Optus Sport makes Euro 2020 finals free to watch
As the tail end of the UEFA Euro 2020 football tournament approaches, broadcaster Optus Sport has announced that the semi-finals, and the final, will be available outside its paywall.
The tournament to date has been available to Optus customers and subscribers via the telco’s sport-focused streaming platform Optus Sport, but now anyone will be able to view the semis on 7-8 June, and the final on Monday, 12 June.
Speaking with Mumbrella for this week’s Mumbrellacast, Optus Sport VP of TV, content and product development, Clive Dickens, said making those games free is a way of helping the many Australians connect with families overseas who they can’t see in person at the moment.
“This is so much more than a piece of premium content. This is about connecting Australians to the moments that matter, and family in lockdown is really, really important.
“We know there are seven million Australians will some form of European heritage… so we can do our little bit to help those families connect across the divide.
“Having all those European teams… it’s a way of having that shared experience we all need in these difficult times.”
Wednesday morning will see tournament favourites Italy take on the hot-and-cold Spanish team, while England will try to take another step towards bringing it home against a plucky Denmark side that has been through hell and back so far this tournament.
Optus head of TV and content, Corin Dimopoulos, added: “We have had our greatest ever month on Optus Sport with the best of the best competing in the UEFA EURO 2020 and Copa America 2021 tournaments and we still have the biggest matches of the tournament to go.
“With the likes of Harry Kane and Lorenzo Insigne to be in action across the Euro finals, all Australians can now watch these three live matches on Optus Sport for free without a subscription.
“We recognise that a lot of the country is currently restricted when it comes to going round to friends’ houses or to a venue to watch games together, and we are therefore pleased to provide as many Australians as we can with the opportunity to enjoy the last three tournament games in the comfort of every home.”
Free live coverage for the semi-finals will be underway from 4.30am (AEST) while an hour-long pre-show game begins at 4am on Monday morning ahead of the final.
There’ll also be over 90 minutes of post-match reaction, analysis and fan involvement live on every matchday, in what Optus Sport is calling the most extensive Euro coverage seen by Australian audiences.
The Euro Brekky Wrap, hosted by Jules Breach and Mark Schwarzer, will take place after each game from Optus Sport’s London Studio.
The matches will be marked with a green ‘Free’ tag on the match tile on Optus Sport’s website.
For Mumbrella’s full chat with Clive Dickens, tune into the Thursday edition of the Mumbrellacast, out 8 June.
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Zanda Wilson was a reporter and podcast producer at Mumbrella, specialising in radio reporting. He left Mumbrella in September 2021.
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