Originally Posted by pj 1984 (Post 35142512)

This might seem a really stupid and obvious question but whats stopping Virgin starting a couple of sports channels and start challenging Sky for the Broadcasting rights of the football and other sports. Find it really annoying having to pay £20 quid a month just for the sports and dont have access to match choice on champions leauge nights just because virgin buy the sports channels from sky to show to virgin customers. Why do Sky hold all the cards and Virgin been hold randsome to them ( in a sense) cheers

Originally Posted by pj 1984 (Post 35142512)

This might seem a really stupid and obvious question but whats stopping Virgin starting a couple of sports channels and start challenging Sky for the Broadcasting rights of the football and other sports. Find it really annoying having to pay £20 quid a month just for the sports and dont have access to match choice on champions leauge nights just because virgin buy the sports channels from sky to show to virgin customers. Why do Sky hold all the cards and Virgin been hold randsome to them ( in a sense) cheers

Originally Posted by denphone (Post 35142533)

when in 2011 is the Sky Sports red button, we will probably get it in dec 2011 knowing Virgin.

Originally Posted by mersey70 (Post 35142534)

It looks like we are only getting 'some' interactive red button on Sky Sports so make of that what you will although I doubt most of us would have expected to get the full service anyway.

NTL did win a PPV package of 40 Premier League football matches way back in 2000 but subsequently pulled out when they were told they would have to make the games available to Sky customers too but they didn't want to do that, sounds familiar dosen't it!.


http://www.sky.com/shop/sports/home/...y-virginmedia/

Originally Posted by ahardie (Post 35142545)

I hadn't heard that before. Interesting that NTL were quite rightly stopped from offering exclusive content back then but we still see this happening today.

Originally Posted by zantarous (Post 35143155)

IIRC wasn't it more of the case that they realised they could not afford it and make the money back by selling it PPV.

Copy of a article from the Guardian http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/...ng-rights.html

Originally Posted by Joedm45 (Post 35142518)

As Stuart says, its all about the money. I think the current Sky deal with the premier league is well over a £1bn over 3 seasons (Yes that's a Billion not Million) :shocked:

There is not many TV companies that can afford that sort of money. However I truly believe IMO that when the TV rights come up for renewal, ESPN might start throwing their financial american muscle into the ring and pull a surprise or two because they are a company that can afford it.

Also, there is a strong rumour that Sky Sports red button will be on VM in 2011 so some good news there

Originally Posted by OLDGOLD (Post 35146927)

If that happens and ESPN win an extra package of games (or two), isn't there a danger that ESPN will pull out of being part of XL package and make VM viewers subscribe independently, like they do on the Sky platform?

Originally Posted by richard1960 (Post 35146938)

Why when Setanta had the deal with vm that covered more packages then now 2 i believe ,its a wholesale deal that would last for ex number of years regardless of games available,why would ESPN pull out.

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic (Post 35147033)

Plus ESPN (like Setanta before them) make more from VM subs in the XL pack than if they went standalone.

It works for VM and ESPN. :)

Originally Posted by borrissey (Post 35147124)

ESPN don't seem to have many live PL games less than Setanta had last season. When's the current PL deal run out?

Originally Posted by borrissey (Post 35147137)

Would be better IMO if VM did what Sky do and have more channel bundle options like tv packs.

Originally Posted by mersey70 (Post 35147132)

The rest of this season and the following two.

Personally I think ESPN is very average and would prefer if it wasn't in XL but the way VM package their channels I need XL to get the other channels I want. For me personally it's just a waste of money but overall XL is quite good value.

I have no doubt this arrangement works for VM and ESPN and probably a lot of subscribers but personally I would be interested to know how much of my sub goes towards a premium channel I have no interest in. I know this could be said for many channels but I am sure ESPN get a far bigger share of my sub than say the music channels which I also have no interest in.

If I want a premium channel I would like to be able to ask for it myself like on Sky.

Originally Posted by pauldavies83 (Post 35147142)

I'm not convinced your XL pack would decrease by the same amount as it would cost to pay for the premium channel individually, so for the subscriber base as a majority it probably isn't worth it.

VM obviously don't see ESPN as a premium channel, wheras Sky do. Given the lack of top rate sport on the channel (minimal Premier League, no major golf, England cricket etc) I'd be inclined to agree with VM. I suppose its a matter of taste. I'd be quite happy to have some of what I consider tripe removed from XL and made premium and the sub reduced, so its each to their own I suppose.

Originally Posted by pj 1984 (Post 35142512)

This might seem a really stupid and obvious question but whats stopping Virgin starting a couple of sports channels and start challenging Sky for the Broadcasting rights of the football and other sports.

Originally Posted by Horizon (Post 35147158)

Money, as already mentioned.

ntl's intention was to get involved in sports I believe, hence the 50/50 tie up with ITN to launch Setanta Sports News. But ntl never took it further and of course never made a bid with Setanta (or own its own) for premiership rights due to lack of dosh. They even left the first 10 places on the sports part of the EPG free for such a possibility of having ntl/virgin branded sports channels.

Originally Posted by telegramsam (Post 35147662)

... I did read somewhere that when ESPN got on board sky were quite worried as they know ESPN have got money to compete. The fact that sky are pushing their 3d football games very hard tells me that they`re trying to stay ahead of ESPN before the new premier league contracts are up for renewal. It will certainly be interesting to see how it all pans out.