WWE's UK TV Network BT Sport Put Up For Sale

BT opens talks with DAZN, Amazon, and Disney over selling its sports channels.

by Andy H Murray
BT Sport WWE
WWE/BT

WWE's British broadcasting partner, BT Sport, has been put up for sale.

As originally reported by The Telegraph, BT has opened talks with a number of potential buyers after appointing investment bank Lazard to assist with the transaction. Talks are still believed to be at a preliminary stage and could result in a full sale for BT's sports broadcasting arm, a partnership, or selling a stake to raise outside investment.

BT have said the following on the situation:-

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"BT can confirm that early discussions are being held with a number of select strategic partners, to explore ways to generate investment, strengthen our sports business, and help take it to the next stage in its growth."

DAZN, Amazon, and Disney are amongst the companies that talks have already been held with.

This is notable for WWE as BT currently broadcasts Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and NXT UK on its BT Sport 1 channel in the United Kingdom, with pay-per-views available on BT Sport Box Office. This has been the case since January 2020, when BT formally took over from Sky, who had been hosting WWE shows in the UK since the 1980s.

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51,400 watched WWE Raw live on BT Sport 1 on 12 April, with 29,500 viewing NXT on 14 April and 64,500 catching SmackDown on 16 April. This is the latest set of viewership data available, per BackBodyDrop.com.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.