Olswang and Wiggin land lead roles on Virgin Media sports deal with BT
Olswang and Wiggin have advised on Virgin Media's deal with BT to make its sports channels available to Virgin TV customers. BT announced the three year wholesale deal this week (August 15), enabling Virgin to provide BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2 and ESPN to 3.8m people on its books.
August 15, 2013 at 11:51 PM
2 minute read
Olswang and Wiggin have advised on Virgin Media's deal with BT to make its sports channels available to Virgin's TV customers.
BT announced the three-year wholesale deal this week (15 August), which will enable Virgin to provide BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2 and ESPN to 3.8 million people on its books.
The deal marks a big win for Virgin in its ongoing rivalry with BSkyB, while also providing a welcome boost in viewer numbers for BT.
Olswang acted for BT, with London commercial partners Selina Potter and John Enser leading a team working with BT's chief counsel for TV, Russell Johnstone.
Wiggin represented Virgin, with the media specialist firm's team working alongside Virgin associate counsel Lauren Kaye.
The deal comes after Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and DLA Piper earlier this year took lead roles on BT's acquisition of ESPN's UK and Ireland TV business, a deal which included its live sports rights portfolio.
Corporate partner Natasha Good led the Freshfields team advising BT. In 2012 she also advised the telecoms company on its £738m acquisition of rights to screen 38 live Premier League football matches between 2013 and 2016 – it's first major push to compete with Sky over sports rights.
In January BT said it was overhauling its roster of external advisers, with media law specialists Wiggin and Sheridans also winning roles on the telecoms giant's latest UK panel, alongside existing firms Bird & Bird, CMS Cameron McKenna and Freshfields.
For more, see: Freshfields, DLA switched on as BT buys ESPN channels in sports push.
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