Optus attracted just 13,000 new fixed-line customers in Australia as it offered exclusive access to English Premier League soccer for as little as $15 extra a month.
Singtel's Australian subsidiary spent a rumoured $50 million on the broadcast rights.
But potential pay-TV and broadband customers are hardly signing on for access "to every match of the world’s greatest football competition," as touted by Optus.
Takers for fixed-line services rose by just 13,000 in the first quarter of parent company Singtel's 2016/17 financial year.