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Optus unveils Premier League plan, strikes deal with SBS, launches 24/7 football channel

Optus has unveiled the details of how it plans to deliver the English Premier League to consumers, signing a deal with SBS to sub-license games.

As part of the deal with SBS Optus will get access to the FIFA World Cup.

As part of the deal with SBS Optus will get access to the FIFA World Cup.

The deal sees Optus also full coverage of the FIFA World Cup, while SBS will secure a Saturday match of the English Premier League.

Optus has confirmed it will launch what it says is Australia’s first ever 24/7 football channel dedicated exclusively to the English Premier League, and carried on Optus’ subscription TV platform, Optus TV with Fetch. Consumers will be able to access the channel via a new, mini set-top box similar to the Telstra TV product and on mobile. 

The new channel will have up to 10 sub-channels, Optus will accommodate every match of every round live and there will be also be an dedicated EPL app and website.

Allen Lew, Chief Executive Officer at Optus, said in a statement: “With Optus, football fans are spoiled for choice. As the only telco in Australia to own and operate network infrastructure across all three mobile, fixed and satellite platforms, we are in a unique position to deliver the English Premier League and the 2018 FIFA World Cup to more Australians, in more ways than ever before.”

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“Broadcast has been a key part of our services since the inception of Optus’ satellite business. We have developed rich expertise in broadcasting and have a long history in delivering high-quality live broadcasts via our satellite fleet.”

SBS MD Michael Ebeid

SBS MD Ebeid: “We will screen 38 EPL games ever year”

Michael Ebeid, managing director at SBS, told Mumbrella: “It is wonderful to be able to bring English Premier League to Australian free-to-air audiences for the first time in 12 years.

“This allows us to have 38 EPL games every single year, instead of just the World Cup every four years,” he said.

“We are getting one match per round and that’s every year for the next three years.”

The EPL will be available exclusively to Optus customers with the full pricing details will be unveiled in June.

EPL fans and venues interested in accessing EPL can register their interest at http://www.optus.com.au/epl.

Nic Christensen 

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