Optus overnight announced that its free-for-Optus-customers service, Optus Sport, is now no longer free. Bummer.
In a blog post, Optus said the changes “signal a new era for Optus Sport”. Yes, one that isn’t free. The changes come into effect on August 1, 2022.
The new RRP subscription price will be $24.99 per month, or $199 for an annual pass. Eligible Optus Customers will be offered a discounted subscription of $6.99 per month.
“This compares favourably with other content streaming services that have emerged in the Australian landscape and is the first change to Optus Sport’s pricing since we first launched in 2016,” the telco said.
“We want you to know that we’re fully committed to providing value for money, so from August, all live and on-demand Premier League matches will be available to stream in 1080p HD on supported devices. That means you can watch all the action from the world’s best league in exceptional detail.”
We are making some changes to Optus Sport.
What you need to know: https://t.co/MOHMcpOl0r#OptusSport #Changes pic.twitter.com/Q5691mQLck
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) May 29, 2022
From 1 August, any Optus Sport subscription will be managed through Optus SubHub and the subscription fees will be added to your Optus account automatically.
If you’re unfamiliar, Optus SubHub is a subscription bundling service. For a full list of what’s available on the service, head over here.
If you’re an Optus Sport customer, the company said there is nothing you need to do to keep accessing your subscription content; you will remain logged-in on all your devices and your existing Optus Sport account username and password will remain unchanged.
Optus said it will be making contact with existing customers in the coming weeks to confirm how the changes will affect each of you. You can unsubscribe, if, you know, the appeal of the service was that it was free. Many of you also probably joined Optus back in 2016 because it was the only way you could watch the EPL in Australia – remember when it fell over?
Unsurprisingly, not everyone is happy about it:
Doubling the price for less quality leagues, sensational. Hopefully this is the end of Optus.
— Hempy (@_Hempy17) May 29, 2022
Anyway. If you subscribe directly via the Optus Sport website, you’ll also hear directly from Optus in the coming weeks about how these changes affect your subscription. If you continue to subscribe, you will be charged the new subscription fees from your first payment cycle after 1 August 2022. As is the case above, you’ll remain logged in and your account username and password will remain unchanged.
Lastly, if you subscribe via the Apple Store or Google Play store, changes to your subscription will take effect after your August billing cycle.
After you make your payment in August, you will receive a notification from the app store asking you to confirm whether you wish to continue subscribing at the new price point. If you choose not to accept or do not respond to the confirmation request before the next payment is due, you will be unsubscribed automatically from future payments.
Telstra didn’t waste any time in cutting Optus’ grass:
Hey Chris, if you need a hand with a purchase, we’re here if you need. – Elms
— Telstra (@Telstra) May 29, 2022
👋
— Telstra (@Telstra) May 29, 2022