Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

I stumbled across this thread on Digital Spy:

Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season

It doesn't seem all that clear yet, but it looks like some of the extra games will be made available as part of Sky Sports interactive, just like they did with some of the Champions League games this season. If this turns out to be true, what is the likelihood of ntl: customers being able to view the extra games? Given that Langley customers don't have any decent interactive services yet, pending the completion of the CR3 roll-out, I guess it's too much to expect that we'll have access to Sky interactive content (short of switching to Sky) any time soon.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

My dish install on sunday is looking a better idea with each passing day! :)

NTL had a winner with their Premiership Plus for £1 a month, but if sky start putting more games on multi-channel interactive then NTL are on a loser right from the start. I somehow doubt NTL will be able to provide this kind of thing for next season.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

wouldnt surprise me if sky made this move, ntl only have themselves to blame, many areas still analogue only, digital areas still not got same capabilities as sky, there is no comparison between sky and ntl, they in different leagues.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

MMM not really sure what you mean

Sky are in a different league ?

NTL and Sky both provide digital platforms - sky are also a broadcaster/ programme maker. Sky try to take advantage of the latter to support their business as the former.

Their driver to do this is to get more revenue through PPV/ red dot rip offs.

IMHO HMG should require the splitting of Sky into 2 business's

The platform provider providing space for channels and an EPG and collecting the cash (same as NTL)

And a programme maker / broadcaster - sky sports etc. The driver for this business would be to get its pictures on all platforms to make revenue by selling subs.


It is nonsense to say sky ntl are in different leagues - they are playing different games.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

they play the same game, they both provide TV, sky is in a different league because its of a much higher standard, every sky customer can be on digital and get any one of its packages, ntl its pot luck where you live, if you in a analogue only area tough luck, I havent seen ntl digital but after reading on here I know its of a lower qaulity to sky digital, less channels and worse interactive functions, Before I moved I was a customer of sky digital and believe me when I say there is a huge difference. NTL quite simply havent been keeping pace, in the early days of cable and sattelite cable was more then a match for sky but with the lack of investment cable has fallen behind, I am paying for my cable tv and I can't even pick up channels freeview has thats how dire the situation is.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

What freeview channels?

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

you kidding with me right?

skysports news
bbc3
bbc4
sky travel
uktv bright ideas
uktv history
cbbc
cbeebies
tmf
the hits
bbc parliament
community channel
ideal world
bid up tv
price drop tv

plus a load of radio

now I know most of it isnt interesting to most people but ntl should be able to provide it free as they are free to air channels. MTV is a joke only 5% of the time it plays music, I dont know if the music channels on freeview are better.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

I think you will find that that is for the new contract which allows them to show detailed highlights of one of the Saturday 3pm games from 8:30, and the others from 10pm, not the live games.

It has now been announced that there will be 50 games on Premiership Plus.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

Yes I agree, but the discussion hinted at a choice of Saturday games being available via the red button. If this is true then it's unlikely that ntl: (or Telewest for that matter) customers will get the same choice. Also, are you certain that it's extended highlights rather than the full games? I realise that 3pm Saturday games still cannot be shown live but there's nothing to stop Sky showing the full game later in the evening.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

This is such drivel I don't know where to start

Yes NTL digital is not a universal service but any comparison is between NTL and skys digital service where both are available

You cannot see NTL digital--- so don't comment. There is no disernable difference between sky and NTL signal ( I have all 3 platforms but use NTL for Pay tv)

In terms of channels you are off beam- you can get all freevie and T up tv channels on NTL digital

It is clear you did not understand or missed the point of my post

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

Yes - the later coverage can be for between 45 minutes and the full 90 minutes of the Saturday games delayed.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

Sky and ntl are definately not in different leagues! There are only about 10 channels on Sky which are not on ntl that are any good. On the interactive side of things, the only decent stuff is BBCi (ntl will be getting this after LCR3 in June I think) and Sky News and Sports Active (ntl are in talks with Sky to get this) all the rest of Sky's interactive is crap and is there simply to try and con you out of more money, with Sky, if you even think about pressing the red button they charge you! I much prefer the layout of ntl than to Sky's EPG, and think that when/if ntl do get these few interactive applications and a few extra channels then they will be able to really compete against Sky! And Video on Demand will make ntl move into a different league to Sky!

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

mdean, I am sure you wouldnt have that attitude if you was stick with analogue.

when I had sky using the interactive on sky sports xtra didnt cost extra money has that now changed?

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

I got a letter today from ntl: that, after some snipping, reads as follows:

I take this to mean the end of £1/month Premiership Plus, although hopefully whatever offer they come up with will still be very competitive compared to the Sky Digital Season Ticket (£75, but £50 if you buy now).

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

I'm sure they said something similar last year, so it may or may not mean an increase. :shrug:

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

Well if I was stuck with analogue I would probably choose Sky over NTL. But is a dumb comparison to say ntl is crap compared to sky digi based only on Ntl analogue

Why do sky push the red dot down peoples throat ? Answer most of its functions cost money - hence the target £s per subscriber being more than Sky world sub x12
Yes they use all sorts of tactics to make people think they are getting something worthwhile- Hands up who actually watches player cam ???
or listens to fanzone ??? they are gimmicks. It is really there to get you to use sky bet etc.

That is why they don't give a damn that the dot ruins the production values of their programmes

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

NTL have gone down in my estimation by removing the option to switch off enhanced content in their new software version. We're heading down the road of enforced red dots to... :(

Chrysalis -- 92% of NTL's network can get digital, if you look at the figures. You're unlucky to be one of that 8% (LE5, I'm guessing?), but you are a very small minority.

As to P+ prices... for the last two years, NTL have had PPV right for Premiership games, so all they've had to buy in was the studio production from Sky. With the new contracts, NTL no longer hold these rights, and so will have to pay Sky for them too. Thus their costs go up, and so it's likely that the price will go up to match.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

Well some of us are still waiting to see any red dots! :) Seriously though, will it be that big a problem? Won't you be able to press back to get rid of the red dot if it annoys you or is there another reason?

Yes, that makes sense. Still, the £1/month offer was great while it lasted. It will be interesting to see if ntl: will continue with the monthly subscription cost or move to a Season Ticket model like Sky.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

Tristan LE3

As far as the interactive goes, when I was a customer of sky some of it was pay stuff some of it was free, I actually thought the sky sports extra stuff and bbc digital interactive was quite cool. Of course now since I had sky interactive has matured. mdean so ntl digital has same interactive functions eg. full choice of champions league games?

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

But the difference last season was that the Prem+ contract was shared amongst Sky, ITV Digital and NTL. They all had to chip in after the first contract was pulled due to NTL (I think) bidding way more than it was possible to pay.

Next season Sky has sole charge of all games (bar the 8 up for auction to the terrestrial channels). Some of the games are on Sky Sports 1,2 etc and some are possibly for PPV. They can sell them wholesale to NTL/TW for as much as they like. NTL will then be forced to package them up in whatever way to recoup the money - I doubt it will be £1 a month though.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

It would be interesting to know what the comparitive percentages of viewers on satellite and ntl that took prem+ season tickets where. If NTL had to pay a flat fee and then recoup the money they still might be better off with the cheaper but more people option. If the prem+ season ticket on NTL went up to 50 quid or so I would think very hard before renewing it but the tenner option is a no-brainer.

Re: Sky Premiership Coverage for Next Season
 

Personally I wouldn't use Player Cam, FanZone, etc., but I would make use of a multi-screen option that allowed me to select a game to watch. I can't remember if there are technical or legal reasons why ntl: can't offer the extra games on separate channels (they did this once for the World Cup and Wimbledon), but it looks like it's red button or nothing if you want access to such features.