UK: BT will launch a free version of BT Sport in 2015-16 for the Champions League

BT will launch a free version of its pay-TV channel BT Sport at the start of the 2015-16 season, announced John Petter, the chief executive of the consumer division of the British telecommunications group to the London Evening Standard on 06/05/2015.

From 2015-16 (until the end of the 2017-18 season), BT Sport will be the exclusive broadcaster of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League in the UK. "Some games will be free as well. There’ll be a free-to-air version of BT Sport. Sports that go exclusively pay-TV are not good for the long-term health of any sport because you narrow the base over time," said John Petter.

TV rights for 2015-2018 European Cups: BT will pay €359m per season

• BT Sport, acquired the exclusive UK audiovisual rights for the Champions League and Europa League for the 2015-2018 period on 09/11/2013.
• BT bought the rights from UEFA for €1,075,981,484, about €359m per season.
• In the UK, neither the final of the Champions League nor the Europa League are on the list of sporting events considered of major importance to be broadcast by a "freely accessible…