General : BT Sports - Will you pay extra for it???

[Mad Bee]

No chance of me paying more than I do already.

Can't really believe I shell out £114 a month as it is!

---------- Post added at 12:34 ---------- Previous post was at 12:29 ----------

Originally Posted by Superblade7

PS my team aren't on TV much at the moment to make it worthwhile anyway! ;-)

Blades v Bees 12:45, 23rd March on Sky.

[Chad]

Originally Posted by JustaBloke

There's another issue though. My thoughts are that I love sport and currently get Sky Sports (in HD) plus ESPN via XL. But if I were no longer getting ESPN why would I pay for XL tv? I wouldn't, I'd move down to M+ TV, and subscribe to BT Sports instead.

I'm sure there'd be lots like me re-assessing if they needed to be paying for an XL TV pack with no ESPN in it.

Really good point.

Another interesting point will be whether Virgin Media class the loss of ESPN from the XL package as a significant change to the package. If so you will be able to cancel your TV service free of charge under section J 3b of the terms and conditions. In fact regardless of what Virgin think, do customers think the loss of ESPN from XL will be a significant loss?

http://store.virginmedia.com/the-leg...es.html#ending

“If we and/or Virgin Media Payments:

J3b) make significant changes to the services so the services you are entitled to receive in return for the charges you pay are significantly altered or reduced you may cancel those services affected without penalty by giving us and/or Virgin Media Payments (as applicable) at least 30 days' notice�

Originally Posted by Chad

Really good point.

Another interesting point will be whether Virgin Media class the loss of ESPN from the XL package as a significant change to the package. If so you will be able to cancel your TV service free of charge under section J 3b of the terms and conditions. In fact regardless of what Virgin think, do customers think the loss of ESPN from XL will be a significant loss?

http://store.virginmedia.com/the-leg...es.html#ending

“If we and/or Virgin Media Payments:

J3b) make significant changes to the services so the services you are entitled to receive in return for the charges you pay are significantly altered or reduced you may cancel those services affected without penalty by giving us and/or Virgin Media Payments (as applicable) at least 30 days' notice�

The going rate to subscribe to ESPN is £10 (or is it £11) per month via Sky or Freeview (BT Vision or Top-Up TV) Take that from the difference between L and XL TV packs and I'd say you have a 'significant change' in the value of the XL pack.

Looking at the VM website channel list, I would guess that the number of programmes that I've watched on XL only channels apart from ESPN in the last year could be counted on the fingers of one hand. So it's not all bad news for the BT Sports channel, it can easily be afforded. Not sure it'll be good news for VM though.

[Doug P]

I understand what people are saying but am betting BT Sports will be £15 and won't be paying that.

XL pack has lots I enjoy as well as ESPN so doubt will change the pack.

[LondonRoad]

I don't see it being part of the XL package.

I don't know what VM pay ESPN per customer now but I'd imagine BT would be looking for far more, given what they've just paid for the EPL packages. BT's packages include far more lucrative fixtures than ESPN or Setanta did.

I reckon that the price for BT will be tiered depending on the TV package you have, e.g. £8 if you're on XL, £12 on L and £15 on M+.

That provides an incentive for those who want the sport to keep the higher TV package.

[Chad]

Will BT be able to dictate how much Virgin charge for BT Sports similar to how SKY dictate that Virgin must charge £7.00 for HD?

[Superblade7]

Originally Posted by Mad Bee

Blades v Bees 12:45, 23rd March on Sky.

I'd seen that Mad Bee but I'll be at the game, thanks anyway! May the best team win ;-)

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Chad

Will BT be able to dictate how much Virgin charge for BT Sports similar to how SKY dictate that Virgin must charge £7.00 for HD?

Of that we don't know as it is likely to remain private and confidential.

[GordonJ]

I'm waiting to see what happens to ESPN America.

When NASN started as was £10 pm I was happy to pay that because of the content, but ESPNA seems to have been losing content (to the point of showing NCAA athletics and lacrosse) so I'll wait and see what happens.

[alwaysabear]

Originally Posted by GordonJ

I'm waiting to see what happens to ESPN America.

When NASN started as was £10 pm I was happy to pay that because of the content, but ESPNA seems to have been losing content (to the point of showing NCAA athletics and lacrosse) so I'll wait and see what happens.

ESPNA is a shadow of its former self, the loss of NHL, sports centre, Sports nation, NFL MNF and NFL support programming has damaged the channel IMO.

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by Chad

Will BT be able to dictate how much Virgin charge for BT Sports similar to how SKY dictate that Virgin must charge £7.00 for HD?

This is the key question for me.

[Chad]

Do Virgin have multiple negotiation teams when it comes to carriage deals?

Virgins current carriage deal for SKY Sports and SKY Movies expires on 30th June 2013. It looks like BT Sports will launch one month later on the 01st August 2013.

Virgin will have a busy few months negotiating. What will almost be certain is that Virgin won't be paying any less to SKY or BT than they current pay for SKY Movies, SKY Sports and ESPN.

Is there a real possibility that come July / August Virgin might have to put prices up again for anyone taking premium channels?

[Mad Bee]

Originally Posted by alwaysabear

ESPNA is a shadow of its former self, the loss of NHL, sports centre, Sports nation, NFL MNF and NFL support programming has damaged the channel IMO.

The loss of Sports Center had totally passed me by.

Used to watch it for a quick NHL review so I guess I haven't missed it since we lost NHL coverage.

I'd miss MLB coverage and March Madness but it's not worth shelling out for.

---------- Post added at 12:24 ---------- Previous post was at 12:21 ----------

Originally Posted by Superblade7

I'd seen that Mad Bee but I'll be at the game, thanks anyway! May the best team win ;-)

It's going to be a good last couple of months.

Went up to your place last season but think I'll watch this one on the TV. A red and white striped top two come 5pm on 27th April would go down a treat.

[Pubmaster]

Originally Posted by Chad

Is there a real possibility that come July / August Virgin might have to put prices up again for anyone taking premium channels?

Well i wont be paying it if it does go up July/August, i am already paying £115-£120pm now, and dont even have the top package rang retentions {as i am now out of contract} to try and get a better deal, and was fobbed off with "If you pay your line rental for the 12 months up front, we can knock you an EXTRA £5 a month off your package, as well as line rental" making out it was such a great deal, in the end told them to shove it, i will just wait for infinity in my area {sometime after March}

Does downgrading your package = new contract?

[Chad]

The poll results so far suggest Virgin would be wasting their time adding BT Sports. There only seems to be limited demand for the channel.

It might be worth Virgin forgetting all about BT Sports and instead using their resources to try and secure SKY Atlantic, SKY Sports 1, 2, 3, 4, SKY Sports News and SKY F1 all in HD instead.