YouTube may skew TV's football wars

In the wake of BT's £900 million UEFA Champions League coup, the English Premier League has made peace with an online broadcasting giant, writes Emmet Ryan.

Bayern Munich lift the European Cup after defeating Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley last May. Picture: Getty

A British broadband battle is shaping how Irish viewers watch sports in the short term, but broadcasters could be left behind now the English Premier League (EPL) has made peace with YouTube.

BT paid £900 million for the UK rights to the Champions League from the 2015/16 season to the 2017/18 season, more than doubling the previous fee paid by Sky and ITV combined. On top of winning a major TV property, it ...