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Sky Sports Plus

  • 07-08-2024 10:42PM
    #1
    forzacalcio
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,445 ✭✭✭


    Havent seen a thread on this but seems to be going live on VM tomorrow, any sign of this for Sky subscribers?



Comments

  • #2
    fman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭fman


    The app was updated in the background (speaking for a q box here). It just seems to be a relocation/ centralising of red button streams. No catch-up and the usual clunkiness of apps on Q.

    Has also been mentioned elsewhere that the sky help forum removed mentions of arena being rebranded as plus for the linear channel.



  • #3
    Dan Steely
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,044 ✭✭✭Dan Steely


    Will it be available on Sky+HD or just Q?



  • #4
    Delta2113
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,868 ✭✭✭Delta2113


    Available now on the NOW app.



  • #5
    Dan Steely
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,044 ✭✭✭Dan Steely


    On the Sky planner too. Replaces Arena. A copy of SSN at the moment.



  • #6
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    We did have a thread before.

    It will be available on Sky Q, Stream, and Now TV - to the best of my knowledge it won’t be on Sky+HD but you may be able to access it through the Sky Sports app.

    There is also a linear channel, which is basically a rebranding of Sky Sports Arena, that will be available on all platforms taking Sky Sports. As far as I know all VM viewers are getting is the linear channel, not the streaming service.

    The focus is EFL, rugby league and tennis. They are showing all 36 EFL games this weekend including 3pm fixtures (which are all in League 2 - Championship games are at 12:30pm, League 1 games at 5:30pm). There won’t be that level of coverage going forward but there will be a four fold increase on what came before - all games from rounds not played on a weekend will be broadcast as well as 10 fixtures each normal weekend round. This is also where you’ll find multiple court coverage for tennis and rugby league.

    To a certain extent, it’s moving the red button online for satellite customers. The term “red button” had already become somewhat defunct with Now TV, where it’s a different interface to access what until now were called “Bonus Streams” - now they can use the same terminology/branding across all their platforms.



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  • #7
    Acosta
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,768 ✭✭✭Acosta


    All this "Sky + is launching at no extra cost" is a bit grating. Almost like we should be thanking them, when we already pay so much.

    On another sky related issue, as with last season they are continuing to frequently forget to activate the YouTube streams for their Bundesliga 2 coverage. Either that, or they just can't be bothered. I mean, no once have they ever even advertised that they put it on YouTube. Nor have they ever put it on TV, even when they had nothing else on live. Hopefully they don't renew the rights after this season, which is the last on the current deal.



  • #8
    fman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭fman


    It's an utter mess. I know it doesn't apply to Irish subscribers but I have read that subscribers in the UK have lost access to red button services unless they upgrade so the no added cost is at least misleading.

    There's the clear bait and switch of announcing a new linear channel and then just rebranding an existing one. At that, they called the channel and the service sky sports plus so that when they advertise it's on sky sports plus does that mean the channel or streamed?

    Add in streams not being switched on in time or not sticking with games all the way to the end, which seems to fit that b2 on YouTube kind of issue.

    That's all without getting into there being no kind of catch-up service.



  • #9
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122500020#Comment_122500020

    Why would that not apply to Irish subscribers? As I understand the issue is that the old red button service has been switched off, so customers with Sky+HD can no longer access what used to be the red button content, now moved to Sky Sports+, simply because the hardware doesn’t support live streaming from the internet or apps, only download of on demand content. Now the Sky satellite hardware in the UK and Ireland is 100% identical (the only thing that makes a box “Irish” is the insertion of a viewing card with an ROI postcode) so surely that same limitation applies here? At any rate, viewers with Sky+HD should still be able to access Sky Sports+ by logging into the app on a mobile device with their Sky ID?

    Or are you referring to the fact that in the UK it’s only available with a full Sky Sports subscription? That is a disadvantage, but we have to remember that (cheaper!) individual channel subscriptions were only made available in the UK, not Ireland, and up until now that has been regarded as unfair treatment of ROI customers. Still it does mean that issue doesn’t occur here.

    The rebrand of Arena as Sky Sports+ (linear) was only so it could act as a giant advert, or a shop window if you will, for the streaming service. Yeah its bound to cause confusion.

    Apparently Sky have the streams set on timers and when they end they end, which quite frankly is ridiculous in the era when 5+ minutes added time has gone from an occasional event to an everyday occurrence. They will need to fix that, and it seemed to be the number one complaint at the weekend. There’s also the complication that really, from an EFL perspective, this is really the replacement for the old iFollow service, and the levels of coverage more resemble that - there was never, with 32 simultaneous kick offs, ever any chance that there would be wrap coverage, a full commentary crew and a full camera crew and production team at all of those games. But because the Sky Sports name is attached to it, it seems many fans expected that.



  • #10
    fman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭fman


    Yes I was referring to the fact that for example a UK subscriber can choose to only subscribe to the tennis channel. They lost access to court choice when this kicked in and were apparently prompted to upgrade.



  • #11
    lertsnim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,952 ✭✭✭lertsnim


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122499624#Comment_122499624

    Sky's Bundesliga coverage is absolutely woeful. Free games on Youtube is one thing but then it's guess work as to what is going to be shown. Also the frame rate needs to be doubled on it. I don't understand why they aren't now showing these games on this Sky Sports + service.



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  • #12
    Acosta
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,768 ✭✭✭Acosta


    Anyone know why you can't download the sky sports app on Android TV using Google apps? Or is it just my tv? Is there any other way to get the app content on to a tv? I don't have a tablet.



  • #13
    fman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭fman


    It's not something I've tried but I would expect it's sky being sky and trying to prevent the app (like sky go) being used on TVs outside of their own hardware.

    I've read they aren't allowing the new app to be used on PCs or laptops either.



  • #14
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    I always find it odd that in this day and age they place obstacles on Sky customers getting content onto a tv and yet have no qualms with Now customers, who don’t have any of those restrictions, doing the same thing with the same content. All about protecting the multiroom sub, of course, but I think they’re the only ones going out of their way to stop casting at this point.



  • #15
    fman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭fman


    To add to what has been mentioned elsewhere, the quality of the tennis streams has dropped since this kicked in. They were streamed before this but are now more prone to freezing.

    It suggests to me they are overloading on the back end (servers). Their linear tennis channel is still plagued by picture issues and the lack of interest in fixing those would make me pessimistic about improvements to plus.

    If you wander over to the sky help forum it's full on comical Ali from the sky people "everything is fine".



  • #16
    Acosta
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,768 ✭✭✭Acosta


    Classic Sky Sports today. No Premier League and no Championship on. Yet the Bundesliga games are hidden away on the Sky Sports+ app, while Netball and Northern Ireland football are on the main channels. Every other week when the EPL and Championship are on, Bundesliga would be at least on Sky Sports Mix. Bizarre, but Sky have always appeared to be almost in conflict with themselves with these rights. They have it, but it feels they would rather people didn't watch it. 4 seasons and zero marketing. As a fan I'd love if the Bundesliga went down the French route and launched their own streaming service. Anyway, the rights are up this summer, so we'll see what happens.



  • #17
    timothydec77
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 218 ✭✭timothydec77


    You have it in one. It's an anti competitive strategy. The money is invested in the expensive EPL and EFL rights. The rights for other leagues are bought to stop any potential competitors.

    Post edited by timothydec77 on


  • #18
    Acosta
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,768 ✭✭✭Acosta


    DELETED



  • #19
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123151905#Comment_123151905

    It’s a double edged sword if you are not a league that’s a big subscription driver. Go down that route and you’ll lose the casual fans, sure you might get a few very interested people and German ex-pats perhaps but you’ll lose the casual fan.

    This is something LaLiga has learnt to its cost. It could never headline a streaming service on its own (or even with Serie A) and the disastrous move to Eleven Sports and what happened after (going to Premier) has done to its position here. Remember when Laliga was on in every pub every Saturday and Sunday night? Those days are long gone now and you’d be pushed to even get El Classico now (I know that how Premier treats it in terms of making only a small number of games available when it has the rights to them all doesn’t really help).

    Standalone streamers are great for a small number of people who watch one sport or league and don’t watch anything else. Not so good if you’re trying to build an audience, as all you’ll really get are existing fans, and the Bundesliga really isn’t in a position in this market where it can rely on those alone - no league except the FAPL is really.



  • #20
    mike2084
    Registered Users, Subscribers, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,382 ✭✭✭mike2084


    The Senior PGA Championship Golf was hidden on Plus all week, managed to find it on the phone this evening just to check on Harrington's progress.



  • #21
    Acosta
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,768 ✭✭✭Acosta


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123482504#Comment_123482504

    I think La Liga was on a bit of a downturn at the time the Eleven Sports deal came about. The glory days of the 00s and 10's were at an end by then. So it was bad timing. It's only got worse since, especially with Barca and Real, who can't compete with the spending power of the EPL clubs. Both clubs would happily give two fingers to their league, if they could get a bit of the pie that is the much talked about European Super League.

    With the Bundesliga and when you consider what Ligue 1 and 2 have done for this season, it's about whether it's worth it or not. How much could make from a deal with Sky, compared to selling it themselves? And as you mentioned, taking it into consideration the continued growth of their product.

    I'm not sure how much it's grown in the 4 seasons it's been on sky. The only time they really promoted it and gave it serious coverage on their news channel, was when the Harry Kane move to Bayern happened. At times they appear to have actively gone out of their way to make sure as little amount of people are watching games as possible.

    Another example of it was last week when they hid the promotion/relegation playoff on Sky Sports + streaming. On the score ticker on Sky Sports News, they didn't even mention the game was on live.

    As my own team, Hertha, are down in the second division, I would personally like to have access to any game I want to watch. So the current Ligue 1/2 broadcasting model would suit me.



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