ITV Digital is launching a live football service aimed at pubs and clubs, which are being dubbed the game's "new terraces".
The package, starting in autumn, aims to undercut Sky's soccer prices by between 40% and 50%.
The move means regulars in pubs using the ITV service can watch about 200 live matches every season.
These will includes 40 pay-per-view Premiership matches, plus the European Champions League.
Between 30,000 and 40,000 pubs across the UK are thought to take Sky's package, after paying £400 year for the smallest pubs up to almost £4,000 a year for the largest a year.
The ITV service will not feature as many games as Sky, but is expected to be attractive to smaller pubs.
A spokesman for ITV Digital predicted that pubs and breweries would be pleased to "have some competition in the market".
The Sunday Telegraph 20/05/01 page 3 (Business)
The package, starting in autumn, aims to undercut Sky's soccer prices by between 40% and 50%.
The move means regulars in pubs using the ITV service can watch about 200 live matches every season.
These will includes 40 pay-per-view Premiership matches, plus the European Champions League.
Between 30,000 and 40,000 pubs across the UK are thought to take Sky's package, after paying £400 year for the smallest pubs up to almost £4,000 a year for the largest a year.
The ITV service will not feature as many games as Sky, but is expected to be attractive to smaller pubs.
A spokesman for ITV Digital predicted that pubs and breweries would be pleased to "have some competition in the market".
The Sunday Telegraph 20/05/01 page 3 (Business)
