General : ESPN, BT, Euro, Premier and Sky Sports news

Originally Posted by coulsontom

We are waiting for Sky to do the half price offer again.

And then we will prob switch back to Virgin for another 50% off offer when that contract runs out.

I don't care much for either just which is cheaper.

Switching is best

I agree but isn't it a crazy way to do business. Why not give the person who wants to disconnect 50% off and save on the hardware and Installation costs.

[tvtimes]

Originally Posted by Chad

Has anyone mentioned being offered new packages with SKY Sports being down sold? I'm aware of 2 people who have called Virgin in the past 7 days who have been offered a cheaper package if they drop their current SKY Sports package and take just SKY Sports 1 & 2 instead. I can't find anything on the website to suggest Virgin are offering a package with just SKY Sports 1 & 2.

My brother, currently out of contract with VIP, was offered £40.00 off per month if he signed a new 18 month deal. He had to drop:

1. Broadband down to 60mb
2. SKY in HD
3. SKY Sports 3, SKY Sports 4 and SKY F1
4. A few phone changes

My brother didn't take the deal as he is waiting to see what is going to happen with ESPN / BT Sports.

So basically, they didn't offer a real retention deal, just offered to save him move if he parted with his services?!

[Chad]

Originally Posted by tvtimes

So basically, they didn't offer a real retention deal, just offered to save him move if he parted with his services?!

Pretty much. He wasn't looking to leave, he was calling to see if there was any new offers of packages.

I found it strange they offered a package including just SKY Sports 1 & 2 when this isn't something they appear to currently offer via their website.

---------- Post added at 20:02 ---------- Previous post was at 19:57 ----------

Originally Posted by coulsontom

We are waiting for Sky to do the half price offer again.

And then we will prob switch back to Virgin for another 50% off offer when that contract runs out.

I don't care much for either just which is cheaper.

Switching is best

I agree 100%

I switched to SKY for 50% off. My deal runs out in December. I did notice recently that Virgin had a 1 week special being 50% off for all new customers for 12 months. Through my work, Virgin are offering 9 months for half price plus £50.00 off my first bill.

I've still got both my V+HD box and my TiVo box. I tried to return them at my local parcel collection point but their scanner didn't recognise the bar code. I called Virgin 3 times to arrange uplift without success. I did get a visit from a field agent but I was out. I called his mobile a few times and left messages but never heard back from him. If I go back to Virgin I've still got my viewing cards, all the cables, my broadband hub and boxes. I could be up and running again within a phone call.

[coulsontom]

Originally Posted by Top banana

I agree but isn't it a crazy way to do business. Why not give the person who wants to disconnect 50% off and save on the hardware and Installation costs.

Yes. Terrible. The reason we came to Virgin was because our old Sky HD box(we got a launch one in 2006) broke, this was 2009. They wanted £250 for a new one even though they give them out for free to new customers and we were one of the first customers to sign up to the HD when it came out.

Originally Posted by Chad

Pretty much. He wasn't looking to leave, he was calling to see if there was any new offers of packages.

I found it strange they offered a package including just SKY Sports 1 & 2 when this isn't something they appear to currently offer via their website.

---------- Post added at 20:02 ---------- Previous post was at 19:57 ----------



I agree 100%

I switched to SKY for 50% off. My deal runs out in December. I did notice recently that Virgin had a 1 week special being 50% off for all new customers for 12 months. Through my work, Virgin are offering 9 months for half price plus £50.00 off my first bill.

I've still got both my V+HD box and my TiVo box. I tried to return them at my local parcel collection point but their scanner didn't recognise the bar code. I called Virgin 3 times to arrange uplift without success. I did get a visit from a field agent but I was out. I called his mobile a few times and left messages but never heard back from him. If I go back to Virgin I've still got my viewing cards, all the cables, my broadband hub and boxes. I could be up and running again within a phone call.

Virgin have 6months half price on all their collections been going on for ages.

[Gavin-D]

Originally Posted by johnasimmons

The XL Package might go down a bit in price when ESPN leaves us...

No chance they'll get more HD channels to replace the loss of ESPN HD

[Chad]

Originally Posted by Top banana

I agree but isn't it a crazy way to do business. Why not give the person who wants to disconnect 50% off and save on the hardware and Installation costs.

This thread is a good read:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...52651&page=182

2 things that are clear from reading hundreds of posts. SKY seem to give people outrageous discounts to stop them from leaving SKY. Virgin on the other hand either offer TiVo to people for free or try to get people to downsize their package, rather than offer discounts that customers are looking for.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Top banana

I agree but isn't it a crazy way to do business. Why not give the person who wants to disconnect 50% off and save on the hardware and Installation costs.

Personally I think giving 50% off when people ask is a crazy way to do business

It encourages people to just phone back when the 50% runs out, even if it's not the end of the agreed deal/contract. So it doesn't actually solve anything from a business point of view - which is to build a steady income base from your customers

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Personally I think giving 50% off when people ask is a crazy way to do business

It encourages people to just phone back when the 50% runs out, even if it's not the end of the agreed deal/contract. So it doesn't actually solve anything from a business point of view - which is to build a steady income base from your customers

Well I wouldn't be a virginmedia customer if wasn't for the 12 months half price offer. So what's better? 50% of something and a new customer, or 50% of nothing?

Lets face it, the cable is at my property anyway, why not offer me 50% off and get some income from it? I've also upgraded to 100Mb for VM now get in excess of £40 a month me.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Bogof

Well I wouldn't be a virginmedia customer if wasn't for the 12 months half price offer. So what's better? 50% of something and a new customer, or 50% of nothing?

Lets face it, the cable is at my property anyway, why not offer me 50% off and get some income from it? I've also upgraded to 100Mb for VM now get in excess of £40 a month me.

That's not what I mean - I completely get doing 50% off once as incentive to get customers to join, but that's what reductions have always been there to do.

However long term it's not sustainable, as there will be an element of running the account below cost to bring in connections.

[Chad]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Personally I think giving 50% off when people ask is a crazy way to do business

It encourages people to just phone back when the 50% runs out, even if it's not the end of the agreed deal/contract. So it doesn't actually solve anything from a business point of view - which is to build a steady income base from your customers

I agree from a business point of view it does seem crazy. If I was a share holder I’d be a little confused however from a customer’s point of view it’s fantastic. I’m sure anyone on a 50% deal doesn’t care one little bit about SKY’s profits or business model.

There must be a worthwhile profit margin in it for SKY or they wouldn’t be pushing these types of rebates. It’s not like SKY are not turning over massive profits.

Remember only a month or so ago Virgin, for 1 week only, where offering a 50% rebate for a full 12 months for all new customers. This shows me the likes of SKY and Virgin are ripping people off left right and centre if they can afford to give people 50% rebates for 12 months.

Maybe both companies should stop offering rebates, and retention deals, and just lower package prices for everyone across the board?

Don't forget Sky own their sports and movies and a lot of channels and content, plus a triple play sky customer with the full package and 50% off is still paying above sky's target ARPU.


To many low tier customers on half price could lower the ARPU, that would rattle share holders. That's when it becomes counter productive.

[Media Boy UK]

ITV to follow England home and away until 2018.

ITV will exclusively show live coverage of all England’s international football matches at home and abroad for the Euro 2016 and 2018 World Cup qualifying competitions.

The agreement, announced today, continues and expands the channel’s commitment to showing live, free-to-air coverage of the England football team. It is the first time in recent years a single broadcaster will show all of England's qualifying games for consecutive major tournaments . ITV has held the rights to show exclusively all England’s home games since 2008 as well as, since 2009, the team's friendly matches both at home and away.

Today’s deal also includes the rights to broadcast 20 non-home nation qualifying games for ITV4.

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press...way-until-2018


UEFA Euro 2016 and FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifiers live on Sky Sports.

A new agreement with UEFA provides Sky Sports with coverage of up to 500 international matches over three years, starting with Euro 2016 qualifiers in September 2014, including England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, as well as all other UEFA associations.

Sky Sports will show highlights of every England qualifying match for both Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, and live away matches, should England play other Home Nations.

Sky Sports will also show all home and away matches involving Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland exclusively live in the UK during qualification for both tournaments.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...-on-Sky-Sports

[Chad]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

ITV to follow England home and away until 2018.



http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press...way-until-2018


UEFA Euro 2016 and FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifiers live on Sky Sports.



http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...-on-Sky-Sports

Who will show the England Vs. Scotland friendly in August?

I would have thought BT would have liked a piece of this action. Looks like SKY and ITV have international football all wrapped up. SKY having access to up to 500 international matches over 3 years plus 20 non-home games on ITV4.

Do you think SKY will start offering international games tucked away on the red button, similar to Champions League nights? It's the only way I can see them getting through up to 500 games in 3 years.

It doesn't matter how BT try to sell their offering, SKY Sports is the clear leader if you want to watch football at every level.

[colin25]

Originally Posted by Chad

Who will show the England Vs. Scotland friendly in August?

itv

http://www.live-footballontv.com/

[Chad]

Originally Posted by colin25

itv

http://www.live-footballontv.com/

Cheers.

Grim reading for us Scots. Look like Scotland will be pumped on ITV, BBC and SKY in the coming months

I can't see anything over than another 4 defeats!