The two broadcasters have announced an extension of their existing content partnership, which sees Sky Cinema and Sky Sports content appear on Virgin TV, and revealed Ultra HD programmes will come to Virgin from 2020. Until now, Sky's live sport and films have only been available in HD. They already have - BT have struck a deal with Sky and will be able to receive Sky Atlantic next year. Virgin's contract with Sky ends in 2019 also, and Sky have said that the channel will be on all major platforms as they monetise their assets to balance mounting costs, particularly of football rights. Sky Sports Never miss a minute of the action With 10 exhilarating sports channels you can catch edge-of-the-sofa action at home, or online on the go with the Sky Sports app. Watch 126 Premier League games plus 127 live Sky Bet English Football League games.
Sports fans will be able to watch Sky Sports channels without a Sky TV subscription for the first time from the spring, with the launch of new pay-as-you-go day passes.
BskyB has announced a new pay-as-you-go option for sports fans; a £9.99 day pass for Sky Sports.
It will be the first time sports fans will be able to access prime content such as Premier League football without a Sky TV subscription.
What will you get for your money?
Sky Sports Red Button Virgin Go
For £9.99 a day sports fans will be able to watch unlimited sports content from all six Sky Sports channels on its new internet TV service, Now TV.
The service targets viewers who want to watch a one-off event such as a Formula One grand prix, England cricket match or Masters golf.
What is Now TV?
Now TV launched in July last year and allows non-Sky subscribers to access content on a pay-as-you-go or contract basis.
Now TV just offers films at the moment and aims to rival Lovefilm and Netflix. BskyB says around 25,000 customers signed up to the service in the last three months of 2012.
New customers get 30 days for free and after the trial ends it costs £8.99 a month for three months, if you join before 31st March 2013. After that it’s £15 a month for unlimited on-demand movies streamed via the internet.
The £9.99 a day sports fee will be on top of the fee pay-as-you-go customers pay for films.
For more read Netflix vs Lovefilm vs NOW TV: the cheapest way to watch films.
How do costs compare?
Big sports fans who watch Sky Sports more than two days a month will still be better off subscribing to Sky Sports. Sports channels currently cost £21 a month on top of a basic Sky TV package, while bundled sports packages start at £42.50 a month.
However, you don’t need to have a Sky TV subscription to get Sky Sports channels; BT Vision and Virgin Media customers can also subscribe.
BT Vision charges £20 for Sky Sports 1 and 2 on top of normal subscription costs while Virgin offers the Sky Sports Collection for £25.75 a month.
Most Premier League and Champions League games, the Ashes, the Rugby Super League and the Ryder Cup and the biggest matches are shown on Sky Sports 1 and 2. But if you’re into more minority sports such as WWE, you might need Sky Sports 3 and 4 too.
Orange Swapables
People with an Orange mobile phone have another option if they want to watch Sky Sports.
Mobile users on either Orange’s pay monthly Panther or The Works plans get one or two “Swapables” each month included free on top of their internet, minutes and texts allowance.
You’ll get one free Swapable on Panther or The Works plans costing less than £25 a month, and two free Swapables on Panther or The Works plans costing more than £25 a month.
Swapables on offer include subscriptions to Sky Sports Mobile TV, The Times newspapers, travel app Go Commute and music streaming service Deezer. As the name suggests, you can swap them around and subscribe to different things each month.
Find a pub
One cheap way to watch Sky Sports without paying for a subscription is to find a pub showing the event you want to watch.
The Sky Sports Pub finder tells you where the next big game is being shown in your area. You simply enter your postcode to find your nearest pub showing live sport on Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD and Sky 3D. Once you've found your nearest pub, give it a call to confirm they are showing the game you want to see.
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Virgin Media customers with Sky Movies or Sky Sports subscriptions can now log in to the Sky Movies and Sky Sports apps for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch and watch their Sky Movies and Sky Sports channels online using their Virgin Media accounts.
Virgin Media customers can now take their Sky Sports channels on the go and access Sky’s rich sports data and analysis services for the first time.
Highlights for sports lovers include Sky Sport’s cutting edge second screen functions, including alternating F1 driver camera views, ball-by-ball hawk eye data feeds for cricket fans and player action heat maps for football fans and much more on the Sky Sports iPad app.
Customers with Sky Movies subscriptions can view all 11 Sky Movies channels live and watch over 800 films on demand, via their iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, or on the Sky Movies website. Virgin Media customers can also benefit from Sky Movies cinema finder tool for new releases, and can add upcoming screenings to their personal calendars at the touch of a button, read expert reviews and watch the latest trailers.
Scott Kewley, director of digital entertainment, Virgin Media added: “With the most sports channels, better deals and now more ways to enjoy Sky content we’re cementing our position as the home of sport on TV, at home or on the go.'
The news comes after Virgin Media became the most comprehensive provider of top sports TV in the UK, by adding Sky Sports 3 HD, Sky Sports 4 HD and Sky Sports F1 HD to its channel list, which also includes BT Sport, with Sky Sports 5 and Sky Sports 5 HD available from launch on August 12th.
Virgin Media is also shaking up the sports TV market offering unprecedented savings on Sky Sports, with its Season Ticket offering ten months access to all six Sky Sports channels for £150 upfront, giving customers a 40% saving compared to paying via a monthly subscription.*
Virgin Media’s Season Ticket is available until the end of football transfer window at the end of August.
Notes to editors
Sky Sports Virgin
* The Virgin Media Season Ticket cannot be taken in conjunction with any other offer. Available until 1st September 2014, 12 month Big Bundle contract or re-contract applies. Sky Sports in HD is available with Virgin Media for £7 a month.
Both Sky Movies and Sky Sports apps require a 3G, 4G or WiFi connection, users may incur data charges when connecting via 3G or 4G.
View all of the 2014/15 Premier League fixtures being shown on Virgin Media using our football fixture generator.
About Virgin Media
Virgin Media offers four multi award-winning services across the UK and Ireland: broadband, TV, mobile phone and landline.
The company’s dedicated, ultrafast network delivers the fastest widely available broadband speeds to homes and businesses. And we’re expanding this through our £3bn Project Lightning programme, which will reach 17 million premises.
Our interactive TV service brings live programmes, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and the best apps and games in a set-top box, as well as on-the-go for tablets and smartphones.
We launched the world’s first virtual mobile network, offering fantastic value and services to customers. We are also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the UK and Ireland.
Through Virgin Media Business we support entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector, delivering the fastest widely available broadband speeds and tailor-made services.
Virgin Media is part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international cable company. Together Virgin Media and Liberty Global serve 27 million customers across 14 countries.
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