BT has denied launching BT Sport premier league football content on Chromecast.
The UK’s biggest ISP hasn’t ruled out making live streams of football, rugby and UFC matches available via Google’s streaming device, but hasn’t confirmed that it will either.
A BT spokesperson told Recombu “BT Sport is not currently available via Chromecast, we think it is an exciting innovation, but cannot give any further information at the moment.”
Reports emerged that BT Sport was live on Chromecast, which lets you throw content from your mobile phone, tablet or laptop to your TV via a WiFi connection.
Since the UK launch of Chromecast, the mobile versions of BBC iPlayer and Netflix have updated, adding a Chromecast icon which lets you easily sling content to your big screen with the tap of a touchscreen.
A quick glance of the BT Sport iOS and Android apps on iTunes and Google Play reveals that neither app has been updated with Chromecast support.
BT’s response is similar to what Sky said when asked if Now TV, Sky’s on demand platform for non-Sky TV subscribers, was coming to Chromecast.
A Sky spokesperson said: “We are always looking at potential distribution platforms for Now TV including Chromecast.”
Sky has invested in Roku, the smart TV streaming platform which recently revealed plans to launch the Chromecast-esque Roku Streaming Stick device.
Similarly, BT is a shareholder of YouView. BT Sport is currently available to its TV customers who’ve signed up for a YouView-based BT TV box. BT Sport is currently available for subscribers to watch online, on mobile apps and on Sky, Virgin TV and via YouView-based BT TV boxes.
Reports first appeared in the Financial Times that BT had agreed to make its sports channels – BT Sport 1, BT SPort 2 and ESPN – available on Chromecast, before being picked up elsewhere.
Additional reporting by Thomas Newton
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