More than 200 BT Sport staff who transferred to the company’s joint venture with Warner Bros Discovery in the UK and Ireland are at risk of redundancy.
Their current roles have been dissolved and they can now apply for new positions or leave the business.
The staff were informed through a Zoom call and consultations with representatives of BT Sport have begun, as first reported by SVG Europe. An unspecified number are expected to take new roles at the JV, as will be given priority for the positions, according to a JV spokesperson.
This comes after Warner Bros Discovery and BT Sport formally launched their JV in September. This brought Eurosport and BT Sport together, with Warner Bros Discovery leading the day-to-day management of the operation.
The redundancies and planned staff changes are the result off BT Sport’s lease at offices in Stratford, East London expiring. Staff are now moving to Warner Bros Discovery’s bases in other parts of London.
“A consultation with representatives of BT Sport employees is underway,” said This results from the expiry of BT Sport’s lease in Stratford and move to Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) existing facilities, as well as a proposed reorganisation of the business.
“Finding operating efficiencies was envisioned by the BT and WBD JV and is critical to maintaining our competitiveness in a fast evolving and competitive environment,” said the Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson. “BT Sport employees have priority for the new roles that have been identified within WBD’s sports organisation and broader business. Given the consultation is ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
The JV is one of the UK and Ireland’s most extensive sports offerings. It provides access to the likes of the Olympic Games, the English Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, Premiership Rugby, MotoGP, UFC, boxing and the WWE.
The European sports broadcasting market has seen much change in the past year. Before the JV was formed, BT Sport attempted to acquire rival DAZN, which Deadline revealed last year is now scaling back its London office after making 50 staff redundant.
