Steven Gerrard and Gary Lineker unveiled by BT Sport as part of their … – Telegraph.co.uk

BT says there will be one free match every round for CL and EL. But not each leg. So 26 free games, as opposed to 42 on ITV.

— Ben Rumsby (@ben_rumsby)
June 9, 2015

Of the 26 Freeview games, 12 will be Champions League, 14 Europa League.

— Ben Rumsby (@ben_rumsby)
June 9, 2015

Sky subscribers who have BT Broadband will be charged £5 extra a month.

Customers who take BT TV will receive the full BT Sport Pack for free including BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2, ESPN on BT Sport and the new BT Sport Europe channel, which launches on August 1.

Gerrard, who has joined MLS side LA Galaxy, is joined by former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand as a leading analyst.

• Things BT can learn from Sky’s stylish Champions League coverage

Former England manager Glenn Hoddle, ex-West Ham and Spurs boss Harry Redknapp and retired referee Howard Webb will also form part of the new-look line-up.

^{Humphrey has been fronting BT Sport’s coverage}

Lineker will share presenting duties with Jake Humphrey.

John Petter, chief executive of BT Consumer, said: “When we launched BT Sport we promised to make televised football far more accessible and affordable than it has been to date. We have opened the market to millions of new customers and we want to build on that as BT Sport becomes the undisputed home of European football.

So, CHEAPEST way to watch Champions League next season is buy a basic BT TV box for £35 and become a broadband subscribers. Then it’s free.

— Ben Rumsby (@ben_rumsby)
June 9, 2015

“We are of course giving our best offer to existing customers – broadband customers will get the new BT Sport Pack for the heavily discounted price of £5 whilst customers who take broadband and TV from us will get it absolutely free.

“This is a new chapter for European football on TV. BT Sport will show hundreds of live matches throughout the tournament using the very latest technology. Our presenters and experts will also provide the smartest insight and analysis.”

^{Has BT scored an own goal with their £897 million deal?}

The managing director of Sky Sports yesterday sought to spoil BT Sport’s big Champions League launch by revealing ratings for the competition had plummeted since 2010.

Barney Francis said the last five seasons had witnessed a 36 per cent drop in viewership of Europe’s premier club competition on Sky, which has lost the rights to it from this summer.

“We’re hard at work preparing for a new season where TV sport itself will be in the spotlight as the Uefa Champions League moves to BT after many years on Sky Sports and ITV,” he wrote in his sky.com blog.

• Sky questions Champions League value

“We’re proud of the high standards that our production teams have set in the Champions League.

“While we have enjoyed bringing the competition to customers, there is no doubt that Sky Sports remains the unrivalled choice for sports fans. Not just next year, but for years to come.

“In football, it’s the intense rivalry of our domestic competitions that matters most to customers. You only have to look at the viewing figures to see the evidence.”