The Virgin Media Television thread

Elmo

EdEd wrote: »

What makes you think they will not show the Europa League on any of the TV3 channels?

That to me? Nothing I think they'll put the final on 3e but that is about it, I could be wrong.

RTÉ's news https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2018/0515/963640-rte-to-broadcast-champions-league-for-next-3-seasons/

irishfeen

No doubt about the name changing to Virgin for TV3 I think ... they will probably have fta game on TV3/3e and a new subscription channel for the rest.

lertsnim

irishfeen wrote: »

and a new subscription channel for the rest.

So another subscription option. I recall you telling me recently that would be "subscription saturation" and viewers wouldn't pay it.

icdg

If I were a betting man I’d imagine the Europa League will go back on 3e where it was before when they previously had the rights. It’s not big enough of a rights driver (even with Chelsea, Arsenal, and, er, Burnley)to anchor a subscription service on its own, particularly when another subscription service will also be showing it.

Badabing

Will also have the Gerrard factor if Rangers get that far (doubtful).

Elmo

icdg wrote: »

If I were a betting man I’d imagine the Europa League will go back on 3e where it was before when they previously had the rights. It’s not big enough of a rights driver (even with Chelsea, Arsenal, and, er, Burnley)to anchor a subscription service on its own, particularly when another subscription service will also be showing it.

No, but it gives Virgin Media customer "exclusive content". Virgin Media now have the 2 other Champions League Games on Tuesday and Thursday Night, both will remain pay, Virgin could easily put their Tuesday Night match on any of their FTA channels. Crossover promotion for Virgin's On Demand service on TV3 will grow IMO.

EdEd

By keeping this content "exclusive" to Virgin wont non Virgin people subscribe to Eir Sport and watch it on BT Sport?

Elmo

EdEd wrote: »

By keeping this content "exclusive" to Virgin wont non Virgin people subscribe to Eir Sport and watch it on BT Sport?

True, but it is an promotion on TV3 where everything used to be "exclusive" and "live".

For example on Wednesday night Champions league on VM1 will tell viewers that the other match is available on Virgin's on-demand service, most likely available to other PAYTV subscribers also. But VM1 is available on eir as is VM2 and VM3. Hosts of Champions League then look forward to Europa League on the OD service or new sports channel and don't for get to tune to the OD service/new sports channel for "exclusive" coverage of Tuesday Nights games.

irishfeen

lertsnim wrote: »

So another subscription option. I recall you telling me recently that would be "subscription saturation" and viewers wouldn't pay it.

Well it will all most certainly be exclusive to Virgin themselves, certainly not on satellite but my point still remains I think people won’t pay another sub.

Eir will probably be the biggest losers here.

Elmo

irishfeen wrote: »

Well it will all most certainly be exclusive to Virgin themselves, certainly not on satellite but my point still remains I think people won’t pay another sub.

Eir will probably be the biggest losers here.

I'd say Virgin will put it on Sky. It's all pure guess work as to what they plan to do with TV3.

I imagine that Virgin Media On Demand will have a light catch up service, similar to the US where you can catch up up to one week and then after that it will be based on your subscription. Virgin Media On Demand on Sky will replace the 3Player on their box.

They could go the way of eir and have it exclusive to Virgin Customers but I don't think they will do that. I think it will be part of a basic TV package and available for Virgin Media Broadband subscribers online.

icdg

I think the fact that BT Sport’s coverage will still be available here is the biggest reason for Virgin not to limit any content to their own subscribers.

OneEightSeven

How much extra would TV3 have to pay for HD on Saorview?

deezell

All that's changed is TV3 and RTE swap nights, Tuesday on RTE HD and Wednesday on TV3 ShtD, and TV3 have the semi/finals, so no HD source of these on FTA.

irishfeen

icdg wrote: »

I think the fact that BT Sport’s coverage will still be available here is the biggest reason for Virgin not to limit any content to their own subscribers.

Are we sure of this icdg?

icdg

irishfeen wrote: »

Are we sure of this icdg?

So says the horses mouth:

[url]http:///www.team.ch/news/uk-and-roi-media-rights-deal-champions-league-and-europa-league/[/url]

irishfeen

icdg wrote: »

So says the horses mouth:

[url]http:///www.team.ch/news/uk-and-roi-media-rights-deal-champions-league-and-europa-league/[/url]

Unfortunately that link is not working, I have googled and I cannot see anywhere else where BT have won non-exclusive rights to include Ireland. It doesn't seem to mention Ireland at all.

irishfeen

Link working now, interesting if that is true!

Harry Palmr

JONATHAN HOFFMANN — MAR 06, 2017
TEAM Marketing is delighted to confirm that incumbent rights holder BT Sport has been awarded exclusive media rights to the 2018-21 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League in the UK and, on a non-exclusive basis, in the Republic of Ireland.

BT Sport has secured the media rights to all matches and will broadcast all UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League programming across its various BT Sport branded channels, website and app.
In what is exciting news for the consumer, BT Sport will make various content available to watch for free on social media, including both Finals live, a UCL and UEL highlights programme each matchweek, UCL and UEL magazine programmes and certain clips.

TEAM Marketing CEO Jamie Graham stated “given the considerable success of the current cycle, we look forward to continuing the partnership with BT, who again has placed significant value on both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League competitions”.

.

irishfeen

If that is true then its very hard to see TV3 not keeping as many games as possible FTA to generate ad revenue that way!

A non-exclusive basis and charging people a sub doesn't make sense.

Infoanon

irishfeen wrote: »

If that is true then its very hard to see TV3 not keeping as many games as possible FTA to generate ad revenue that way!

A non-exclusive basis and charging people a sub doesn't make sense.

However...BT is not carried on the VM cable network so its very possible that some games will be PPV on VM Cable - it would make a lot of commercial sense.

icdg

It takes a while to load, they use some intensive graphics on that website for some reason.

Regardless of that, we do know:
- UK coverage of the UEFA Champions League has never been blocked before in Ireland.
- UK coverage of the UEFA Europa League was blocked on ESPN/BT Sport and ITV4 (the latter on the UPC platform only and at a time when all sport was blocked on ITV4 on UPC) for a period between 2009 and 2015. However since August 2015 this has no longer been the case.

Elmo

irishfeen wrote: »

If that is true then its very hard to see TV3 not keeping as many games as possible FTA to generate ad revenue that way!

A non-exclusive basis and charging people a sub doesn't make sense.

I don't think Virgin will be charging people an extra sub, I see them building it into their basic pay package.

If you have Virgin Media you'll be able to watch it on their on-demand service online, but if you have any pay TV operator it will be provided on their catch-up/on-demand sections as part of their basic package.

It might be blocked on broadband that isn't with Virgin. That's how I think they will do it.

Softpay IMO. I don't see them providing it as a PPV service.

Kind of like how they operate TV3+1 and TV3HD.

irishfeen

Ok so the way I can gather we will see the following available to us next season -

CL Tuesdays - KO 17:55 & 20:00
- RTÉ (1 First Pick game live)
- TV3 (All games available live with potentially 3 live FTA games simultaneous on TV3, 3e & Be3)
- BT (All Games live on Sky via BT/Red Button)
- Virgin (All games live)

CL Wednesday's - KO 17:55 & 20:00
- TV3 (All games available live with potentially 3 live FTA games simultaneous on TV3, 3e & Be3)
- BT (All Games live on Sky via BT/Red Button)
- Virgin (All games live)


So TV3 with the opportunity to broadcast 12 Live Champions League Games in a single week if they so want....

Am I reading this wrong?

iseegirls

I don't see be3 being used for any CL coverage. They'll also need place to put Coronation Street and Emmerdale for those Tuesday and Wednesday night matches.

All depends on what teams are playing at that 6pm slot for it to be worthy for TV3 to show. I believe the big games will be mainly on at 8pm, with mainly those home ties in Eastern Europe getting the 6pm slot. Will definitely be shown on 3e otherwise.

irishfeen

iseegirls wrote: »

I don't see be3 being used for any CL coverage. They'll also need place to put Coronation Street and Emmerdale for those Tuesday and Wednesday night matches.

All depends on what teams are playing at that 6pm slot for it to be worthy for TV3 to show. I believe the big games will be mainly on at 8pm, with mainly those home ties in Eastern Europe getting the 6pm slot. Will definitely be shown on 3e otherwise.

You are probably right with the one channel left alone but to maximize revenue they will surely try broadcasting as many games as possible with online streaming for the rest.

Elmo

irishfeen wrote: »

You are probably right with the one channel left alone but to maximize revenue they will surely try broadcasting as many games as possible with online streaming for the rest.

We also do not know what the contract is like. UEFA may not want so much saturation with all games FTA in any country.

irishfeen

Elmo wrote: »

We also do not know what the contract is like. UEFA may not want so much saturation with all games FTA in any country.

I would imagine UEFA won't care much about that, all they will be interested in is €€€€ especially in a small market like ours without any match host broadcasters.

Harry Palmr

If Virgin channels are going to be that CL dominated (and I doubt they will be) it's time they spent a few bob on HD.

Tigerandahalf

This will only drive more people to eir broadband.
With no hd games of latter stages in HD your best bet is to get the eir broadband and stream the games.

For rural dwellers with poor broadband it is a further blow as they will have to subscribe (presumably to Sky) to get latter stage games in HD.

So Virgin are pushing people to both eir and Sky, not themselves.

I can see Virgin competing heavily for the BT rights when next up for renewal as it has become a hugely important package to have access to, with all the top soccer and rugby on it with the exception of soccer games on sky.

At some stage tv3/virgin will have to go hd on saorview as advertisers can't be happy that so much potential viewership is being lost.

Things must be pretty bad at RTE.

Harry Palmr

RTE are broke.