EIR SPORT CUSTOMERS will no longer have access to the BT Sport package as part of their subscription, with Sky Sports taking over as the exclusive distributors of both BT Sport and Premier Sports in Ireland.

The new long-term agreement between Sky Ireland and BT Sport is an extension of the broadcasters’ UK content partnership and was announced last October. It will come into effect on 1 August.

On Monday, Sky confirmed details of its new Sports Extra Package, which will now include BT Sport 1, 2 and 3, ESPN and Premier Sport 1 and 2, meaning viewers in Ireland can access Premier League, Champions League, Europa League and Heineken Champions Cup coverage under one subscription.

BT Sport, which was previously only available in Ireland through the bundled eir Sport pack or free to eir broadband and mobile customers, currently has rights to show every Champions League, Europa League and Champions Cup game, in addition to 52 exclusive Premier League fixtures per season.

Premier Sports, meanwhile, carries live coverage of the Guinness Pro14 in addition to Scottish football and Serie A games.

The deal means subscribers will now be able to watch all 233 televised Premier League games next season through one Sky Sports subscription.

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While today’s news will be welcomed by Sky customers, it raises uncertainty for eir Sport, whose offering has been reduced considerably by the new deal. The Irish sports broadcaster does, however, have all 48 games live from this year’s Rugby World Cup.

Eir Sport also shows Pro14, SSE Airtricity League and Allianz League games across its two channels.

Sky Ireland has yet to confirm the pricing structures for its new Sky Sports Extra package, but says Sky Sports and Sports Extra can be purchased together or separately on a standalone basis. Customers can register their interest here.

- Originally published at 14.02

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