Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2009)

[hansi]

Originally Posted by Horizon

Something is wrong with your box. ESPN America comes "free" as part of the XL pack. Phone customer services and ask them to investigate especially if you don't want to miss any premiership games when the "new" ESPN channel launches.

The reason it isn't on XL yet is that it doesn't launch until 3rd August.

[Wad_2002]

http://www.myp2pforum.eu/football-ch...-spl-deal.html

I don't know accurate this thread is, but it may help

---------- Post added at 12:52 ---------- Previous post was at 12:50 ----------

Seemingly ESPN America will cease in the UK on the 3rd and a new channel ESPN will air and take the place of ESPN America on the same channel no. So it should still be part of the package.

[Cobbydaler]

Originally Posted by Horizon

Something is wrong with your box. ESPN America comes "free" as part of the XL pack. Phone customer services and ask them to investigate especially if you don't want to miss any premiership games when the "new" ESPN channel launches.

I'm on XL & it's greyed out for me. Not listed as being part of the XL package on the website...

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html...els/index.html

[indie1982]

Does anyone not just think that it will be free to XL customers, ESPN have jumped the gun with the announcement and VM are just denying it for the time being.

[MIB4]

I think VM will continue to charge for ESPN. At present ESPN America is still a premium channel costing £10 a month (even with the TV XL bundle). VM are hardly likely to then give ESPN for free and reduce their own income.

VM is still listing (according to their own PDF Channel guide) ESPN America AND the new ESPN channel as existing side by side rather than the latter replacing the former. It also has both marked as premium channels.

Seems more likely that the fee to receive ESPN will be £10 with ESPN America bundled with it at no extra cost.

That way subscribers who had ESPN America with Setanta Sports for £10 before won't be losing out by much (if anything at all) as the cost won't have changed, just substituting Setanta with ESPN America.

[Horizon]

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

I'm on XL & it's greyed out for me. Not listed as being part of the XL package on the website...

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html...els/index.html

Yep,your right. I'm getting confused between my old sky tv package and cable. On Sky you used to get ESPN (NASN as was) as part of the Setanta pack.

Just shows I don't watch sport very often!

[dsmuk]

Originally Posted by MIB4

Seems more likely that the fee to receive ESPN will be £10 with ESPN America bundled with it at no extra cost.

There is no new channel. ESPN America will change its name on 3rd August to ESPN and will show the football inbetween its American sports.

LONDON (AP) — ESPN will broadcast Premier League matches in Britain on a channel previously dedicated to American sports.

The matches will be aired on the British ESPN channel, previously known as ESPN America. The channel will continue showing American sports, such as baseball and ice hockey.

No new channel licence request has been put into OFCOM. The extra ESPN channel in the Virgin Channels PDF document MAY be referring to ESPN Classics... or just a cock up... this is Virgin afterall!

In addition, the ESPN website is telling people that the new channel will be on Sky channel 417, the current home of ESPN America.

[MIB4]

Would have to be an error as they don't have ESPN Classics on VM...

Well assuming that to all be correct (although it has to be said that the Associated Press have actually released some contradictory statements) clearly they will charge for it and it won't be free otherwise they are reducing their income and VM aren't renowned for that. So talk of free to XL subscribers I think is just wishful thinking (would love it to be true but just don't see it happening).

Your OFCOM comment is far more convincing than the AP release.

Seems safe to say existing subscribers will just continue to pay the tenner and receive ESPN and anyone else who wants it will have to pay extra compared to their current subscription fees.

[Felim_Doyle]

Originally Posted by Horizon

Something is wrong with your box. ESPN America comes "free" as part of the XL pack. Phone customer services and ask them to investigate especially if you don't want to miss any premiership games when the "new" ESPN channel launches.

Originally Posted by Horizon

Yep,your right. I'm getting confused between my old sky tv package and cable. On Sky you used to get ESPN (NASN as was) as part of the Setanta pack.

Just shows I don't watch sport very often!

I knew there wasn't something 'special' about one channel on my box.

Good job I hadn't 'phoned VM CS yet!

[MIB4]

Horizon is wrong though. It isn't free as part of the XL tv pack, unless he is referring to another XL pack other than the one VM advertises on it's own website..

It is a premium channel currently.

[Felim_Doyle]

Originally Posted by hansi

The reason it isn't on XL yet is that it doesn't launch until 3rd August.

ESPN America is a current channel which will become ESPN on 3rd August but for a subscription on M, L or XL.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Here is a good question then, IF ESPN is FREE to XL customers, why is is blocked on my box.

And the other, Sky are charging only £9.00 for the ESPN football, and l cannot see them dropping the America channel, so VM have got to come up with a better deal for customers, as customers will simply go over to Sky, where it will be cheaper, so come VM sort the problem out quickly.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

Here is a good question then, IF ESPN is FREE to XL customers, why is is blocked on my box.

Because it is not free - the page is wrong

And the other, Sky are charging only £9.00 for the ESPN football, and l cannot see them dropping the America channel,

'ESPN America' is being dropped - by ESPN! It is being REPLACED by 'ESPN' UK

[MIB4]

ESPN America is not free to XL customer on VM, that is why you can't see it. It is a subscription channel (£10 a month). Not a good question as this info has been said a lot of times now ;-)

According to all the info above, ESPN America is becoming ESPN so Sky have no option to keep or drop ESPN America as it will cease to exist as that name as the channel is re-branding, and as such VM will have it too, presumably still at the £10 rate.

---------- Post added at 16:15 ---------- Previous post was at 16:15 ----------

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Because it is not free - the page is wrong


ESPN America is being dropped - by ESPN! It is being REPLACED by ESPN

You beat me to it

[Nook29]

ESPN is only £9 for Sky customers who subscribe to Sky Sports. Otherwise it is £12 a month.