In 2012, ESPN UK began losing many of its signature sport properties to BT Group and its forthcoming BT Sport service.
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43 Facts About ESPN UK
1.
4.
On 1 February 2013, Broadcast reported that ESPN UK had entered talks to sell off its remaining sports rights, believed to be worth more than £15m.
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5.
On 1 August 2022, the ESPN UK branding was dropped from the channel, which was renamed BT Sport 4; the channel continues to primarily carry US sport.
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6.
From 22 July 2011 ESPN UK was available without additional charge to full Sky Sports Pack subscribers in Ireland.
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7.
ESPN UK is available on Virgin Media in standard and high definition as a part of the XL pack.
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8.
On 26 July 2011 Top Up TV announced that ESPN UK would be available via a conditional-access module when the CAM service was launched in August.
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9.
ESPN UK was available on Smallworld Cable without additional charge when taken with the Ultimate HD TV Pack.
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10.
ESPN UK America ceased to be part of the Setanta Sports package on that date, and was bundled with ESPN UK instead.
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11.
ESPN UK have offered a number of free periods, ranging between a weekend and a month.
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14.
ESPN UK have increased the number of cameras at games from an average of 16 cameras to 23.
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16.
On 1 September 2009, ESPN UK secured a three-year TV rights deal to broadcast matches from the UEFA Europa League, previously held by Setanta Sports.
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17.
ESPN UK shared the rights to the Europa League with Channel 5 and ITV.
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18.
On 28 July 2009, ESPN UK announced that they had secured television rights to show up to two live games per week from the Eredivisie, Portuguese Liga, up to two live games per week from the Russian Premier League and the remainder of the 2009 Major League Soccer season, including five play-off games and the MLS Cup 2009.
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19.
ESPN UK signed a multi-year deal for up to five live games per week from the German Bundesliga, a selection of which is in high definition, as well as weekly preview and highlight programmes.
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20.
ESPN UK showed the 2009 Supercoppa Italiana which took place on 8 August 2009.
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21.
ESPN UK continued to broadcast ESPN UK Kicks – recapping all of the weekend's goals, as well as weekly preview show, Total Italian Football.
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23.
On 5 October 2009, ESPN UK secured a multi-year deal to show 150 classic FIFA World Cup matches from 1930 to 2006.
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24.
On 24 May 2010, ESPN UK announced that it had acquired UK exclusive broadcast rights to live coverage from 41 international football fixtures, including "at least" 16 qualifiers for the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament, from the Kentaro rights agency.
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25.
On 15 July 2010, ESPN UK secured broadcast rights to all France and Germany's Euro 2012 qualifying matches.
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27.
ESPN UK showed Real Madrid's 2009 tour of North America, including live matches against Toronto FC on 7 August and DC United on 9 August, Benfica versus AC Milan on 8 August and Tottenham Hotspur versus Olympiakos on 9 August.
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28.
In January 2010, ESPN UK showed Argentine Torneos de Verano matches, including the Triangular de Verano 2010 Mar del Plata contested between Boca Juniors, Estudiantes and San Lorenzo, the Triangular de Verano 2010 Salta involving River Plate, Racing Club and Independiente as well as the Copa Revancha Mendoza between Boca Juniors and River Plate on 24 January.
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29.
On 25 January 2010, ESPN UK aired the Match Against Poverty 2010, where a Benfica All-Stars XI took on a team of legends selected by Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo, in Lisbon to benefit the United Nations Development Programme and SL Benfica Foundation.
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30.
On 30 July 2009, ESPN UK announced that they had secured the rights to Ultimate Fighting Championship events from UFC 101 onwards as well as The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights, UFC All Access, UFC Countdown, UFC Fight Nights and UFC Unleashed.
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31.
However, ESPN UK showed The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights Finale live and in full.
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32.
On 15 April 2010, ESPN UK signed Austin Healey as an expert contributor for its English Premiership presentation team, followed by Nick Mullins as chief match commentator on 27 May and Ben Kay as co-commentator on 9 June.
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33.
ESPN UK has confirmed plans to start providing on-site coverage for many of its English Premiership games via a custom-built set, with production from Sunset + Vine.
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34.
ESPN UK show some of the US sports available on ESPN UK America, including Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and US college sports.
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35.
On 30 July 2009, ESPN UK announced that they will cover the up to three live matches a week plus highlights from the Australian Football League including the four-week finals series culminating with the Grand Final.
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36.
ESPN UK screened their first live boxing event on 19 September 2009, broadcasting Friday Night Fights from America with Guillermo Rigondeaux topping the bill.
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37.
ESPN UK aired the 2009 National Rugby League first Preliminary Final live on 25 September, the second Preliminary Final on 26 September and the Grand Final live on 4 October.
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38.
On 3 March 2010, ESPN UK agreed a deal for the UK broadcast rights to the first ever European Winter X Games.
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39.
Between events, ESPN UK is committing 30-hour-long shows with archive material from the sport, as well as two new documentary programmes.
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40.
ESPN UK was the first broadcaster in Britain to show both BDO and PDC tournaments at the same time.
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42.
In October 2012, ESPN UK announced that it will start broadcasting games from the Kontinental Hockey League, Europe's top ice hockey competition.
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43.
On 30 September 2009, ESPN UK announced that they had secured a multi-year deal to show live National Basketball Association games.
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