Drop ESPN programming from XL package?

[Lew]

Don't forget that as things currently stand, people upgrading to TiVo will also be upgrading to XL (those who aren't already on that package, at least), meaning more subscription money for ESPN. Personally I don't think ESPN are doing too badly on the deal. Plus, having the ESPN channels in XL means that subscribers still get some decent sports without having to also subscribe to the Sky Sports package.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

about £1

---------- Post added at 20:05 ---------- Previous post was at 20:01 ----------



Nothing wrong with getting a good deal, seems good way to do business to me.

You have a choice of providers if VM doesn't suit you

I never said there was , however the top customers should have an option for more. Is the wink a polite way of saying fire off to Sky and don't question VM.

[Chad]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

I never said there was , however the top customers should have an option for more.

I kind of agree and disagree with you on this one. I'd like the option to add Premier Sports to my subscription however Virgin believe the channel is too niche to offer at this time. I'd like to be the one who decides what's niche to me and what isn't.

On the other hand, what would happen if Virgin signed carriage deals with channels such as ESPN America HD, SKY Atlantic HD, History HD etc.... in view of creating a new XXL HD package for an extra £5.00 per month on top of the current XL charge but the majority of their TV customers shun the new package as they are not prepared to pay more for TV. Who picks up the tab? Do Virgin just absorb this costly error, or do they put all of their prices up to cover the costs? I feel if Virgin start throwing money at channels, just for the sake of adding them, it'll be all customers who ultimately pay for them, not just the ones who actually receive them in their package.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Chad

I kind of agree and disagree with you on this one. I'd like the option to add Premier Sports to my subscription however Virgin believe the channel is too niche to offer at this time. I'd like to be the one who decides what's niche to me and what isn't.

On the other hand, what would happen if Virgin signed carriage deals with channels such as ESPN America HD, SKY Atlantic HD, History HD etc.... in view of creating a new XXL HD package for an extra £5.00 per month on top of the current XL charge but the majority of their TV customers shun the new package as they are not prepared to pay more for TV. Who picks up the tab? Do Virgin just absorb this costly error, or do they put all of their prices up to cover the costs? I feel if Virgin start throwing money at channels, just for the sake of adding them, it'll be all customers who ultimately pay for them, not just the ones who actually receive them in their package.

An excellent point , a survey to see what customers actually want wouldn't go a miss once in a while.

The package is fine how it is now, why would you want to remove a key component? Sky Arts viewing figures are pitiful.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Jameseh

The package is fine how it is now, why would you want to remove a key component? Sky Arts viewing figures are pitiful.

I'm not remotely bothered about SKy ARts HD however Mersey70 is an it's made worse for him by the fact VM put an official press release out saying it was coming which is extremely unprofessional.

[OLDGOLD]

How does that old adage go....?

"You can please some of the people, all of the time and all of the people, some of the time...but you cannot please all of the people, all of the time"

I don't envy whoever's job it is in VM to decide on what should and shouldn't be included in TV packs!!

I voted to keep ESPN as part of the XL tv package its very nice to have it, would i pay £9 say to have it separately no but as a wholesale addition its good stuff.

---------- Post added at 23:03 ---------- Previous post was at 23:02 ----------

Originally Posted by OLDGOLD

How does that old adage go....?

"You can please some of the people, all of the time and all of the people, some of the time...but you cannot please all of the people, all of the time"

I don't envy whoever's job it is in VM to decide on what should and shouldn't be included in TV packs!!

And on that i would definately agree with you.

---------- Post added at 23:04 ---------- Previous post was at 23:03 ----------

Originally Posted by Lew

Don't forget that as things currently stand, people upgrading to TiVo will also be upgrading to XL (those who aren't already on that package, at least), meaning more subscription money for ESPN. Personally I don't think ESPN are doing too badly on the deal. Plus, having the ESPN channels in XL means that subscribers still get some decent sports without having to also subscribe to the Sky Sports package.

Thats just about the way i see it. cricket excepted.

[jtaylor06]

Having ESPN free on TV XL is a 1UP on Sky as they have to purchase a sub for it, no matter what package(s) they are receiving.
It's a good selling point.

Originally Posted by muppetman11

I'm not remotely bothered about SKy ARts HD however Mersey70 is an it's made worse for him by the fact VM put an official press release out saying it was coming which is extremely unprofessional.

I would love to see sky arts HD also and yes it was supposed to have been part of the tv channels sold to sky deal that they had i think the option of carrying it i cannot seee why it has to be one or the other vm could carry sky arts HD and ESPN,if it chose to.

Originally Posted by Chad

I've just been reading posts on the coming soon thread that raised an interesting point.

ESPN channels are premium content which everyone on the XL package receives. Virgin have to pay ESPN a fee for everyone that takes the XL package, regardless of whether they watch the channels or not. If Virgin removed the ESPN content, this would free up money to add new channels. The ESPN channels would then become a subscription service, just like on SKY. If you want ESPN, then it's say £9.00 per month.

Do you believe removing ESPN, ESPN HD and ESPN America from the XL package would be beneficial to Virgin?

P.S. I haven't added ESPN Classic or Classic on demand as these would surely aren't classed as premium whilst the other 3 are.

And what new channels were you thinking of.
I already get 165 channels including ESPN which keeps hubby sweet..what else do you think is missing?

If you are suggesting Sky Atlantic I don't want it.I'd rather there was some sport that I don't have to pay through the nose for..which is why I don't have Sky Sports.

[Chad]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

And what new channels were you thinking of.
I already get 165 channels including ESPN which keeps hubby sweet..what else do you think is missing?

If you are suggesting Sky Atlantic I don't want it.I'd rather there was some sport that I don't have to pay through the nose for..which is why I don't have Sky Sports.

This thread and the poll doesn't reflect my opinion. I saw the matter being discussed at length in the Coming Soon thread and thought the subject would be better served here with the option for people to vote.

Personally I want to keep ESPN as part of my XL package. If I did lose ESPN from XL however I'd be looking for Virgin to re-invest in something like Premier Sports who cover lots of boxing, my favourite sport. Alternatively History HD or Bio HD.

To be perfectly honest I don't have enough time in the day to watch the channels I have, let alone new ones! I could cancel with Virgin and get SKY to access all the extra HD channels and all the extra free to air ones but then I'd just be paying more than I do currently to miss even more TV everyday

Let me make sure I understand this correctly.

You want Virgin to remove some channels, not add some.

Wow .... that's a first.

[v0id]

I don't beleive I've ever watched it.
Most of the premier league games I watch at home come via Alazeera sports or similar

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

about £1

---------- Post added at 20:05 ---------- Previous post was at 20:01 ----------



Nothing wrong with getting a good deal, seems good way to do business to me.

You have a choice of providers if VM doesn't suit you

If that is the case (the £1 point) then as ever I am happy to admit I am wrong, especially when so many people at least on here seem to prefer ESPN. I guess it might well be time for me to change provider, or at least bite the bullet and drop to M+ and (very, very reluctantly) pay extra for Sky if I want a wider choice of basic HD which is fair enough I suppose, I have always said if you want something you have to pay.

The chap from the CEO's office couldn't have been any clearer regarding the prohibitive expense of HD channels given their own pricing model regardless of what is rumoured on here.

I would say that I am not sure how VM arrive at the stand alone prices if ESPN only accounts for £1 of XL including ESPNA and ESPN HD but with the greatest of respect I would question that anyway. 23 Premier League matches alone must surely cost more than £12 a year let alone all the Scottish Premier League, FA Cup, Guinness Premiership etc. On the other side of the coin all that included shows how good value XL is if you actually want ESPN but I fancy it costs more than £1, I really do.

One thing I will say, in my opinion Mr Berkett's claim of 80 HD channel in 3 years (now actually 2 years 9 months) seems even more ambitious than I first thought.