General : Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 1.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by mike_gain

I thought ESPN signed a 5 year deal with the SPL last year? Unless someone buys them out of their contract they will be obliged to continue to cover SPL games at least. Hopefully without English football, SPL fans will not be asked to attend to many 12pm games totally daft time for a game to kick off. Daft time for a game to kick off.

I am now really starting to think that ESPN will stop broadcasting from next season with the live sports rights ESPN have still got (SPL, Europa, FA Cup and maybe more) being shown on ESPN Classic - like ESPN are doing with the Darts tonight due to the FA Cup.

[mike_gain]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

I am now really starting to think that ESPN will stop broadcasting from next season with the live sports rights ESPN have still got (ESPN, Europa, FA Cup and maybe more) being shown on ESPN Classic - like ESPN are doing with the Darts tonight due to the FA Cup.

I didn't realise they were using the Classic channel now for live broadcasts. Some people will be in for a surprise if they tune in expecting a classic game and end up at Ochilview for a scrappy 2nd Div game. Does this mean 529 & 530 for BT sports then?

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

I am very concerned that a foreign channel, with it's own agenda, may have bought it's way into British homes to pump out Qatar Government propaganda.

You've obviously never watched this channel. Why don't you try watching it and then tell me where the propaganda is in their news items.

I have watched quite a bit of this channel recently, and it is one of the better quality news channels.

[Lostlam]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

I am now really starting to think that ESPN will stop broadcasting from next season with the live sports rights ESPN have still got (SPL, Europa, FA Cup and maybe more) being shown on ESPN Classic - like ESPN are doing with the Darts tonight due to the FA Cup.

ESPN have quite a few European Leagues tied down at the moment and I would be very surprised if they just decided to fold because of their EPL contract ending.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by mike_gain

Does this mean 529 & 530 for BT sports then?

Unlikey to happen due to:

A) BT and Virgin Media have still to sign an deal for BT Sports to be carry on Virgin Media.

B) I hear on the web that BT are set to launch FOUR channels so the channels numbers you have listed will not work.

BT are rumours to be set to launch the following this Summer:

-BT Sports 1
-BT Sports 1 HD
-BT Sports 2
-BT Sports 2 HD.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

BT and Virgin Media have still to sign an deal for BT Sports to be carry on Virgin Media.

Yes, but they will, won't they? BT want to make their channels available on all platforms and have said so. VM will want to provide these sports channels to their subscribers and I have no doubts about this at all.

We may not get and ESPN-style deal this time, though, methinks.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by Lostlam

ESPN have quite a few European Leagues tied down at the moment and I would be very surprised if they just decided to fold because of their EPL contract ending.

ESPN have lost the rights to Football to BT Sports in:


-Italy
-France
-Brazil
-USA.

Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/ne...#ixzz2HJxUvhha

So ESPN have only got Germany left.

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

I am very concerned that a foreign channel, with it's own agenda, may have bought it's way into British homes to pump out Qatar Government propaganda.

A. This isn't what's happening.
B. The BBC has its own agenda and bias and we have to pay them to produce it regardless of whether we choose to watch it. Which is really worse?

[mike_gain]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Unlikey to happen due to:

A) BT and Virgin Media have still to sign an deal for BT Sports to be carry on Virgin Media.

B) I hear on the web that BT are set to launch FOUR channels so the channels numbers you have listed will not work.

BT are rumours to be set to launch the following this Summer:

-BT Sports 1
-BT Sports 1 HD
-BT Sports 2
-BT Sports 2 HD.

Sorry my comment was not series in anyway for the reasons you have given.

Although there's plenty of time for VM to announce their deal...I'm sure they didn't announce the ESPN deal till the summer of 2009.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Yes, but they will, won't they? BT want to make their channels available on all platforms and have said so. VM will want to provide these sports channels to their subscribers and I have no doubts about this at all.

We may not get and ESPN-style deal this time, though, methinks.

Maybe you are on the ball - but no BT Sports coming to Virgin Media deal has been confrimed that time of posting.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Maybe you are on the ball - but no BT Sports coming to Virgin Media deal has been confrimed that time of posting.

Yes it will be a while yet before it is announced MB.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by mike_gain

Sorry my comment was not series in anyway for the reasons you have given.

Although there's plenty of time for VM to announce their deal...I'm sure they didn't announce the ESPN deal till the summer of 2009.

The ESPN was announce in late July 2009 with ESPN launching on Virgin and Sky on August 2nd 2009 (I think that was the date but it was an 1st Monday in August 2009).

[mike_gain]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

You've obviously never watched this channel. Why don't you try watching it and then tell me where the propaganda is in their news items.

I have watched quite a bit of this channel recently, and it is one of the better quality news channels.

I've just tuned in for the first time now out of interest. I usually revert to the likes of twitter and RSS feeds for my news but AJ is currently hosting a debate about free speech at US campuses. All of the contributors I have seen taking part so far, while maybe not having a valid point, are at least capable of putting across their point well.

The channel, admittedly based on my very brief viewing, seems to have a similar quality and depth of reporting as Channel 4 news. May be a good source of news next time there is a global incident.

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Mistrust and fears of propaganda has led to many American cable customers seeing Current TV disconnected as a result of the channel being bought out by Al Jazeera.

Funny how Americans claim to be such staunch supporters of freedom of speech and then rush to censor anything that doesn't fit into their narrow view of the world.

[Lostlam]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

ESPN have lost the rights to Football to BT Sports in:


-Italy
-France
-Brazil
-USA.

Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/ne...#ixzz2HJxUvhha

So ESPN have only got Germany left.

WOAH!!!

I am shocked I never heard about this before. Bundesliga is a big league though (Second to the Prem, some say), but that won't keep customers happy. ESPN could be almost over in the UK then. Weird though as they just started showing the French League this season and Brazilian last season.

They should have acquired longer broadcasting rights instead of one season only. Also, I would think Sky Sports are in the best position to get the German League when their contract with ESPN runs out as Sky is in Germany and they show German matches.