Millions of UK sports fans are overpaying for broadband and TV bundles after their contracts end, according to research commissioned by comparison site Uswitch. The price gap can exceed £400 a year.
Its analysis found that premium bundles combining broadband, TV channels and live sport can rise to more than £180 a month once a 24-month term expires. By contrast, similar access bought separately through standalone broadband and monthly sports streaming services costs about £88 a month for Sky Sports and TNT Sports together.
The findings suggest widespread confusion among households that take bundled services. More than a third of bundle customers believe they must stay with their current broadband provider to keep sports access. Among those whose existing package already includes sport, that rises to 53%.
Uswitch estimated that the average out-of-contract customer on a sport-inclusive bundle could be paying about £35 a month more than necessary for the same coverage. Across the products it examined, that works out at roughly £422 a year.
Contract shock
The study compared advertised offers and standard rates across major providers including Virgin Media, Sky, BT and EE. The biggest monthly gaps appeared in Virgin Media bundles, where a sport package cost £151 a month out of contract against a cheaper standalone equivalent, while a sport-and-cinema package reached £185.
Sky packages also showed a sharp jump after introductory terms ended. A Full Fibre 300 bundle with Sky Sports rose from £61 a month on an initial deal to about £119 on standard pricing. Adding Sky Cinema lifted the monthly bill to about £136.
BT and EE showed smaller, though still notable, differences between combined packages and separate purchases. Sport-focused customers on those services could still pay between £7 and £21 a month more than for a comparable mix of broadband and apps.
The research also suggested that many households sign up for extra services around major fixtures and then fail to cancel them. One in five UK adults said they had upgraded a package to watch a specific sporting event, and 21% of that group said they never cancelled the add-on after the event ended.
Only 9% of bundle customers said they regularly check what is included in their package. Another 13% said fear of losing TV or sports access was one reason they had not switched or downgraded.
Changing habits
The economics of sports viewing have shifted as broadcasters and telecoms groups increasingly offer access through standalone apps as well as fixed-term TV bundles. Uswitch said average standalone fibre broadband at speeds between 400Mbps and 550Mbps now costs £21.87 a month across the eight providers it tracked.
Adding a NOW Sports monthly pass at £34.99 and TNT Sports through HBO Max at £30.99 brings the total to £87.85, or roughly £88 a month. For viewers following only one competition or broadcaster, the monthly cost can fall to about £55.
That flexibility is becoming more important as households scrutinise discretionary spending. While some customers who watch several sports throughout the year may still find value in a bundle, the study suggests many stay put because they assume access to sport depends on keeping broadband and TV with the same supplier.
Opinium surveyed 2,000 UK adults for the research. Based on the polling and national population estimates, Uswitch calculated that about 7 million adults are bundle customers who believe they must stay with their provider to keep sports channels or sports streaming services.
The broader market shift is also visible in broadband pricing. Some full-fibre services now start at £16 a month for about 500Mbps, helped by competition from regional providers and wider network availability, according to Uswitch.
Ernest Doku, broadband expert at Uswitch, said: "When a broadband or TV bundle ends, prices can soar, with some premium packages climbing past £180 a month. Many fans wrongly believe they must stay with their current provider to keep watching live sport, but switching to standalone broadband and rolling monthly sports apps can often deliver the same content for a fraction of the cost.
"That said, bundling can still be the cheapest option for heavy TV viewers who watch multiple sports year-round. With providers competing hard for new customers, switching to a new customer deal is a great way to capture savings without having to unbundle your services.
"Full-fibre prices have fallen to as little as £16 a month for a 500 Mbps plan, driven down by competition from regional providers. And with 80% of UK homes now having access, most households can find significantly better value than was available just a few years ago.
"With a huge Summer of Sport ahead, now is the perfect time to check your contract status. Reviewing what you actually use and comparing the latest deals could save you hundreds of pounds a year."