It has never been easier to watch live Premier League, Champions League and Europa League action, but all of that content comes at a cost. So, we’ve taken a close look at cost and value of eir Sport and Sky Sports to help you find the cheapest way to enjoy live sport from your home or on-the-go.
Sports packages have become the new battleground for eir, Sky, Virgin Media and Vodafone as they attempt to attract new customers in Ireland’s competitive TV market.
Most providers now offer some form of a discount on eir Sport, Sky Sports, or both, as a means to winning over Ireland’s football fanatics.
Competition like this is usually good news for customers, but when it comes to choosing between eir Sport and Sky Sports, your best option may depend on which TV provider you’re with.
What’s included with an eir Sport subscription?
The eir Sport package comes with seven channels:
- eir Sport 1
- eir Sport 2
- BT Sport 1
- BT Sport 2
- BT Sport Europe
- BT Sport ESPN
- BoxNation
Eir Sport has exclusive rights to a wide range of Premier League matches, as well as every Champions League and Europa League match. The FA Cup is also shown on eir Sport.
What does eir Sport cost?
eir broadband customers can get eir Sport for free.
The provider is currently offering broadband and home phone for €40 a month, which is one of lowest prices for this type of deal available at the moment. So, if you fancy eir Sport for free, you could switch to eir now on bonkers.ie.
Existing Sky TV customers can get eir Sport for €25 a month. But Sky TV customers who have eir broadband can get the seven-channel sports package for free.
Unfortunately, Virgin Media customers can’t get eir Sport at the moment.
Finally, new Vodafone TV customers can get eir Sport for free for six months, after which the price increases to €20 a month.
So, as you can see, the cost of eir Sport varies hugely based on who provides your TV service. The package is free for eir broadband customers, isn’t available at all to Virgin Media customers and is €20 and €25 a month for Vodafone and Sky TV customers, respectively.
What’s included with a Sky Sports subscription?
The Sky Sports package comes with the following 10 channels:
- Sky Sports Main Event
- Sky Sports Premier League
- Sky Sports Football
- Sky Sports Cricket
- Sky Sports Golf
- Sky Sports F1
- Sky Sports Action
- Sky Sports Arena
- Sky Sports News
- Sky Sports Mix
Sky Sports has exclusive rights to 159 live Premier League games, including 3pm Saturday kick-offs and Friday night matches, which are recent additions.
Sky Q customers can watch matches in Ultra HD and it’s also possible to watch on-demand Premier League goals on the Sky Sports app.
What does Sky Sports cost?
eir TV, Sky TV and Vodafone TV customers can all get Sky Sports for €20 a month for the first six months, rising to €40 a month thereafter.
Sky Sports costs €40 a month for Virgin Media customers.
The current pricing for Sky Sports is much more straightforward than that for eir Sport. The sports package costs €40 a month across all major providers, but eir, Sky and Vodafone are currently offering the package at half price for the first six months.
Is Now TV a good option for football fans?
If you don't think you need access to all of the live footy available on eir Sport and Sky Sports, Now TV could be a good option.
With Now TV, you can get subscribe to Sky Sports on a monthly (€50), weekly (€15) or daily basis (€10) with no contract.
So, if you don’t have Sky Sports, but would like to watch some of this weekend’s fixtures from the comfort of your own home, you could get full access for a week for a one-off payment of €15.
What's the cheapest way to watch Premier League football?
The right sports package for you depends largely on just how much live football you watch, and who currently provides your TV subscription.
Thankfully, there are some excellent deals available at the moment, which make it possible to get Sky Sports for as little as €20 a month for six months and to get eir Sport for free.
Meanwhile, Now TV is a great option if you don't like the idea of committing to a long-term contract and just want to watch the odd game on Sky Sports.
Whatever your preferences, it's important to get the facts before signing up to be sure of getting the best bang for your buck when it comes to watching live football.
