Sky Sports Ofcom Ruling (Virgin/BT/Freeview)

mrtom21

Just a heads up to any Virgin Media/Freeview/BT Vision etc..

Ofcom has ruled that Sky must wholesale Sky Sports 1/2 at a cheaper rate than it is currently meaning these two channels are likely to be an option on a wide variety of TV services... and more importantly cheaper on Virgin Media. Sky have also been warned that they cannot just move all programming shown on the two sports channels to alternatives to workaround this.

What are your thoughts on this? You think Virgin Media will actually pass on any savings to the customer and do you think freeview will actually have an option to set up Sky Sports?

Regards,

Tom.

DCFC79

If it is actually give the a ok to go ahead then yes i dotn see why sky sports couldn't be available on freeview and VM to pass on the savings, sky just needs to stop throwing its toys out of its pram and let competitors offer a sports package to its customers

mrtom21

I think Sky aren't worried about how many Sky Sports subscribers they will have because it will no doubt increase... I think they are more worried about the effect it will have on their phoneline, broadband and standard tv options which ultimately will cost them more money. In an ideal world they should be happy they are being made available on more platforms I am just not sure whether the ruling will make much of a difference.

Blakey1982

More and more people will be joining sky in the next few months due to the UK going Nagravision 3 which (supposedly) will eliminate viewing from illegal Cable boxes.

Which is why Sky will only get bigger

davidlizard

I am in two minds about this.

One one hand, if the prices come down - great. I am finding it increasingly difficult to justify to myself to spend the best part of £50/month (which includes the TV tax) to watch the sport that I do - and I watch nothing other than sport.

On the other hand, I see Sky finding a way round this to protect their revenues - being permitted to charge for content on digital terrestrial was one carrot offered. Alternatively they may simply cut back on the amount of sport offered to match what they are permitted to charge. Rival broadcasters such as ESPN and Sony will then buy up the rights, which will result in viewers having to pay multiple subscriptions to receive the same volume of sport.

It will also be interesting to see what happens with some of the more lucrative sporting rights - how much will Sky bid for premiership football given (a) their prices when sold via third parties are capped and (b) rival bidders may be less likely to bid if they know Sky will be forced to sell it through them at a capped rate. This will then result in less money going to the sports bodies via television rights.

mrtom21

davidlizard wrote: »

On the other hand, I see Sky finding a way round this to protect their revenues - being permitted to charge for content on digital terrestrial was one carrot offered. Alternatively they may simply cut back on the amount of sport offered to match what they are permitted to charge. Rival broadcasters such as ESPN and Sony will then buy up the rights, which will result in viewers having to pay multiple subscriptions to receive the same volume of sport.

Being honest I was already under the impression ESPN would go for more rights when the next lot are up for auction... At the moment they have only been given access to the drivle that Setanta left behind and therefore had no choice on the premiership football they got access to. In comparison to Setanta they are massive and even without this regulation I would have thought they were about to go into a bidding war for the rights at their next given opportunity.

Inactive

Anything that hits Murdoch in the pocket is good news for me.;)

Queen_of_NO_MATTER_WHAT

mrtom21 wrote: »

Being honest I was already under the impression ESPN would go for more rights when the next lot are up for auction... At the moment they have only been given access to the drivle that Setanta left behind and therefore had no choice on the premiership football they got access to. In comparison to Setanta they are massive and even without this regulation I would have thought they were about to go into a bidding war for the rights at their next given opportunity.

as long as they improve the quality of their coverage, I'm not a huge football fan but my OH is and even I can tell the difference between the close ups, camera action and the commentary on ESPN it's v poor compared to sky sports

grimlea

mrtom21 wrote: »

You think Virgin Media will actually pass on any savings to the customer?

yeah virgin will pass savings on

scotsbob

Blakey1982 wrote: »

................ due to the UK going Nagravision 3 ..........................

The UK going Nagravsion 3 doesn't make any sense could you explain it.

grimlea

Blakey1982 wrote: »

More and more people will be joining sky in the next few months due to the UK going Nagravision 3 which (supposedly) will eliminate viewing from illegal Cable boxes.

Which is why Sky will only get bigger

virgin have seen a marked increase in subscriptions as each area moves to nagra - i'm sure both sky & virgin will benefit

of course the new prices for sky sports will help virgin capture these customers