[Ginger Daddy]

Originally Posted by loyalsince

Sorry I edited my last post (and have done again)

No idea- I would guess around £5m a year, which would be excellent value for Sky. Pure guess, based on prize money totals though and the fact that TV will be the main revenue source

Edit: Before I get sacked I have to say personally I think it is a stupid decision to drop the UK Open as it is a unique event and the final stages as its a largley open draw are 'lesser,' names. For me the World Cup of Darts is a much poorer event and I think the Prem Lge should be reduced to 11 weeks (say 9 normal nights and 2 play off nights (QF one week, SF and final the next if you have ten players). The PL is a bit boring with the same players every week.

The PL will never, ever be reduced in length whilst it funds the non-televised events.

[redandwhiterob]

The PL is a ideal for sky for a Thursday night and what is normally a pretty quiet night for live sports coverage

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Harfynn Teuport

Yes, but in the main I don't think any of them give a stuff about anything but the PL. This has been shown by Setanta and ESPN throwing in the towel when they lost their PL rights. They're happy to pad out their sports channels with coverage of other sport, but they are basically providers of PL coverage and I suspect that is how they see themselves too. If it came down to it, Sky would spend their entire budget on PL football, because PL football IS their business model. And so would the rest of them... it really is that important.

Setanta went into administration, companies including TopUp TV looked at acquiring it but decided against it. Setanta did not throw in the towel.
ESPN is slightly less clear. The UK seems to have been part of a general plan to just focus on the US market and not just a case of losing EPL rights. Otherwise, it would have just reverted to just ESPN Classic and ESPN North America.
But obviously the EPL is a key driver of sports subscriptions.

[ariusuk]

Originally Posted by LOSG

This was certainly the case for the Grand Slam, i'm not sure Sky ever really wanted it, they had first refusal on it originally and didn't take it up.

And yet when it turned out to be a massive success on ITV, Sky bid aggressively for it when the rights next came up, paying four times what ITV did.

It is interesting that the GSOD is included within the main darts contract this time, and is not a separate deal as it was previously.

I would say the total amount Sky pays for darts is nearer £10m than £5m, and the loss of the Open in the contract announced today will by an attempt by Sky to stop that amount increasing.

[coventrywooo]

Originally Posted by ariusuk

And yet when it turned out to be a massive success on ITV, Sky bid aggressively for it when the rights next came up, paying four times what ITV did.

It is interesting that the GSOD is included within the main darts contract this time, and is not a separate deal as it was previously.

I would say the total amount Sky pays for darts is nearer £10m than £5m, and the loss of the Open in the contract announced today will by an attempt by Sky to stop that amount increasing.

what are the chances of itv taking it, cause itv do very well in the darts coverage...

[F1Ken]

Originally Posted by ariusuk

And yet when it turned out to be a massive success on ITV, Sky bid aggressively for it when the rights next came up, paying four times what ITV did.

It is interesting that the GSOD is included within the main darts contract this time, and is not a separate deal as it was previously.

I would say the total amount Sky pays for darts is nearer £10m than £5m, and the loss of the Open in the contract announced today will by an attempt by Sky to stop that amount increasing.

That sound more like something the BBC would have to do not sky! Do you reckon the New EPL deal has pressured their budget? Or is this just bog standard money saving.

Ken

[batdude_uk1]

When the next Formula One rights come up for auction, could we see BT perhaps going to try and get in on the act?

[loyalsince]

Originally Posted by Ginger Daddy

The PL will never, ever be reduced in length whilst it funds the non-televised events.

You are correct. The four extra nights (I want 11 not 15) will generate about 25K fans (rough average) each paying at least £20.

Well over 0.5m plus TV income, sponsorship increases etc. It is a no brainer.

What I want and what financially makes sense to the PDC can be two different things

[redandwhiterob]

After 10pm of on a Thursday night and Sky sports have

SS1 England live test cricket
SS2 Premier league darts live
SS3 Word golf championship live

Going to take a monumental effort from BT to make people actually leave Sky sports and sign up to there very own sports channel

[wolvesdavid]

With people saying that Thursday night is a week night for Sky (and I agree it is) I wondered if they will get the Europa League rights. Also with the football league contract they said that 10 Thursday night games would take place.

[redandwhiterob]

Originally Posted by wolvesdavid

With people saying that Thursday night is a week night for Sky (and I agree it is) I wondered if they will get the Europa League rights. Also with the football league contract they said that 10 Thursday night games would take place.

Judging by my post above mate this Thursday has been a hugely strong one

[Gray77]

Originally Posted by wolvesdavid

With people saying that Thursday night is a week night for Sky

Thursday night is a week night regardless of what channel you're watching or regardless of whether you're watching TV or not.


Couldn't resist, sorry.

[wolvesdavid]

Originally Posted by Gray77

Thursday night is a week night regardless of what channel you're watching or regardless of whether you're watching TV or not.


Couldn't resist, sorry.

Too late to edit it now as well.

[mlt11]

Sky May schedules are out and Sky is showing daily highlights of the Giro D'Italia - one hour per day, generally at 7pm.

I don't recall Sky showing this before (or is my memory fading???). I also don't recall any such announcement by Sky of these rights being acquired.

Eurosport signed a new 4 year deal for live rights from 2013 to 2016 - see link:

http://sport-onthebox.com/2013/03/04...-ditalia-deal/

[chrisfinch]

Originally Posted by mlt11

Sky May schedules are out and Sky is showing daily highlights of the Giro D'Italia - one hour per day, generally at 7pm.

I don't recall Sky showing this before (or is my memory fading???). I also don't recall any such announcement by Sky of these rights being acquired.

Eurosport signed a new 4 year deal for live rights from 2013 to 2016 - see link:

http://sport-onthebox.com/2013/03/04...-ditalia-deal/

Sky have also shown highlights of Tirreno Adriatico and Milano Sanremo in the last couple of weeks, so on that basis it isn't a massive surprise. I guess a deal has quietly been done with either the event organisers-or whoever holds the rights, who according that link appear to be Eurosport.

[rfonzo]

It will be interesting to see if Sky will continue to have the influence it has had in the past with the new competition from BT?

[mlt11]

Originally Posted by chrisfinch

Sky have also shown highlights of Tirreno Adriatico and Milano Sanremo in the last couple of weeks, so on that basis it isn't a massive surprise. I guess a deal has quietly been done with either the event organisers-or whoever holds the rights, who according that link appear to be Eurosport.

Yes - real signs of Sky stepping up their cycling coverage which is not a surprise given their involvement in the sport and also its big increase in profile / popularity in recent years.

[GeorgeS]

Originally Posted by mlt11

Yes - real signs of Sky stepping up their cycling coverage which is not a surprise given their involvement in the sport and also its big increase in profile / popularity in recent years.

No point advertising Team Sky on Sky Sports though is there?

[Dansky+HD]

Originally Posted by wolvesdavid

With people saying that Thursday night is a week night for Sky (and I agree it is) I wondered if they will get the Europa League rights. Also with the football league contract they said that 10 Thursday night games would take place.

I'd love Sky to replace ESPN as the Pay TV arm of the Europa Lge would love them to show on the red button all the games that ITV don't show like they do in the Champions Lge.

[mlt11]

Originally Posted by GeorgeS

No point advertising Team Sky on Sky Sports though is there?

Interesting point - I guess they think they get masses of general coverage across all media for Team Sky, whether or not race coverage is on Sky Sports.

In any case Sky doesn't as yet show the Tour de France which must be the number 1 attraction by miles. Whether they may decide to make a bid for it next time we'll have to wait and see but that is some years off.

[ariusuk]

Originally Posted by Dansky+HD

I'd love Sky to replace ESPN as the Pay TV arm of the Europa Lge would love them to show on the red button all the games that ITV don't show like they do in the Champions Lge.

BT has acquired ESPN's Europa League rights, along with the rest of ESPN UK.

...and ESPN only has the rights to show three Europa League games per week anyway, so there's no chance of you being able to press red to watch the likes of Partizan Belgrade v Neftci any time soon.

[3 $pirit]

Earlier on my friend who also likes cricket was talking about how frustrating it is that regular Ireland cricket matches aren't televised anyway in UK and was wondering why someone like Sky don't have the rights to some Ireland/Scotland matches? Surely the rights would be really cheap and it might get decent ish figures considering their home nations. Plus the standard of both teams is pretty decent especially Ireland.

[The Wanderer]

Originally Posted by 3 $pirit

Earlier on my friend who also likes cricket was talking about how frustrating it is that regular Ireland cricket matches aren't televised anyway in UK and was wondering why someone like Sky don't have the rights to some Ireland/Scotland matches? Surely the rights would be really cheap and it might get decent ish figures considering their home nations. Plus the standard of both teams is pretty decent especially Ireland.

Sky has had the rights to a few Ireland games in recent years, admittedly the one I remember was against England two years ago but I'm sure there was another match last year which was rained off

[tvphil]

Originally Posted by 3 $pirit

Earlier on my friend who also likes cricket was talking about how frustrating it is that regular Ireland cricket matches aren't televised anyway in UK and was wondering why someone like Sky don't have the rights to some Ireland/Scotland matches? Surely the rights would be really cheap and it might get decent ish figures considering their home nations. Plus the standard of both teams is pretty decent especially Ireland.

Occasionally some of these One Day Internationals have been shown on BBC Scotland or the BBC Red Button in the past.

I agree, am suprised that Sky, the BBC or Channel 5 haven't put together a deal to show these regualrly. Usually there will be one match involving England too.

[sporter92]

Originally Posted by 3 $pirit

Earlier on my friend who also likes cricket was talking about how frustrating it is that regular Ireland cricket matches aren't televised anyway in UK and was wondering why someone like Sky don't have the rights to some Ireland/Scotland matches? Surely the rights would be really cheap and it might get decent ish figures considering their home nations. Plus the standard of both teams is pretty decent especially Ireland.

Setanta Ireland, Sky and BBC NI have all covered Ireland before but usually when an Ireland match comes to Northern Ireland it isn't really shown apart from Ireland v England at Stormont in 2006 which was Live on BBC 2 NI all day. Some Ireland matches that stick in my mind that were not broadcast was against West Indies and Pakistan in the few years after 2007.

I agree it is annoying and if BBC NI cannot afford to have a whole days play live for a big ODI then they should at least do highlights