Warner Bros. Discovery and BT Group have closed their deal to create a sports joint venture in the U.K. and Ireland.The announcement was made in London on Thursday morning.The partners said the venture “brings together one of the most extensive lineups of live sport coverage for fans in the U.K. and Ireland, including the Olympic Games, the (English) Premier League (of soccer), UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Premiership Rugby, MotoGP, UFC, boxing, WWE, tennis Grand Slams, cycling Grand Tours and the winter sports World Cup season.”Both BT Sport and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Eurosport U.K. will initially retain their separate brands before being brought together under a single brand in the future, the venture partners have also said.“As work begins to develop the new sports offering for the U.K. and Ireland, BT Sport and Eurosport U.K. will retain their separate product propositions for a period of time,” they reiterated Thursday. “BT Sport and Eurosport U.K. customers can continue to enjoy the current sport offerings in all the same ways they do currently. Over time, the intention is to launch a new sports brand in the market and present this combined sports offering together with an entertainment offering from Warner Bros. Discovery.”The venture’s board of directors is equally represented between appointees of BT and Warner Bros. Discovery. The first chair, nominated by each shareholder on a rotating basis, is Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s consumer division. Andrew Georgiou, president and managing director, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, is also a member of the board and will lead the business.“Today marks the start of our journey to build a new sports destination for fans in the U.K. and Ireland,” said Georgiou. “Combining BT Sport and Eurosport U.K. together with Warner Bros. Discovery’s world-class and growing entertainment offering will result in an exciting new proposition for consumers.”Added Allera: “As we enter our ninth season, today is day one of an exciting new chapter for BT Sport. I am extremely proud of the teams and the established brand and broadcaster that BT Sport has become, and I look forward to working with Warner Bros. Discovery to create an exciting new sport TV offering.”Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority had looked at whether the venture “may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services,” but recently unveiled its decision to allow the transaction.
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