Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

Then i apologise for getting the wrong end of the stick.

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

Well exactly. This is the flip side of losing scheduling flexibility. Let's say there's 3 cricket games on but no football. Easy - schedule the cricket across SS1-3, you still have 4-5 free for other stuff. Sorry, not anymore. One broadcast, 2 presumably red-button (broadcast-HD quality????) and other channels showing repeats.

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

But thinking about it, when now do you see two different live sports matches both broadcast on sky sports for the same sport at the same time? It is very rare if it ever happens.

This did happen with the Champions League but they were always red button for the extra games anyway.

I can't help but think partly the reason behind this move is to get them out of the legal case that said they must provide Sky Sports 1 and 2 at a set wholesale price. They no longer broadcast those channels they can charge what they like to the likes of VM and BT

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

You could well be right Bananaman.

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

totally agree

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

That regulation has been lifted already:
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom.../wmo-statement

Note: "Ofcom continues to monitor the pay TV market closely. Should evidence emerge of practices which we consider to be prejudicial to fair and effective competition, we will quickly reassess the need for regulation"

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

I am now trying to get the hang of this problem.

Sky are changing there whole Sports packages. Therefore prices will be going up slightly. IF, VM customers think that there prices wont go up. I think this is a lost cuase.

VM are in the business of making lots of money, on less programming.

If you are with Sky, like a majority of members. Then you have a choice of the sports package.

But, if you are with VM then you don't. You will have to pay extra for it. VM wont give you these channels on the cheap.

I would say with certainty, that VM WILL start charging for BT Sports, especially if they bring out separate channels in the sports field. They are quiet at he moment.

I can see VM going to Ofcom on this. As Sky will want more money because of this. And at the end of the day it will be US that end up paying the bill.

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

Don't forget there is also the Sky Main Event channel and Sky Sports Mix. I'm sure they've figured it out!

---------- Post added at 21:56 ---------- Previous post was at 21:14 ----------

I see your point, spiderplant. But VM is on the back foot if they don't have exclusive channels to offer. UK Living was not an exclusive channel, of course, but if it had been, I'm sure VM would have benefited from this and similar exclusives.

The current strategy of not owning content but offering subscribers the widest possible choice only succeeds if they can also gain content currently regarded as 'exclusive', i.e. Sky Atlantic, ITV Encore and AMC.

If VM cannot accomplish this, then it needs some equivalent exclusive content of its own.

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

my (very healthy) sky sports discount ends on july 24th, interesting timing given this shake up

think i'll let things settle down before making a decision, increasingly finding sky sports something nice to have rather than essential

much more excited about having a season ticket for my local non league club this year

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

Yep "Ofcom continue to monitor the pay TV market closely" and do nothing generally apart from a tinker here and a tinker there and yet Sky are up to their old tricks again and BT seem to have caught some of the disease it seems as well.

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

it's happening for cricket now, it's on SS1 & SS2 with Mix simulcasting.

On European weekends it can happen with rugby-union too, although admittedly that's only a problem for one more season then it's BT's problem.

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

Tbf sky and bt are paying for content if vm did the same instead of crying to ofcom all the time.

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

Has anyone had any contact from Virgin about these price changes? Heard nothing so far.

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

Nothing. Last I heard was that VM weren't going to change their Sky Sports packaging.

It would benefit Sky commercially if they could contractually get away with preventing VM from following suit.

Re: All change for Sky Sports channels & packages?
 

Nothing is changing on VM bar the new channel names prices will remain the same until summer 2018