The summer of sports continues this month, and we have some good news for Virgin Media TV customers: you’re all getting free access to Premier Sports, for a limited time.
Starting today, all Virgin Media TV subscribers can watch Premier Sports 1 HD and Premier Sports 2 HD at no extra cost, for a full month. These channels, the latest incarnation of the now-defunct Viaplay Sports, offer a variety of sports, including Spanish football matches, Scottish football games, rugby, and more.
While this is a chance for Virgin Media’s customers to check out what Premier Sports has to offer, it comes at an interesting time – with the company recently having issues with Premier’s competitor, TNT Sports.
A Rollercoaster Ride for Premier Sports
Premier Sports’ recent history has been somewhat of a roller coaster ride. Originally founded in 2009, it operated two sports channels offering a diverse range of content. In 2022, Nordic entertainment company Viaplay acquired Premier Sports as part of its expansion into the UK market, rebranding it as Viaplay Sports. However, Viaplay’s UK venture was short-lived. Facing financial difficulties, the company decided to exit the UK market and refocus on its core Nordic operations.
In a surprising twist, Premier Sports reacquired the UK business from Viaplay, marking a return to its original identity. This rebirth of Premier Sports officially took place in April 2024, complete with a new website, app, and online streaming platform, as well as the renamed channels on pay-TV platforms like Sky and Virgin Media.
What's on Offer?
Premier Sports offers a wide selection of sporting action that caters to various tastes. For football fans, Premier Sports is the home of LALIGA, Spain’s top-tier football league. You can catch matches featuring powerhouse teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atlético Madrid.
It also broadcasts the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup (soon to be rebranded as the Premier Sports Cup). In addition, Premier Sports covers the Rugby Championship, Mixed Martial Arts events, motorsports and more.
What's Coming Up in August?
In August, Premier Sports plans to air:
Football:
Scottish Premiership:
- Rangers v St Johnstone
- Celtic v Hibernian
- Dundee FC v Hearts
LALIGA
- Real Madrid v Chelsea
- Ross County v Aberdeen
- Mallorca v Real Madrid
- Barcelona v Athletic Club
How to Access Premier Sports for Free
For the entire month of August, all Virgin Media TV customers can enjoy Premier Sports at no extra cost.
Customers can find Premier Sports on:
- Stream
- Virgin TV 360
- TiVo
- V6
Once the free month is over, customers who wish to add Premier Sports to their subscription, can do so for an extra £12.99/month – which is available on the Virgin Media Stream box, as well as on Virgin Media’s older boxes like TV 360.
Why Free Access Now?
Interestingly, this free Premier Sports offer comes on the heels of recent changes to TNT Sports access for some Virgin Media customers. Last September, Virgin Media removed TNT Sports (formerly known as BT Sport) from its bundles, and new customers had to start paying extra to view Premier League football, UEFA Champions League games, UFC fights and more.
Then in June, Virgin Media announced plans to automatically remove TNT Sports from certain TV packages, specifically affecting subscribers who were still on the legacy ‘Maxit’ bundle. Customers were informed via email that unless they took action, they would lose access to TNT Sports.
Furthermore, it was then reported that Virgin Media may lose TNT Sports altogether (even as a paid add-on), due to a “hot dispute” between the companies.
However, the old deal between Virgin Media and TNT Sports was set to expire today – August 1, 2024 – and yet TNT Sports is still very much around for Virgin Media’s customers. Therefore, it’s possible a last-minute agreement was reached. Of course, we’ll keep you updated if anything changes.
Meanwhile, this shake-up with TNT Sports makes Virgin Media’s current offer of free Premier Sports access particularly noteworthy, potentially providing an alternative source of sports content for affected customers.
Free Premier Sports: A Win for Virgin Media Customers
While the free access to Premier Sports is a limited-time offer, it’s a welcome boost for Virgin Media TV customers. It gives them a chance to explore a new sports channel and potentially discover new events to follow, especially if they’ve been affected by the recent changes to TNT Sports availability.
This move highlights the increasing competition in the UK’s streaming market, with companies constantly vying for customer attention. As we head into the new football season, it’s likely that more such offers will emerge, giving viewers more choice and flexibility in their sports viewing options.
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