DAZN, the sports streaming platform, has announced that its linear TV channel on Sky, DAZN 1 HD, will be shutting down next month – just a year and change after its launch.
The announcement comes just days after the launch of the DAZN streaming app on Sky Q, Sky Glass, and Sky Stream devices in the UK and Ireland.
This week, existing DAZN customers who subscribed through Sky started receiving emails informing them of the upcoming change. Starting July 6, 2024, they will need to access DAZN content through the app on their Sky devices.
The closure of DAZN’s linear TV channel on Sky spells bad news for customers with older set-top boxes, such as Sky+ HD.
Unfortunately, these older Sky boxes do not support the newly launched DAZN app, which means that once the linear channel is shut down, subscribers with these older devices will no longer have any way to access DAZN’s content directly through their Sky setup.
DAZN’s Journey in the UK and on Sky
DAZN first launched in the UK in 2020, primarily focusing on boxing events and other combat sports. The platform quickly gained popularity among sports fans, offering access to high-profile fights and exclusive content.
Beyond boxing, DAZN provides a diverse range of sports content, including mixed martial arts (MMA) with events from organizations like Bellator and UFC, as well as original programming such as MMA Bushido and MMA Naciones.
Dazn offers two paid tiers: A 12-month contract at £14.99 per month and a flexible monthly pass at £24.99 per month.
It’s important to note that PPV events (mostly popular boxing matches) carry an extra, one-time cost, and are not included in the base subscription.
DAZN is available as a standalone streaming app on a variety of streaming devices, such as Amazon’s Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and others, Android and iOS smartphones and more – but at launch it wasn’t available, as an app, on Sky (and it’s still not available on Roku’s devices).
In March 2023, DAZN expanded its presence on Sky by launching a dedicated linear TV channel, DAZN 1 HD, on channel 429 (and the PPV events on channel 495).
This move aimed to reach a broader audience and cater to traditional TV viewers. However, the channel was only available to Sky Q and Sky+ HD customers, leaving Sky Glass and Sky Stream users unable to access the content.
The linear channel also presented challenges for existing DAZN streaming subscribers, as they were initially required to sign up for a separate subscription to watch DAZN content on Sky.
App Launch and Channel Shutdown
The arrival of the DAZN app on Sky Q, Sky Glass, and Sky Stream devices in May, was good news for DAZN fans on Sky.
The app provides users with access to DAZN’s extensive library of live and on-demand sports content, along with the ability to purchase high-profile PPV events.
However, shortly after the app’s launch – DAZN decided to shut down the linear channel.
The email sent to existing subscribers this week states:
“The way you watch DAZN on Sky is changing.
From 6 July 2024, DAZN channel 429 will no longer be available as a standalone channel within your Sky TV guide, so you’ll need to access the DAZN app on your Sky device.”
This means that those with older set-top boxes, such as Sky+ HD, will no longer have access to DAZN on their Sky devices once the linear channel is discontinued, as the app is not supported on these older models.
This leaves a segment of DAZN’s audience on Sky without a way to watch their favourite sports content – unless they access DAZN on a separate streaming device, that does support the DAZN app.
Questions Remain for Existing Subscribers
The announcement of the linear channel’s shutdown has left some existing DAZN subscribers who signed up through Sky wondering about their options.
With the channel set to close on July 6, it remains unclear whether these subscribers will be able to cancel their subscriptions without penalty due to the change in service – especially those who signed up for a full year.
According to DAZN’s official support pages, “the subscription will continue as normal” for existing DAZN 1HD subscribers, who will have to switch to using the app.
“If you’re on our Annual upfront or 12-Month Contract subscription your subscription will continue to run up to the anniversary date whereby you will receive a renewal notification.
“If you’re subscribed to our Monthly Pass subscription then normal rules apply and you can cancel by providing 30 days’ notice, a pro rata charge may apply.”
As for customers with a Sky+ box, DAZN says that “you won’t be able to log in through Sky’s UI”, but “You can still watch our content on all other devices such as Smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, mobile, tablet and desktop.”
We have reached out to DAZN for clarification on the matter and will update this article if they provide any additional information.
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