Premier Sports has officially relaunched in the UK today, marking a new (or rather, renewed) era in sports broadcasting – but not without a few glitches.
The move comes after Premier Sports acquired Viaplay Sports UK’s platform, following Viaplay’s decision to exit the UK market due to financial difficulties and a need to refocus on its core Nordic operations.
The relaunch includes a brand new website, app, and online streaming platform, while linear channels across Sky and Virgin Media have been fully rebranded to Premier Sports.
The Viaplay Sports channel on Amazon’s Prime Video Channels has also been rebranded to Premier Sports.
The rebranded channels will include sporting events from LaLiga, the Scottish Cup, the Rugby Championship and more.
Existing Viaplay customers should experience a seamless transition to Premier Sports, with their favourite sports content still available on their preferred platforms (although the migration is expected to be complete on April 10 – therefore, some existing subscribers can’t access the new app yet).
However, the relaunch has not been without its challenges.
On the first day, new subscribers encountered issues when attempting to sign up for the service through the Premier Sports website and the Fire TV app, with neither platform offering a clear option to create a new account.
Moreover, Roku users hoping for the return of a dedicated Premier Sports app have been left disappointed, as the company confirmed to us that there are currently no plans to introduce one on the platform.
The Return Of Premier Sports
Premier Sports, a well-established broadcaster in the UK and Republic of Ireland, has a rich history in sports broadcasting.
Founded in 2009 by Michael O’Rourke, the company initially operated two sports channels, offering a diverse range of sports content, including La Liga, Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup, and more.
In 2022, a significant change occurred when Viaplay, a Nordic entertainment company, acquired Premier Sports as part of its expansion into the UK market.
The acquisition saw Premier Sports rebranded as Viaplay Sports, with the promise of combining live sports with original Nordic dramas and films.
However, Viaplay’s venture into the UK market was short-lived, as the company faced financial difficulties and made the strategic decision to exit the UK and refocus on its core Nordic operations.
As a result, Premier Sports has now reacquired the UK business from Viaplay, marking a return to its original identity.
With the relaunch of Premier Sports, viewers can expect a comprehensive lineup of sports content, including:
LaLiga: Premier Sports holds the rights to broadcast Spain’s top-tier football league, offering fans the opportunity to watch the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atlético Madrid.
The new Premier Sports will also bring with it the return of “LALIGA TV” as a standalone offering.
The 24/7 channel showcasing “All of LALIGA, All in one place” includes live games, daily studio shows with top Spanish football experts, features, documentaries, archive footage, and much more.
Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup: Premier Sports is the home of Scottish football’s premier cup competitions. The Scottish League Cup will be rebranded as the Premier Sports Cup from the 2024/25 season.
This April, subscribers can look forward to unmissable content such as two Scottish Cup Semi-Final fixtures (Rangers v Hearts and Aberdeen v Celtic), ElClásico featuring Jude Bellingham’s Real Madrid welcoming Barcelona to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, and the crucial stages of the BKT United Rugby Championship season.
Premier Sports’ pricing structure is similar to Viaplay’s pricing:
- £9.99 per month on a minimum 12-month term
- £14.99 per month with a minimum 1-month term
- £99 upfront annual subscription (auto-renew)
The Premier Sports Pack, which includes Premier Sports 1 & 2, will be available on Sky from just £9.99 per month, and on Virgin Media from £12.99/month.
Day One Glitches
On the first day of Premier Sports’ relaunch, users have encountered issues when attempting to subscribe directly through the Premier Sports website and the Fire TV app.
The website currently lacks a clear option to create a new account, preventing potential subscribers from signing up for the service (while the Subscribe link leads to an “UNAUTHORIZED ACTION” error message).
Similarly, the Fire TV app prompts users to link their app to the website but provides no way to create an account for those without an existing one.
This has left users frustrated and unable to access the service, if they’re not already subscribed.
We reached out to Premier Sports for comment on these issues and were informed that “New subscriptions will be available on the website shortly.”
This suggests that the company is aware of the problems and is actively working to resolve them, ensuring that users can sign up for the service without further difficulties.
Premier Sports Not Coming To Roku
In a disappointing turn of events for Roku users, Premier Sports has confirmed to Cord Busters that there are currently no plans to introduce a dedicated Premier Sports app on the platform.
This follows the removal of the Viaplay app, which previously offered sports content, from Roku’s streaming devices in February 2024.
The absence of a native Premier Sports app on Roku leaves users of the popular streaming device unable to access the broadcaster’s extensive lineup of sports content directly.
This may frustrate Roku users who were looking forward to the relaunch of Premier Sports, hoping it would bring with it the relaunch of a dedicated app.
However, there is a potential workaround for Roku users who still wish to enjoy Premier Sports’ content.
By subscribing to the Prime Video Channels version of Premier Sports and using the Prime Video app on Roku, users can access the broadcaster’s programming through Amazon’s platform.
However, this solution may not be ideal for all users, as it requires an additional subscription (you must also subscribe to Amazon’s Prime Video) and the subscriptions are not interchangeable – so if you sign up for Premier Sports via Prime Video, you can’t watch on any other platform – and vice versa.
Everything Existing Viaplay Subscribers Need To Know
Existing Viaplay customers may have questions about the transition to Premier Sports. Here’s what they need to know, based on Premier Sports’ official information:
Active Viaplay subscribers: If you had an active subscription on Viaplay prior to April 10, 2024, your account should have been moved to Premier Sports.
Your username will remain the same, and you will be billed through the same method as before. You should have received an email with further instructions on how to activate your account (if you haven’t received that e-mail yet, then your credentials would most likely not work yet).
Viaplay subscribers through Sky: If you have access to Viaplay channels via the Sky box, you will now find them under new names: Premier Sports 1 & Premier Sports 2. You will also get access to the Premier Sports app with the same username.
Inactive Viaplay subscribers: If you used to be a Viaplay subscriber but didn’t have an active package on April 10, 2024, your account has been moved to Premier Sports with no active subscription. You can use it to sign up to a new subscription.
Cancelled Viaplay subscriptions: If you requested to cancel your Viaplay subscription prior to April 3, 2024, your account has been moved to Premier Sports, and the services will cancel on the anniversary of your next bill date with no further payment.
You can log in to your account from April 10, 2024, for more information about your account status.
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