, head of enterprises at Sky Sports, commented: “Sky Sports has a tradition of innovation, not only in broadcast, but also in pioneering online streaming of footage both on skysports.com and many of the club sites that we run. Sky Sports Active Online aligns our broadcast and online offerings and paves the way to a heightened quality of streaming via broadband technology.”

Sky Sports Active online will use material for which Sky Sports holds internet rights through its broadcast contracts. Other television companies will be eyeing the venture carefully, as the cost of sports rights has increased over the past few years and additional revenue channels from sponsorship and advertising are becoming increasingly attractive.

Earlier this month, Sky announced it had added 244,000 new customers to its digital satellite pay-TV platform in the final quarter of 2002, taking the total to 6.6 million (see BSkyB Shows Strong Half-Year Figures, On Target For 2003).

BSkyB: 0207 705 3000 www.sky.com

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