BT Sport ads banned for promoting ‘free’ Champions League coverage
Once again, BT has been criticised for promoting its BT Sport channels with “misleading” TV ads. The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has told the company to pull a number of adverts, including a prominent one on TV, which promises free BT Sport access for BT TV and BT broadband customers. For BT, this is particularly bad timing. The company finally has the rights to live Champions League and Europa League football, after snatching them from Sky back in 2013. The two prestigious tournaments didn’t come cheap, so BT needs BT Sport — and specifically its new BT Sport Europe channel — to be a resounding success. With that in mind, BT has been heavily promoting its coverage as a “free” extra for customers that subscribe to both BT broadband and BT TV.
That isn’t quite true, however. The channels are only free if you’re a new customer, or if you sign a new 12 or 18 month contract covering both services. If you have time left on your current contract, and want to stick with that, you’ll have to pay extra for BT Sport.
Via: Campaign
Source: ASA
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