Sky signs a new 7-year deal with the PDC

[devosteve]

Who actually first said the bubble was bursting?

Not a clue. But I do know you have made the (quite feasible ) point that the pdc need to take heed of the mistakes the bdo made. That is over saturation of the TV product.

Do you still hold to this ? Doesn't seem likely any day soon.

[Paddy McGinty]

Sky are drug cheats......another one got caught yesterday ......is this really the sort of company you want screening darts in the future. What sort of example is this for our young ones.

[The Jolly Man]

Lack of ambition from the PDC? 5 years seemed a lot 7 seems to many. Are the PDC looking to maintain status quo for a number of years rather than develop further?

Can only assume that the length of the deal came hand in hand with a promise that the pro tour could go entry fee free

[Ginge]

Lack of ambition from the PDC? 5 years seemed a lot 7 seems to many. Are the PDC looking to maintain status quo for a number of years rather than develop further?

Can only assume that the length of the deal came hand in hand with a promise that the pro tour could go entry fee free

Which is probably the right thing to do. Number of TV events going up isn't needed. And ITV started showing a load of new ones in recent years *live and delayed) with the World Series thing.

[foggs3355]

So how long is the itv deal with there 5 events not as long as this 7 year one surely

[Dannyboy]

Anyone know the value of this deal?

[Dannyboy]

Lack of ambition from the PDC? 5 years seemed a lot 7 seems to many. Are the PDC looking to maintain status quo for a number of years rather than develop further?

Can only assume that the length of the deal came hand in hand with a promise that the pro tour could go entry fee free

I tend to agree and I hope the PDC are getting a shed load of cash for it - but that said, can darts get that much bigger in the UK? The PDC have focused in the last few years with overseas growth, with the multi years deals in Netherlands, Germany and beyond.

[Dannyboy]

FWIW, apparently next years prize money is £14,000,000.

[mc1958]

So how long is the itv deal with there 5 events not as long as this 7 year one surely

3 years up to 2020

https://www.pdc.tv/news/2017/11/26/pdc- ... -year-deal

[devosteve]

Hearn said last night on sky sports news re this contract with Sky: I don't forget those who have been good to us. Sky have been great for the PDC and darts has been good for Sky.

maybe it was sales talk but I did like how he was saying that he has a degree of loyalty to sky for their support in the early days.

[ifm]

#loyalty

[Paddy McGinty]

#loyalty

When I read through the lines it would seem that although Hearn got a reasonable deal with Sky it wasn't as good as he was initially holding out for so he accepted the lower deal and now makes out it was because of his loyalty towards Sky and not a climb down on his part.......... you couldn't make it up.

[Booji Boy]

Sky and BT have agreed to allow each others channels to be shown on their platforms. Very sensible move and good for fans of all sports.

[cannibal]

Disney didn't want the sport side of Murdoch empire anyways. ESPN is a bloated piece of money sucking crap. This has been in trade rags for a couple years now. Every chance they get they are unloading on air personalities who they paid way to much for. Besides Disney is looking at streaming service, syndications, and content. Sports is view it live or stream it live no to little money in a second and third viewing

[Ginge]

Sky and BT have agreed to allow each others channels to be shown on their platforms. Very sensible move and good for fans of all sports.

Dunno about that, if the full Sky Sports package currently costs £X and the BT Sport one costs £Y, the new combined one will merely cost at least £X+Y, I would be amazed (very) if it was any cheaper so dont really see the benefit on that specific point.

[Little Lonely Garry]

Who actually first said the bubble was bursting?

Initially was rout
Although redman did a few lectures on how it would burst also citing it was unsustainable.
Then the rest jumped aboard and this is what they tried to convince themselves would happen more out of hope than expectancy.

Then these people are the same people who thought bunting was the 3rd best player in the world.
The cidercan stream would be in English
The bdo was gonna grow
Warren Brown was the savior of the bdo.

[only85]

Also...

talkSPORT, the world’s biggest sports radio station, has secured exclusive UK radio rights for the 2017/2018 William Hill World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.

There will be updates from every session across the first round, as sporting legend Phil 'The Power' Taylor attempts to win an unprecedented 17th World Championship title in what will be his last-ever professional event and reigning champion Michael van Gerwen bids for a hat-trick of titles at the iconic North London venue

talkSPORT 2 will then have full commentary from Thursday 21 December up to the quarter-finals on Friday 29 December before coverage switches to talkSPORT for the semi-finals on Saturday 30 December and final on Monday 1 January respectively.

The talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2 team includes presenters Ray Stubbs and Andy Goldstein, former darts stars Colin Lloyd and Bobby George as well as respected commentators Nigel Pearson, Jim Proudfoot and John Gwynne.

Liam Fisher, Wireless Group National Controller, said: “Few sporting arenas can match the Ally Pally in December for the PDC World Championship Darts. It’s a privilege to bring one of the biggest sporting events of the Christmas period to the talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2 audience.

“With so much live football, racing, rugby, NFL and now darts over Christmas and the New Year, there’s only one place to go for your festive fix of sport."

PDC Chairman Barry Hearn said: "It's great to welcome talkSPORT on board to cover the William Hill World Darts Championship through both talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2.

"talkSPORT have always been great supporters of darts and this deal will be a fantastic addition to their festive schedules and a boost for darts fans across the UK, who will be able to listen to full coverage of the latter stages of the biggest event in the sport."

For full details of how to listen live to talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2, visit http://www.talksport.com or follow @talkSPORT and @talkSPORT2 on Twitter.

Broadcast Timings
• Thursday 21 December, coverage from 7pm
• Friday 22 December, 12.30pm and 7pm
• Saturday 23 December, 7pm
• Wednesday 27 December, 12.30pm and 7pm
• Thursday 28 December, 12.30pm and 7pm
• Friday 29 December, 12.30pm and 7pm (quarter-finals)
• Saturday 30 December, coverage from 7pm, play starts at 7.30pm (semi-finals, talkSPORT)
• Monday 1 January, coverage from 7pm, play starts at 8pm (the final, talkSPORT)

Over a week of darts on the radio!!!!

wonder if this will be as good & funny as when bbc 5 live did the final a few years back on new years day john rawling was on comms with paul nicholson

[malcy93]

Sky and BT have agreed to allow each others channels to be shown on their platforms. Very sensible move and good for fans of all sports.

A year”s wait though. Does not start until 2019.

It looks like Sky and BT have decided not to be as aggressively competitive against each other. I think one reason was BT didn’t want a spending arms race on sports rights.

Look at Football League. BT reportedly pulled there offer at last minute as management panicked on cost. So Sky did not pay a crazy price hence why the Football League owners took so long to confirm that deal. They wanted more money which wasn’t on offer.

I also think both companies are spooked if a US web company makes a crazy bid for Premier League with the next rights auction now open. Facebook bid for internet rights to IPL cricket in India. Were only beaten as Star (owned by Fox so now Disney) bid so high for both TV and internet globally. Amazon have been buying some minor stuff like co-broadcasting as few NFL games and have been buying a lot of tennis in UK.

[The Jolly Man]

Sky and BT have agreed to allow each others channels to be shown on their platforms. Very sensible move and good for fans of all sports.

Don’t know if you can get bt sport on sky, but you can already get sky sports on bt. Think the big change will see the availability of sport through the now tv app on the bt platform allowing people to dip in and out of sky sports rather than having a subscription.

Think the world of 12/18 month subscriptions will surely be a thing of the past in the next 2-3 years.

Netflix and Amazon have stolen a march on Sky on this pay as you go platform purely down to there availability. This deal should get Now tv right out there and I would imagine this part of Sky will be pushed more in the years to come.