July 14, 2022, 10:52 am | Read time: 4 minutes
On July 14, Sky is completely reorganizing its channel structure in the sports sector. Additionally, a new channel in the entertainment sector will launch in early August.
For Sky subscribers, a lot will change in the summer of 2022. The company is launching new sports channels and a new entertainment format called Sky Showcase. For Bundesliga fans, there is also a partnership with competitor DAZN.
Overview
Five new 24-hour channels for sports fans
On July 14, several new Sky channels will launch in Germany, which should be particularly interesting for sports fans. Sky is thus reorganizing its portfolio and providing its customers with a more detailed program structure. In total, there will be eight sports channels offering content 24 hours a day. Five of them are completely new:
- Sky Sport Top Event (Channel 201): This channel offers selected top content for sports fans. The offering will consist of both live sports highlights and recorded highlights, including documentaries, magazines, and shows. Live content may also run simultaneously on one of the other channels.
- Sky Sport Premier League (Channel 204): Following what it claims was a very successful test, this channel offers 24-hour content around the English Premier League. Live games, individual matches, conferences, pre- and post-game coverage, as well as relevant magazine and archive content, are part of the program.
- Sky Sport Mix (Channel 205): This channel offers a mix of various popular sports. This includes the Handball Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal, the NHL, and many other popular leagues. The program also includes a mix of live broadcasts and recorded matches, as well as supplementary material.
- Sky Sport Tennis (Channel 206): The name says it all; this channel is all about tennis. Sky is already the main destination for tennis fans in Germany. “Sky Sport Tennis” shows the entire ATP Tour, Wimbledon, and many other major tournaments around the clock.
- Sky Sport Golf (Channel 207): This channel offers a similar program, but specifically for golf fans. Sky shows the PGA, DP World, and the Ladies European Tour, as well as the US Open.
Additionally, the already established channels “Sky Sport Bundesliga,” “Sky Sport F1” (for motorsport fans), and “Sky Sport UHD” will also get new channel positions. The Bundesliga remains on 202, F1 moves to 203, and the UHD channel switches to 209. All the aforementioned channels are included in the Sky Bundesliga or Sky Sport packages. Customers of the new streaming service WOW can also access the offerings.
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The combo package from Sky and DAZN has a catch
Bundesliga fans have had a tough time so far. To follow all the games, they previously had to subscribe to both Sky and its competitor DAZN. Sky will continue to show all Saturday games, while DAZN broadcasts all matches on Friday and Sunday. This has been quite costly. For comparison: A Sky Bundesliga subscription costs 32 euros per month (20 euros in the first year). DAZN also raised its prices to a hefty 24.99 euros per month for an annual subscription and 29.99 euros for a monthly cancelable plan. In the worst-case scenario, this adds up to 60 euros per month in streaming costs for sports.
In the future, there will be a combo package from both providers, priced at 38.99 euros per month. In addition to the Bundesliga, it includes games from the 2nd Bundesliga and a large portion of the Champions League matches. But beware: This offer is only available to new customers and only until September 30, 2022. Also, be sure to read the fine print. The low price is only valid for one year. After that, the monthly fee increases to 61.99 euros.
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Sky Showcase brings a new entertainment channel
In addition to these extensive changes in the sports sector, there is also a significant change in the entertainment sector. Sky has announced a channel called Sky Showcase for August 4. This channel will also be available 24/7 and can be accessed on channel 100. Subscribers of Sky Q and the new streaming service WOW (both series and movies) can access it.
The new channel is intended to be the “showcase into Sky’s diverse entertainment world,” as the company stated. While the channel is considered a replacement for Sky One in other countries, this offering will remain in place here. Film and series fans in Germany will have even more choices with Sky.
Compared to Sky One, Sky Showcase is expected to have a broader lineup. During the day, a variety of content from sports highlights to children’s programming to documentaries will be scheduled. The primetime slot is reserved for major film and series highlights. The upcoming blockbuster format “House of the Dragon” will also air on Sky Showcase.