I know this is a fairly old topic, bumped back up, but nevertheless still on topic.
Anyway the 3 year deal signed by Premier Sports is up at the end of the season and so far nothing about it being renewed. ESPN will be leaving the UK market at the end of the season.
The future of Blue Square itself is in doubt and it seems the company will not be entering into any new sponsorship deals.Makes you yearn for the old Rothmans Isthmian League doesn't it ?
I know this is a fairly old topic, bumped back up, but nevertheless still on topic.
Anyway the 3 year deal signed by Premier Sports is up at the end of the season and so far nothing about it being renewed. ESPN will be leaving the UK market at the end of the season.
Would this be something BT might want?
With the amount of European rights they've got, and hoe cheap they are to broadcast compared to the full OB needed for the BSP, I doubt BT will be rushing to grab the rights.
The future of Blue Square itself is in doubt and it seems the company will not be entering into any new sponsorship deals.Makes you yearn for the old Rothmans Isthmian League doesn't it ?
Not really, because the Isthmian League still exist. As well as being a totally different league to the Conference, of course...
I am reluctant to iinvoke the name of ITV Digital as it still gives some fans nightmares but their fundamental problem was to hopelessly overestimate the amount of interest fans would have in some clubs and specifically how much they would pay to watch them.
I am reluctant to iinvoke the name of ITV Digital as it still gives some fans nightmares but their fundamental problem was to hopelessly overestimate the amount of interest fans would have in some clubs and specifically how much they would pay to watch them.
Of course, when you see matches from Wrexham on TV, behind the dugouts you can still see stickers for the ITV Sport Channel on the steps. I dunno what they stuck them on with, cement?
If Premier Sports do stop covering the Conference, the best they're going to get is as they had before Setanta, a couple of games a season on Sky, like the Irish League. It's all very well having thirty matches a season but it's no advert for the league if it's on a channel nobody has. You only get about half a dozen League Two games on TV a season but it's a hundred times more prominent because they're on a channel a lot of people have and they get goals and highlights on popular programmes like Soccer Saturday and Football Focus. Leagues should focus on quality, not quantity.
If Premier Sports do stop covering the Conference, the best they're going to get is as they had before Setanta, a couple of games a season on Sky, like the Irish League. It's all very well having thirty matches a season but it's no advert for the league if it's on a channel nobody has. You only get about half a dozen League Two games on TV a season but it's a hundred times more prominent because they're on a channel a lot of people have and they get goals and highlights on popular programmes like Soccer Saturday and Football Focus. Leagues should focus on quality, not quantity.
I think the Conference should focus on getting a deal with something like YouTube, for one season to show a live game every week. It would probably cause a bit of a buzz and stop it getting lost on a pay broadcaster. I understand the production costs would be the biggest obstacle, but YouTube might fund these as it might be a coup for them.
I think the Conference should focus on getting a deal with something like YouTube, for one season to show a live game every week. It would probably cause a bit of a buzz and stop it getting lost on a pay broadcaster. I understand the production costs would be the biggest obstacle, but YouTube might fund these as it might be a coup for them.
With the amount of European rights they've got, and hoe cheap they are to broadcast compared to the full OB needed for the BSP, I doubt BT will be rushing to grab the rights.
Very small beer compared to the rights cost of the Premier League. They would certainly get viewers who currently subscribe to Premier Sports for the conference.
If Premier Sports do stop covering the Conference, the best they're going to get is as they had before Setanta, a couple of games a season on Sky, like the Irish League. It's all very well having thirty matches a season but it's no advert for the league if it's on a channel nobody has. You only get about half a dozen League Two games on TV a season but it's a hundred times more prominent because they're on a channel a lot of people have and they get goals and highlights on popular programmes like Soccer Saturday and Football Focus. Leagues should focus on quality, not quantity.
I agree with this. Apparently the conference turned down a highlights deal with the BBC, before the Premier Sports deal was accounced. That is barmy if true.
Putting the league on a channel that has other football at least means if fans are subscribed to the channel for Premier League football, they may watch the odd match here or there of the conference if its on. When the league was on Setanta it also had Premier League and SPL football to go along with it, although I doubt any broadcaster is going to do 60 games a season again.
Its the conference that should imo be focusing on selling it to a more popular channel, even if it means less matches.
Very small beer compared to the rights cost of the Premier League. They would certainly get viewers who currently subscribe to Premier Sports for the conference.
Of course the rights are cheaper than the Premier League, but they still have to pay costs of broadcasting the matches.
As I'm not a subscriber, any idea what viewing figures the games get?
Of course the rights are cheaper than the Premier League, but they still have to pay costs of broadcasting the matches.
As I'm not a subscriber, any idea what viewing figures the games get?
Yes they would have to pay the costs of broadcasting the matches. But broadcasting matches wouldn't cost that much to BT, and I'm sure they could get more money from viewers, than the cost of covering the matches.
No idea what the viewing figures are I'm afraid. That said I think the conference should concentrate on getting a deal with less matches, on a more exposed channel. Having just the playoffs and perhaps a couple of key matches late on in the season (Easter Monday, last day of the season etc) would be better than 30 matches on a channel hardly anyone gets.
The Conference need something like Pick tv as it could promote the channel, conference and Sky's other football offering on pay tv but not sure about 30 matches.
The Conference need something like Pick tv as it could promote the channel, conference and Sky's other football offering on pay tv but not sure about 30 matches.
The localised stations in the regions on BBC/ITV could show the odd few matches of the Conference teams in there region during the season. However the twist being that it's only away games they show, therefore preventing a drop in home gate revenue. Perfect timeslot would be sunday morning. The nationalised channels wouldnt wouldnt be disrupted by football either.
The localised stations in the regions on BBC/ITV could show the odd few matches of the Conference teams in there region during the season. However the twist being that it's only away games they show, therefore preventing a drop in home gate revenue. Perfect timeslot would be sunday morning. The nationalised channels wouldnt wouldnt be disrupted by football either.
Not gonna happen. They couldn't justify it on any level, ratings or cost.
If any of the new local TV licences match Conference club areas, we may see the odd match shown. Assuming no broadcast picks up exclusive rights to the Conference.
Yes they would have to pay the costs of broadcasting the matches. But broadcasting matches wouldn't cost that much to BT, and I'm sure they could get more money from viewers, than the cost of covering the matches.
No idea what the viewing figures are I'm afraid. That said I think the conference should concentrate on getting a deal with less matches, on a more exposed channel. Having just the playoffs and perhaps a couple of key matches late on in the season (Easter Monday, last day of the season etc) would be better than 30 matches on a channel hardly anyone gets.
The cost of televising the games was the deal breaker for ESPN -
When Setanta covered it clubs had to supply film of all their matches so they could create a highlights show and for some teams that was only coverage they had as setanta always seemed to show the ex league teams such as Torquay Oxford Cambridge
When Setanta covered it clubs had to supply film of all their matches so they could create a highlights show and for some teams that was only coverage they had as setanta always seemed to show the ex league teams such as Torquay Oxford Cambridge
Well, probably correctly, as they're among the few names in the Conference that actually mean much to the general audience - but it does point out the worthless nature of the deal to a channel that shows no other football, because in Setanta's last year, 2008-09, which was also Wrexham's first season in the Conference, they showed Wrexham four times. Now that was OK on Setanta because I also watched the Premier League and FA Cup and England and Wales on there, but I'm not paying for another channel if they're only going to show four matches I care about.
Took a surprisingly long time for forum favourite Pick TV to get a mention. I really do think the Conference can only appear on a sports channel, as a supplement to other football. It simply does not justify top billing.
I think the Conference should focus on getting a deal with something like YouTube, for one season to show a live game every week. It would probably cause a bit of a buzz and stop it getting lost on a pay broadcaster. I understand the production costs would be the biggest obstacle, but YouTube might fund these as it might be a coup for them.
YouTube would be better sticking with what they've already done with international games, but perhaps branch out into continental club games. There are some massive individual games in what are deemed the minor European leagues that rarely or even never get an airing in the UK. Rather than showing a full league campaign in say Greece, Turkey, Belgium, Holland or Portugal, just pick up the Olympiacos v Panathanikos, Galatasaray v Fenerbarche, Anderlecht v Standard Liege, Ajax/PSV/Feyernoord, Porto/Benfica/Sporting games etc. There are many more such games across Europe and beyond, especially in South America that would make great and relatively cheap viewing.
Took a surprisingly long time for forum favourite Pick TV to get a mention. I really do think the Conference can only appear on a sports channel, as a supplement to other football. It simply does not justify top billing.
There does seem to be some sort of obsession with Pick TV on this forum.
Your point about it needing other football on the channel is the main point I think. I would watch the conference if it was on Sky. I'm not going to subscribe to a seperate channel to watch it.
There does seem to be some sort of obsession with Pick TV on this forum.
Your point about it needing other football on the channel is the main point I think. I would watch the conference if it was on Sky. I'm not going to subscribe to a seperate channel to watch it.
Whenever anyone mentiones Pick TV they always say it would be good promotion for Sky Sports, but they had Sky Sports News doing that 24 hours a day on Freeview and they took it off, so clearly they don't want to do that.
The other thing about being on a channel like Sky is that clearly the people who subscribe to it are diehard football fans and they're the people who are going to watch the Conference. It means nothing to casual fans, who have enough big games on FTA. Also a channel already showing football doesn't have to set up a commentary and presentation team from scratch.
I used to love it on Setanta too, but agree it won't ever be 60 games a season again or get top billing.
I don't think it would be terrible for ITV to get a deal where they could show games on ITV4 in their spaces. I'm sure if they got a good deal on a popular channel, the Conference would happily move games to suit the broadcaster (as they do it for rubbish channels at the moment).
The BBC have had 3 live mens club games on their English channels since the Olympics, so it couldn't hurt them to get some more live football?
Also, Channel 5 lost their Europa League contract this year, but could surely benefit from some live football again?
I used to love it on Setanta too, but agree it won't ever be 60 games a season again or get top billing.
I don't think it would be terrible for ITV to get a deal where they could show games on ITV4 in their spaces. I'm sure if they got a good deal on a popular channel, the Conference would happily move games to suit the broadcaster (as they do it for rubbish channels at the moment).
The BBC have had 3 live mens club games on their English channels since the Olympics, so it couldn't hurt them to get some more live football?
Also, Channel 5 lost their Europa League contract this year, but could surely benefit from some live football again?
Channel 5 are not going to clear their evening/Saturday/Sunday schedule to show football from the FIFTH tier of English football.
Are people on this forum not living in the real world? What next, the suggestion Sky should show it on Pick TV? Guessing we have had that 5 times already!
Sky could use Pick TV because... oh yeah hang on that has been suggested already! And I disagreed with it.
However, living in the real world, I DO generally believe the conference could be doing better.
I suspect the games would mainly be on Thursday nights in non Europa League nights, which is why channel 5 has been mentioned.
I doubt it will be on channel 5, but I do think the conference would be better having less games on a more popular channel (yes I mean Sky Sports, hopefully a sensible discussion can be had without someone comparing me to a kid in a playground!)
Comments
Anyway the 3 year deal signed by Premier Sports is up at the end of the season and so far nothing about it being renewed. ESPN will be leaving the UK market at the end of the season.
Would this be something BT might want?
With the amount of European rights they've got, and hoe cheap they are to broadcast compared to the full OB needed for the BSP, I doubt BT will be rushing to grab the rights.
Not really, because the Isthmian League still exist. As well as being a totally different league to the Conference, of course...
Of course, when you see matches from Wrexham on TV, behind the dugouts you can still see stickers for the ITV Sport Channel on the steps. I dunno what they stuck them on with, cement?
If Premier Sports do stop covering the Conference, the best they're going to get is as they had before Setanta, a couple of games a season on Sky, like the Irish League. It's all very well having thirty matches a season but it's no advert for the league if it's on a channel nobody has. You only get about half a dozen League Two games on TV a season but it's a hundred times more prominent because they're on a channel a lot of people have and they get goals and highlights on popular programmes like Soccer Saturday and Football Focus. Leagues should focus on quality, not quantity.
No, it really wouldn't be.
Very small beer compared to the rights cost of the Premier League. They would certainly get viewers who currently subscribe to Premier Sports for the conference.
I agree with this. Apparently the conference turned down a highlights deal with the BBC, before the Premier Sports deal was accounced. That is barmy if true.
Putting the league on a channel that has other football at least means if fans are subscribed to the channel for Premier League football, they may watch the odd match here or there of the conference if its on. When the league was on Setanta it also had Premier League and SPL football to go along with it, although I doubt any broadcaster is going to do 60 games a season again.
Its the conference that should imo be focusing on selling it to a more popular channel, even if it means less matches.
Of course the rights are cheaper than the Premier League, but they still have to pay costs of broadcasting the matches.
As I'm not a subscriber, any idea what viewing figures the games get?
Yes they would have to pay the costs of broadcasting the matches. But broadcasting matches wouldn't cost that much to BT, and I'm sure they could get more money from viewers, than the cost of covering the matches.
No idea what the viewing figures are I'm afraid. That said I think the conference should concentrate on getting a deal with less matches, on a more exposed channel. Having just the playoffs and perhaps a couple of key matches late on in the season (Easter Monday, last day of the season etc) would be better than 30 matches on a channel hardly anyone gets.
Or even just put it on the main sports channels.
The localised stations in the regions on BBC/ITV could show the odd few matches of the Conference teams in there region during the season. However the twist being that it's only away games they show, therefore preventing a drop in home gate revenue. Perfect timeslot would be sunday morning. The nationalised channels wouldnt wouldnt be disrupted by football either.
If any of the new local TV licences match Conference club areas, we may see the odd match shown. Assuming no broadcast picks up exclusive rights to the Conference.
The cost of televising the games was the deal breaker for ESPN -
When Setanta covered it clubs had to supply film of all their matches so they could create a highlights show and for some teams that was only coverage they had as setanta always seemed to show the ex league teams such as Torquay Oxford Cambridge
Well, probably correctly, as they're among the few names in the Conference that actually mean much to the general audience - but it does point out the worthless nature of the deal to a channel that shows no other football, because in Setanta's last year, 2008-09, which was also Wrexham's first season in the Conference, they showed Wrexham four times. Now that was OK on Setanta because I also watched the Premier League and FA Cup and England and Wales on there, but I'm not paying for another channel if they're only going to show four matches I care about.
Took a surprisingly long time for forum favourite Pick TV to get a mention. I really do think the Conference can only appear on a sports channel, as a supplement to other football. It simply does not justify top billing.
YouTube would be better sticking with what they've already done with international games, but perhaps branch out into continental club games. There are some massive individual games in what are deemed the minor European leagues that rarely or even never get an airing in the UK. Rather than showing a full league campaign in say Greece, Turkey, Belgium, Holland or Portugal, just pick up the Olympiacos v Panathanikos, Galatasaray v Fenerbarche, Anderlecht v Standard Liege, Ajax/PSV/Feyernoord, Porto/Benfica/Sporting games etc. There are many more such games across Europe and beyond, especially in South America that would make great and relatively cheap viewing.
There does seem to be some sort of obsession with Pick TV on this forum.
Your point about it needing other football on the channel is the main point I think. I would watch the conference if it was on Sky. I'm not going to subscribe to a seperate channel to watch it.
Whenever anyone mentiones Pick TV they always say it would be good promotion for Sky Sports, but they had Sky Sports News doing that 24 hours a day on Freeview and they took it off, so clearly they don't want to do that.
The other thing about being on a channel like Sky is that clearly the people who subscribe to it are diehard football fans and they're the people who are going to watch the Conference. It means nothing to casual fans, who have enough big games on FTA. Also a channel already showing football doesn't have to set up a commentary and presentation team from scratch.
I don't think it would be terrible for ITV to get a deal where they could show games on ITV4 in their spaces. I'm sure if they got a good deal on a popular channel, the Conference would happily move games to suit the broadcaster (as they do it for rubbish channels at the moment).
The BBC have had 3 live mens club games on their English channels since the Olympics, so it couldn't hurt them to get some more live football?
Also, Channel 5 lost their Europa League contract this year, but could surely benefit from some live football again?
Channel 5 are not going to clear their evening/Saturday/Sunday schedule to show football from the FIFTH tier of English football.
Are people on this forum not living in the real world? What next, the suggestion Sky should show it on Pick TV? Guessing we have had that 5 times already!
However, living in the real world, I DO generally believe the conference could be doing better.
I suspect the games would mainly be on Thursday nights in non Europa League nights, which is why channel 5 has been mentioned.
I doubt it will be on channel 5, but I do think the conference would be better having less games on a more popular channel (yes I mean Sky Sports, hopefully a sensible discussion can be had without someone comparing me to a kid in a playground!)