Sky Sports 5 - European Football Channel

1356729

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 8,718
    Forum Member
    This must be one of the most boring announcements I've heard for a while, essentially only signed up the Eredivisie, if this cost extra I definitely wouldn't be subscribing.
  • arunan22arunan22 Posts: 1,450
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Strange (but still welcome announcement)

    - Means no more la liga behind the red button and in HD
    - Dutch league is good for those that care (not that many I assume)
    - Potentially an extra CL game in HD for 1 year
    - More space for other content across the Sky Sports channels as content doesnt need to be shifted to the red button.

    But still - dedicating it to 'European football' when Sky dont really have that much of it - is a bit strange. Far easier just to launch the channel as an extra one!
  • stevvy1986stevvy1986 Posts: 7,077
    Forum Member
    arunan22 wrote: »
    Strange (but still welcome announcement)

    - Means no more la liga behind the red button and in HD
    - Dutch league is good for those that care (not that many I assume)
    - Potentially an extra CL game in HD for 1 year
    - More space for other content across the Sky Sports channels as content doesnt need to be shifted to the red button.

    But still - dedicating it to 'European football' when Sky dont really have that much of it - is a bit strange. Far easier just to launch the channel as an extra one!

    I'd imagine it won't be a full time channel though (eg during the summer months it'd likely be completely devoid of content unless they basically showed every La Liga game again in full that they showed throughout the season, same for the Eredivise). Ok so it'll likely show Euro 2016 qualifers too, but yeah, once they lose the CL it will be more awkward for them to fill the schedule.
  • wal28wal28 Posts: 1,199
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    As a European football fan (especially a Dutch football fan) and an existing Sky Sports sub this is great news. I'm hoping that they'll acquire some exrta content for the channel before the kick-off of the new seasons around Europe.

    I also wander what this does for existing La Liga coverage previously on Sky Sports 1 on a Sunday evening. What will Sky opt to do with that space now?
  • stevvy1986stevvy1986 Posts: 7,077
    Forum Member
    wal28 wrote: »
    As a European football fan (especially a Dutch football fan) and an existing Sky Sports sub this is great news. I'm hoping that they'll acquire some exrta content for the channel before the kick-off of the new seasons around Europe.

    I also wander what this does for existing La Liga coverage previously on Sky Sports 1 on a Sunday evening. What will Sky opt to do with that space now?

    I think (can't remember) that they have more FL coverage this coming season (or it may be the season after), but they could maybe try PL coverage ending at 6.30 or 7pm and have regular Sunday night FL games kicking off at 7 or 7.30pm, although I'd imagine fans wouldn't be too keen on that (less public transport generally on a Sunday, even less so once you get to those sort of times).
  • JudioJudio Posts: 11,772
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    La Liga was often lost behind the red button on Sundays
  • thebestbitthebestbit Posts: 370
    Forum Member
    Can't believe people keep saying this is great news.

    In two months these same people will moan when prices increase. In a years time when no champions league, prices will be increased. And so will BT increase their prices. How this is fair for the consumer, I'd never know.

    Barney Francis is pulling you like his puppets and come August he'd be cashing in his bonuses, whilst your bill gets an upgrade.
  • jeffersbnljeffersbnl Posts: 4,720
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Gurj73 wrote: »
    Sky Sports customers can also enjoy totally unlimited Sky Fibre Unlimited broadband, delivering speeds of up to 38Mb/second for just £10 a month, rather than the regular monthly price of £20.[/url]
    That makes it a trickier decision when I move house in August. I was going to go with BT Infinity for its better router and inclusion of BT Sport. With this offer it makes it:

    BT Infinity 1 + BT Sport HD = £26pm
    Sky Fibre + BT Sport HD = £25pm

    BT Line Rental Saver = £13.25pm
    Sky Line Rental (no saver option available) = £15.40pm

    So there isn't much in it, with line rental saver technically BT is still slightly cheaper. If you don't want BT Sport then Sky is clearly cheaper.
  • arunan22arunan22 Posts: 1,450
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    thebestbit wrote: »
    Can't believe people keep saying this is great news.

    In two months these same people will moan when prices increase. In a years time when no champions league, prices will be increased. And so will BT increase their prices. How this is fair for the consumer, I'd never know.

    Barney Francis is pulling you like his puppets and come August he'd be cashing in his bonuses, whilst your bill gets an upgrade.

    Both of the things you state were probably going to happen anyway - so if I get even the tiniest bit of extra content for my money - Im happy.
  • fodg09fodg09 Posts: 3,602
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    So its effectively a channel created to try and entice people into singing up to that new broadband offer by promoting the two as one and the same?

    Pretty clear that after focusing on marketing Sky TV in the last quarter, Sky's marketing focus is returning to broadband now.
  • wal28wal28 Posts: 1,199
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Well I am seeing it as a good thing in terms of getting Dutch football back on my screen after the absence of a year after BT failed to pick it up.

    Another interesting thing will be to see how Sky resolve the issue of kick-offs if they intend to show La Liga and Eredivisie on the same channel.

    These days many Dutch games kick off at 17.45, 18.45 and 19.45 on a Saturday evening all of which would clash with La Liga games on the same day. Likewise on Sunday morning at 11.30 games kick off from both Spain and Holland so that is another obvious clash between the two leagues. So I don't see the coverage of these leagues as mutually compatible...

    Furthermore if Sky opt for the 2 live intl games per week offered through IMG they tend to move around and don't kick off at fixed times so it might be something of a moveable feast.

    Also Sky could launch a dozen new football channels but they still won't be able to show the 15.00 Saturday afternoon kick-offs. There were a couple of interesting games shown at this time towards the end of the Spanish season so shall be interesting to see how Sky address this.
  • D.M.N.D.M.N. Posts: 34,171
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I wonder if we'll see Sky Sports 3 or 4 turn into the UK's version of the WWE Network?
  • ResonanceResonance Posts: 16,642
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    thebestbit wrote: »
    Can't believe people keep saying this is great news.

    In two months these same people will moan when prices increase. In a years time when no champions league, prices will be increased. And so will BT increase their prices. How this is fair for the consumer, I'd never know.

    Barney Francis is pulling you like his puppets and come August he'd be cashing in his bonuses, whilst your bill gets an upgrade.

    To be fair bills would be going up regardless.
  • boogity_ukboogity_uk Posts: 45
    Forum Member
    Isn't this just a way of preventing BT Vision viewers from getting the Champion's League next season?

    (I think you get Sky Sports 1 and 2 on BT Vision but won't get 5?)
  • 1andrew11andrew1 Posts: 4,088
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    The Guardian has reported a fall in the share prices of both BT and Sky today in response to Sky's move today. Analysts Berenberg were reported by the paper as saying "We do not see the [new] channel as a driver of customer growth or upgrades, but regard the aggressive broadband offer as confirmation that Sky is upping the ante against a resurgent BT....As indicated in previous research, we see the company as under pressure in its TV business as a result of accelerating rights cost inflation, while the maturity of the broadband market means that Sky must either face lower gross margins or declining market share."
    http://www.theguardian.com/business/marketforceslive/2014/jun/10/bskyb-sky-sports-5-broadband-bt
  • ftakeithftakeith Posts: 3,476
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    thebestbit wrote: »
    Can't believe people keep saying this is great news.

    In two months these same people will moan when prices increase. In a years time when no champions league, prices will be increased. And so will BT increase their prices. How this is fair for the consumer, I'd never know.

    Barney Francis is pulling you like his puppets and come August he'd be cashing in his bonuses, whilst your bill gets an upgrade.

    dutch football is poor

    spanish football is good

    a european football channel should have been a priority than a sky F1 channel
  • Bill ClintonBill Clinton Posts: 9,389
    Forum Member
    I don't get this, does it mean Sky Sports 5 is free to those who take Sky Broadband, free to all customers who register, or just to Sky Sports customers, in which case why on earth does it have to be registered?

    Interesting that the channel count of Sky Sports is now going up, probably to prevent champions league being seen on Sky Sports 1 & 2 as said, shame Sky Movies won't get something new and exciting it's been stale for ages, and I no longer subscribe.
    I don't have Sky Sports either for obvious reasons but I can't quite work out from this whether just as a Sky customer with the basic pack whether I'll actually get this channel.

    I've got a good fibre connection now and wouldn't change to Sky broadband even if I was a football fan anyway because they might clamp down on torrents etc.
    Same would go for BT, I wouldn't go near their internet services with a bargepole, so if I was interested in BT Sport I would recommend just paying for it extra.
  • beemohbeemoh Posts: 7,073
    Forum Member
    So is this a truly new channel, or is it just a rebrand of Sky Sports Xtra on Sky Go? That seems to show an awful lot of La Liga as it is.
  • BelligerenceBelligerence Posts: 40,613
    Forum Member
    DejaVoodoo wrote: »
    MMM. They can barely fill Sky Sports 1-4 at times.
    That is a problem. I'm guessing when club football takes a break in the summer it'll be filled with repeats?

    Clearly BT must be doing something right as Sky are taking provocative measures.
  • jeffersbnljeffersbnl Posts: 4,720
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I don't get this, does it mean Sky Sports 5 is free to those who take Sky Broadband, free to all customers who register, or just to Sky Sports customers, in which case why on earth does it have to be registered?
    Because it can then prompt / persuade people when 'signing up' to take the free broadband offer, meaning they won't feel tempted to switch to, oh I dunno, say BT ;-)
  • Dr2PatDr2Pat Posts: 420
    Forum Member
    so will those, like me, who already have sports and broadband, be able to get the 2 years free broadband?
  • ocavocav Posts: 2,341
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    shame Sky Movies won't get something new and exciting it's been stale for ages, and I no longer subscribe.

    Sky Movies received Sky Movies Disney last year along with a rebrand of a few channels. The addition of "See It First" this year was also added.

    Unfortunately, its Sports where Sky has major competition as Netflix/Amazon Prime are yet to creep on Sky Movies as much as BT Sport has!
  • jlp95bwfcjlp95bwfc Posts: 18,332
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Dr2Pat wrote: »
    so will those, like me, who already have sports and broadband, be able to get the 2 years free broadband?

    Yes. Just call Sky on Thursday or register on the website.
  • rawmanrawman Posts: 604
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    So in a year's time effectively a whole new channel for just Eredivisie and La Liga?

    The Dutch league is borderline. Spanish, German, Italian, French are the big Euro Leagues that matter. BT also have the other main ones from Brazil, the USA and Australia because they fill otherwise barren hours of programming. I'm not sure what else Sky could add to make this worthwhile.
Sign In or Register to comment.