Sport channel rivals BT and Sky have announced their respective line-ups for the coming Premier League season.
The two companies will collectively pay £3bn for the rights to show live Premier League games.
BT emerged as a surprised bidder in last year’s auctions, snapping up the rights to 38 games, including almost half the “first pick” games on offer. Sky won the rights to 116 matches, increasing the number of games it will offer to subscribers to its sports channels.
Newcomers BT will kick off their debut season with Liverpool v Stoke and say their live pre-Christmas coverage also includes Tottenham v Chelsea and Man Utd v Crystal Palace.
Sky’s season starts with Swansea City v Manchester Utd and also includes Manchester City v Manchester Utd in September and Arsenal v Liverpool in November.
Both companies claim they’ll offer viewers the biggest games and teams.
Simon Green, director of BT Sport, said: “This is the first time in Premier League history that top pick matches have been shown anywhere other than on Sky, but Sky TV customers can easily add BT Sport by calling us and if they have BT broadband they can get it for free.”
Green said BT Sport had used just five of its 18 first picks, meaning “BT Sport will have another 13 throughout the remainder of the season, so our viewers have many more excellent Premier League games to come.”
“In the first 13 Premier League rounds until December, we will show the biggest clubs at least twice including Tottenham taking on serious title contenders in both matches, against Manchester United and Chelsea.
“We have Manchester United twice, Manchester City twice, Arsenal twice, Chelsea twice, Everton twice and Liverpool three times.”
Barney Francis, managing director of rival Sky Sports, said: “This is our biggest ever season of Premier League football. When you look at the opening fixtures in black and white, you can see that no other broadcaster comes close to the quality that we offer.
“Sky Sports will show every match between last season’s top four as well as every club at least twice by December. We’ll have more than three times as many matches as BT, and our schedule is even stronger than it was last season.
“With the best team of analysts, a fantastic new weekend schedule and coverage from the Football League, UEFA Champions League, La Liga and the SPL, this is the best ever football season for Sky Sports viewers.”
Liverpool v Stoke City
Saturday 17 August, 12.45pm (BT Sport)
Swansea City v Manchester United
Saturday 17 August, 5.30pm (Sky Sports)
Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur
Sunday 18 August, 1.30pm (Sky Sports)
Chelsea v Hull City
Sunday 18 August, 4pm (Sky Sports)
Manchester City v Newcastle United
Monday 19 August, 8pm (Sky Sports)
Fulham v Arsenal
Saturday 24 August, 12.45pm (BT Sport)
Aston Villa v Liverpool
Saturday 24 August, 5.30pm (Sky Sports)
Cardiff City v Manchester City
Sunday 25 August, 4pm (Sky Sports)
Manchester United v Chelsea
Monday 26 August, 8pm (Sky Sports)
Manchester City v Hull City
Saturday 31 August, 12.45pm (BT Sport)
Crystal Palace v Sunderland
Saturday 31 August, 5.30pm (Sky Sports)
Liverpool v Manchester United
Sunday 1 September, 1.30pm (Sky Sports)
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
Sunday 1 September, 4pm (Sky Sports)
Manchester United v Crystal Palace
Saturday 14 September, 12.45pm (BT Sport)
Everton v Chelsea
Saturday 14 September, 5.30pm (Sky Sports)
Southampton v West Ham United
Sunday 15 September, 4pm (Sky Sports)
Swansea City v Liverpool
Monday 16 September, 8pm (Sky Sports)
Norwich City v Aston Villa
Saturday 21 September, 12.45pm (BT Sport)
Chelsea v Fulham
Saturday 21 September, 5.30pm (Sky Sports)
Arsenal v Stoke City
Sunday 22 September, 1.30pm (Sky Sports)
Manchester City v Manchester United
Sunday 22 September, 4pm (Sky Sports)
Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea
Saturday 28 September, 12:45pm (BT Sport)
Swansea City v Arsenal
Saturday 28 September, 5:30pm (Sky Sports)
Stoke City v Norwich City
Sunday 29 September, 1:30pm (Sky Sports)
Sunderland v Liverpool
Sunday 29 September, 4pm (Sky Sports)
Everton v Newcastle United
Monday 30 September, 8pm (Sky Sports)
Manchester City v Everton
Saturday 5 October, 12:45pm (BT Sport)
Sunderland v Manchester United
Saturday 5 October, 5:30pm (Sky Sports)
Norwich City v Chelsea
Sunday 6 October, 1:30pm (Sky Sports)
West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal
Sunday 6 October, 4pm (Sky Sports)
Newcastle United v Liverpool
Saturday 19 October, 12:45pm (BT Sport)
West Ham United v Manchester City
Saturday 19 October, 5:30pm (Sky Sports)
Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur
Sunday 20 October, 4pm (Sky Sports)
Crystal Palace v Fulham
Monday 21 October, 8pm (Sky Sports)
Crystal Palace v Arsenal
Saturday 26 October, 12:45pm (BT Sport)
Southampton v Fulham
Saturday 26 October, 5:30pm (Sky Sports)
Chelsea v Manchester City
Sunday 27 October, 1:30pm (Sky Sports)
Sunderland v Newcastle United
Sunday 27 October, 4pm (Sky Sports)
Newcastle United v Chelsea
Saturday 2 November, 12:45pm (BT Sport)
Arsenal v Liverpool
Saturday 2 November, 5:30pm (Sky Sports)
Everton v Tottenham Hotspur
Sunday 3 November, 1:30pm (Sky Sports)
Cardiff City v Swansea City
Sunday 3 November, 4pm (Sky Sports)
Norwich City v West Ham United
Saturday 9 November, 5:30pm (Sky Sports)
Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United
Sunday 10 November, midday (Sky Sports)
Sunderland v Manchester City
Sunday 10 November, 2:05pm (Sky Sports)
Manchester United v Arsenal
Sunday 10 November, 4:10pm (Sky Sports)
Everton v Liverpool
Saturday 23 November, 12:45pm (BT Sport)
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur
Saturday 23 November, 5:30pm (Sky Sports)
West Ham United v Chelsea
Sunday 24 November, 1:30pm (Sky Sports)
*This match is subject to Chelsea’s possible participation in the UEFA Champions League the following Tuesday
Cardiff City v Manchester United
Sunday 24 November, 4pm (Sky Sports)
*This match is subject to Manchester United’s possible participation in the UEFA Champions League the following Tuesday
West Bromwich Albion v Aston Villa
Monday 25 November, 8pm (Sky Sports)
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United
Saturday 30 November, 12:45pm (BT Sport)
*Should Tottenham Hotspur qualify for the Group Stages of the UEFA Europa League this match will move to Sunday 1 December, midday and remain live on BT Sport
Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion
Saturday 30 November, 5:30pm (Sky Sports)
Hull City v Liverpool
Sunday 1 December, 1:30pm (Sky Sports)
*This match will kick-off at 2:05pm in the event of Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United moving to Sunday 1 Dec, midday
Chelsea v Southampton
Sunday 1 December, 4pm (Sky Sports)
*This match will kick-off at 4:10pm in the event of Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United moving to Sunday 1 Dec, midday
SOurce: Premier League