For the first time, non-Sky subscribers will be able to watch live Premier League football content via its internet TV service and mobile app Now TV.
The move means viewers can watch Sky Sports content on a pay-per-view basis from this spring, paying £9.99 for unlimited access to all six channels for 24 hours.
The move is a radical departure for the company, which has spent the last 20 years using prime sports such as Premier League football to convince viewers to sign up for monthly packages of at least £42.50.
The satellite broadcaster launched Now TV last July in a bid to net some of the 13 million UK homes of homes without pay TV subscriptions.
It initially rolled out Sky Movies to the internet TV service last year, with viewers able to access it across multiple devices including tablets and Microsoft’s Xbox.
The internet service registered 25,000 monthly pass customers at the end of December. A beta test for Sky Sports was implemented last month.
The aim is to encourage non-Sky subscribers to pay for one-day events including Monaco Grand Prix or Masters Golf, along with live coverage from Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, England Test cricket, Heineken Cup rugby, ATP tennis, along with NBA basketball and NFL.
Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said the launch is an “exciting step forward” for the pay TV operator.
“We want to open up more choice for sports fans by offering a new and flexible way to enjoy the best live coverage across our six channels. This is a way for us to reach new customers and bring the excitement of Sky Sports to an even bigger audience,” he said.
Earlier this month Sky launched Sky Go Extra, a service which lets existing Sky Go subscribers download content to mobile phones and tablets.
