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UEFA Champions League on TV
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GeorgeS
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by casinoman13:
“I hardly think Sky are going to announce that BT are the new home of the Champion's League?

I would say they have at least kept what they already have which would really be nogreat surprise to anyone.

However all this after just 5 hours of the deadline?”

Means nothing other than they are preparing for a quick announcement. If they lose they wont show the footage, if they win rights they will. Would you rather be caught on the hop and have to go hunt for footage or be prepared for either scenario?
stevvy1986
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by BenFranklin:
“If Sky have found out really quickly might imply that BT ended up not bidding.”

That'd certainly be a surprise though (in my view anyway, as I think they'd bid for 2 reasons, 1 being to push the price up for Sky (in that Sky would surely expect a bid from BT and so find themselves having to bid more) but also even if it was just for say 1st pick Tuesday and Tuesday highlights (or even just 2nd pick Tues or Weds) that they won, they'd be able to say, depending on what they'd win, either "this shows we mean business" or "this is just the start, next time we'll try to snatch everything we possibly can").
mogzyboy
05-11-2013
I suppose if UEFA has already looked at the bids, and got exactly what they'd wanted from the auction, then why not announce it quickly? No point in holding it back.
F1Ken
05-11-2013
Sorry to sound like an idiot but I haven't been following this, but what is looking like the most likely outcome at the moment.

Can ITV hold onto it? Some stories are out their suggesting they're out of it. If BT got it Jake would be dropping terribly cringe worthy Tweets before it's announced. Can his head get any bigger??

Ken
hendero
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by F1Ken:
“Sorry to sound like an idiot but I haven't been following this, but what is looking like the most likely outcome at the moment.

Can ITV hold onto it? Some stories are out their suggesting they're out of it. If BT got it Jake would be dropping terribly cringe worthy Tweets before it's announced. Can his head get any bigger??

Ken”

I'm not sure there is anything definitive out there. If the past few posts are anything to go by there is a decent chance Sky will retain at least some rights to continue to show CL from next season. Beyond that there is speculation, conjecture, hearsay, theorising and guessing, ie the fuel that drives internet forums.

I'd be surprised if we're all kept waiting as long as it took the news to be announced in e.g. Scandinavia. UEFA probably don't want to distract from the actual matches being played the next two nights (especially if ITV are losing out), but there's a three week gap after Weds, so maybe next week we'll find out.
THOMO
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by F1Ken:
“Sorry to sound like an idiot but I haven't been following this, but what is looking like the most likely outcome at the moment.

Can ITV hold onto it? Some stories are out their suggesting they're out of it. If BT got it Jake would be dropping terribly cringe worthy Tweets before it's announced. Can his head get any bigger??

Ken”

Have you got any links to those stories.
Ian.
popeye13
05-11-2013
BT have also prepped stories for publication/broadcast regarding UCL (As i understand thanks to a former colleague who now works at BT) In the same manner Sky have. Its being prepared to go all singing & dancing about it if they get what they bid for.

I fully expect ITV to get nothing and will be stunned if they do.

And what i cannot understand is why people are putting focus on BT's current low numbers of sport subscribers... If they secure UCL rights, their numbers will go up more, thats a fact no matter how you try to word it.
I don't think anyone expected them to have the available audience they have by now, so they're not exactly just being watched by one man and his dog are they...
casinoman13
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by popeye13:
“BT have also prepped stories for publication/broadcast regarding UCL (As i understand thanks to a former colleague who now works at BT) In the same manner Sky have. Its being prepared to go all singing & dancing about it if they get what they bid for.

I fully expect ITV to get nothing and will be stunned if they do.

And what i cannot understand is why people are putting focus on BT's current low numbers of sport subscribers... If they secure UCL rights, their numbers will go up more, thats a fact no matter how you try to word it.
I don't think anyone expected them to have the available audience they have by now, so they're not exactly just being watched by one man and his dog are they...”

And they are certainly not here for a short stay...that is also for sure.
popeye13
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by casinoman13:
“And they are certainly not here for a short stay...that is also for sure.”

That aswell, but alot are forgetting that fact and assuming they will be Setanta and go bust or ESPN who walked away without really fighting in the first place..
BT are serious and know full well they will have to take some big hits before they see a financial rise, the same as Sky did many moons ago.

BT has a decent subscriber base in sport already, more than i expected and more than BT themselves expected and that will rise and more.
derek500
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by popeye13:
“
BT has a decent subscriber base in sport already, more than i expected and more than BT themselves expected and that will rise and more.”

Only because they're giving it away to their own customers. The number of paying subscribers is very low. Nowhere near ESPN/Setanta's.
popeye13
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by derek500:
“Only because they're giving it away to their own customers. The number of paying subscribers is very low. Nowhere near ESPN/Setanta's.”

Unless ive missed something, how does that matter in terms of actual available/potential audience?
Steve Williams
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by hendero:
“And are people really going to sign up for BT on top of Sky just for the ok but not great Premier League matches they have and one night of CL football?”

This is the thing, I think, I know it's going a long way back but ITV Digital had Champions League rights and it didn't do much for them. Different era, I know, and the fact they weren't on the Sky platform was a massive factor, but in terms of week in week out action, I don't know if it's such a massive driver of subscriptions.

If you're a Man U fan, you'd obviously want to see their matches, but will you have already subscribed to BT to see their Premier League coverage? Especially if they end up sharing the rights with someone. If they only had first pick on one night, they could show Man U three times at most. Is that enough to justify Man U fans that haven't already signed up to sign up? I'm not sure. And if your team isn't in the Champions League, what then? There are big games you'd like to see as a football fan, but are there enough?

That's why I think the status quo will prevail. I think you need all of it, or at least all the pay rights, to be worth it. If BT only had some of it, first picks or no, most people would be happy enough sticking with Sky. At least with the Premier League you have content virtually every week of the season. I don't think BT will get all of it, so I don't think they'll get any of it, and I think ITV will keep what they have. As it stands UEFA get a FTA shop window and also plenty of money from Sky who get virtually all of it. It's a system that works for them.
Gray77
05-11-2013
I'd love to see the BT line if they snagged the Tuesday night 1st pick rights.

'We now have games live that you won't see on Free TV'.

If BT aim to take games from Sky then so be it. If their aim here is to merely take games from ITV then what will they have done except further dilute the sports market?

If and when we end up with no Champions League on free TV it will be a sad day IMO for football in this country. I have Sky and BT, it won't affect my abilities to see games, but the Champions League is a special competition that can create special evenings that are watched by the public and not just hardcore football fans. Take it away from ITV and it becomes a niche football competition that will lose its ability to become a national story.

There's a big difference in games like Arsenal v Barcelona and United v Real being watched by 7-8 million people on ITV and them being watched by 1.5m on Sky or 1m on BT. In the first instance these games become stories that everyone is aware of and non football fans watch. In the second instance they are just football games like any other which most people cannot see and therefore they don't resonate. It depends whether UEFA actually care about this aspect of it or not.
popeye13
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by Gray77:
“If and when we end up with no Champions League on free TV it will be a sad day IMO for football in this country. I have Sky and BT, it won't affect my abilities to see games, but the Champions League is a special competition that can create special evenings that are watched by the public and not just hardcore football fans. Take it away from ITV and it becomes a niche football competition that will lose its ability to become a national story.”

The Premier League doesn't get hurt by being only on pay-tv, that gets the headlines, so there is nothing to stop UCL having the same effect....
Leewich
05-11-2013
I can see what you mean. I remember watching Gareth Bale's brilliant performance against Inter Milan at a family member's house, who doesn't have Sky, and it has lived long in the memory. The same can be said for Arsenal's win over Barcelona in 2011.

I am in the process of losing my home so I'm quite keen for ITV to keep the football.
Paul_Crawford
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by popeye13:
“The Premier League doesn't get hurt by being only on pay-tv, that gets the headlines, so there is nothing to stop UCL having the same effect....”

Yes but there are highlights on MOTD, if ITV get nothing, how will millions of people without BT/SKY going to see any action?

I doubt they will tune into 5live/talkSPORT instead.
Mark.
05-11-2013
I wonder if UEFA are allowed to award rights with conditions - e.g. Sky get all rights on the condition they sub-licence the Wednesday highlights and the final (simulcast) to a FTA broadcaster.

And you never know, such a condition might not carry as strict sponsorship requirements (since it's unexpected FTA exposure)...you can see where I'm going with this...
channelsurfer
05-11-2013
wow. so if(speculation and informed sources) are to be believed its the end of FTA champions league and BT and SKy have stumped up cash to see to it.
I am wary though that such a quick announcement can be made. Its cash only all bids on the table of course so it would only take 5 minutes to open the envelopes and then TEAM speak to UEFA and tell them to position. UEFA then decide or do TEAM have the absolute say in this?
Paul_Crawford
05-11-2013
Who are these informed sources?
Paul_Crawford
05-11-2013
http://www.cityam.com/article/138361...otball-bid-due

Thats the only recent article

They are predicitng Sky taking all of the rights.
PaulLFC
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by Paul_Crawford:
“http://www.cityam.com/article/138361...otball-bid-due

Thats the only recent article

They are predicitng Sky taking all of the rights.”

I think it's very likely Sky bid for all rights, whether they actually got them or not though, remains to be seen.

Would also like to know these sources who are saying it's gone to BT/Sky! Not good for those who don't have pay TV if so.
THOMO
05-11-2013
The problem with BT Sport is that they don't have any red button service at present, if they win a say all of Tuesday or Wednesday evenings matches, are BT Sport going to introduce a red button service?
Ian.
Paul_Crawford
05-11-2013
I wonder if Charles Sale will have any news for us in just over an hour....

You never know...
Mark.
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by THOMO:
“The problem with BT Sport is that they don't have any red button service at present...”

I'd say the bigger problem with BT Sport is that their presentation is god-awful.

Both Setanta and ESPN I'd have been happy to see take some CL rights, because they did things properly. But I don't think I could stomach Jake Humphrey, his cronies and the overall "BT is way cool" attitude for such a prestigious tournament.
fodg09
05-11-2013
Originally Posted by THOMO:
“The problem with BT Sport is that they don't have any red button service at present, if they win a say all of Tuesday or Wednesday evenings matches, are BT Sport going to introduce a red button service?
Ian.”

The new rights don't start until August 2015 so if BT were to win all of Tuesday, Wednesday or both then they will have more than enough time to get a red button service, or say a broadband powered equivalent, up and running.
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