Sky Challenge over TV rights

[Simster]

It ain't gonna happen. The grey market will become official so all the pubs showing Premier League football using Albanian , Italian , Greek , Polish (and others) cards in a satellite receiver will end up paying more as the cost will go up.

Why do you say that? Because I doubt that very much. A total absence of monopoly power and a fairly large number of European suppliers of Premiership matches will see to that.

 

[Gwylan]

My brother in law has a pub in the NE and him and others in the area are blatently advertising games outside their boozers because of this appeal. He was told that Sky are not pursuing landlords until they have a clear decision from the EU. Not sure if Sky can appeal against this decision, and if they do it will take another 12 months or so.

A decision hasn't been made yet, it will be later in the year. What has happened today is that the legal advisor has given an opinion that the Sky stance is uncompetitive: the ECJ doesn't have to accept this - but it nearly always does.

 

[Easy 10]

Sky DO monitor various websites and forums for snippets of information

Sky have reps in every area who's job it is to tour pubs to check for the pint sign, sell their wares and dish out banners etc.

Any pub using a hooky foreign linkup is FAR more at risk from benig rumbled by a visit from one of those chaps than getting found out by an off-the-cuff post by some binner buried on an obscure messageboard for a third division football club.

But Sky - if you ARE reading this - well done on the whole Andy Gray / Richard Keys thing. That made my day.

 

[Questions]

I hate watching football in pubs. So even if Sky reduce their rates for pubs and clubs and every pub has it I still wouldn`t go in and watch. You always get caught with some knobhead whether its England or the Albion....................

Like : Well why did you sell you`re old ground then ?

 

[sten_super]

It ain't gonna happen. The grey market will become official so all the pubs showing Premier League football using Albanian , Italian , Greek , Polish (and others) cards in a satellite receiver will end up paying more as the cost will go up.

The point is that if they did that, they wouldn't sell as many units in their home country, which is the whole reason they are cheaper in the first place. While they probably will increase in cost they won't reach anywhere near Sky's ridiculous level.

 

[Gwylan]

Why do you say that? Because I doubt that very much. A total absence of monopoly power and a fairly large number of European suppliers of Premiership matches will see to that.

I agree. If a Greek decoder card vendor can make money by selling his product to a few thousand bubbles then it could cut the price and make even more money by selling it to millions of consumers across the EU, ones who previously had to pay for an hooky card. I can see prices coming down as companies compete for the market.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Why do you say that? Because I doubt that very much. A total absence of monopoly power and a fairly large number of European suppliers of Premiership matches will see to that.

My opinion is once you can sign up for an official card rather than doing it surreptitiously through a third party the European satellite providers will have you by the short and curlys just like Sky have been doing.

 

[Gwylan]

My opinion is once you can sign up for an official card rather than doing it surreptitiously through a third party the European satellite providers will have you by the short and curlys just like Sky have been doing.

But why? There's then a massive market out there and the cheapest is going to win it. Why on earth would anyone increase their prices?

 

[beorhthelm]

Cuts SKY out of the equation with the clubs already complaining that they don't see enough of the massive profits that SKY generate.

That's something to think about if you worry about the balance of the Premier League.

To put it into context, Manchester United could generate more income over two or three high profile games than they do for the whole season now.

yeah, but Wigan for example wouldnt. I think there will always be some form of collective leauge deal as the majority of clubs just wouldnt get the revenue on per club deals, so wont support that change. unless the current top4 + Spurs&Liverpool form a breakaway... (a whole different discussion)

The European courts are good on 'competition' in business, but not so good on 'competition' in football matches. Don't forget they already landed us with the Bosman ruling and stopped countries from limiting the number of foreign players per team (hence England are shite).

really, what is wrong with Bosman? and i dont beleive there has ever been any official judgement on the limitation of national players in countries leagues, its just an assumption by many that its against the free movment of labour (but equally others say it isn't.)


Have to chuckle at the idea this is the end for Sky and the premiership money train though. i reckon it will mainly impact pub licenes, which will become cheaper here and more expensive abroad (where Sky supplies the feed). average towerblock pete is going to carry on paying the subs, as they'll have to muck about with foreign currency too for a forgeign sub. no doubt Sky themselves will seed the idea that all will fall (funny idea that the parachute payments would be first - why? surely thats down to the PL how they divi up the cash), but thats just because they lose a little control. but little actual overall revenue methinks.

 

[sten_super]

It all depends on the elasticities. If Sky can sell 10m codes at £30, total revenue is £300m. If they can sell 100m codes at £10, total revenue is £1,000m. The point is they'll set their price at a level which maximises revenue, and that's likely to be lower than the current price (given the lower real disposable income in a lot of EU countries).

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

One down side is that if Sky becomes cheaper for pubs, many more boozers will be ruined by the presence of Big Screen Sports.

And MORE armchair fans

 

[Rookie]

She has not won its only the Advocate General's opinion that has been passed down. The European Court of Justice still has to make their decision, it will probably follow that of the Advocate but not in all cases.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

But why? There's then a massive market out there and the cheapest is going to win it. Why on earth would anyone increase their prices?

With the current grey market a card is registered in the country where the satellite provider is based , the subscription paid is for residential use not commercial use. The only redress for the satellite provider who finds out the card is not being used for personal use is to send a "kill" signal to the card to render it inoperative.

 

[durrington gull]

Sky have reps in every area who's job it is to tour pubs to check for the pint sign, sell their wares and dish out banners etc.

Any pub using a hooky foreign linkup is FAR more at risk from benig rumbled by a visit from one of those chaps than getting found out by an off-the-cuff post by some binner buried on an obscure messageboard for a third division football club.

But Sky - if you ARE reading this - well done on the whole Andy Gray / Richard Keys thing. That made my day.

Sky will not be pursuing landlords now as they will wait for the outcome of this decision. They haven't been chasing people for the last 6 months or so until there is a ruling.

 

[Jim D]

........what do you think the little pint glass logo in the corner of the screen is for ?

What pint glass? Last time I was watching in a pub there was a bouzouki.

 

[Southern Toon]

Even if this judgement gets passed how many more punters are going to go to a pub to watch live football than presently do, Not that many i would have thought. The loss of revenue to Sky will be small compared to the 10 million households who currently subscribe to Sky's coffers, Not a game changer IMO.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

And MORE armchair fans

Indeed. I'd much rather trot off to some live sport on a Saturday as opposed to spend a Sunday afternoon vertical drinking and staring at a screen.

 

[Rookie]

Even if this judgement gets passed how many more punters are going to go to a pub to watch live football than presently do, Not that many i would have thought. The loss of revenue to Sky will be small compared to the 10 million households who currently subscribe to Sky's coffers, Not a game changer IMO.

In theory it would open the door for people at home to not only get their football from Greece or wherever sells it cheap but also all their channels, movies and what not. Strong implications for Sky and all media organisations throughout Europe.

 

[The Peanut Roaster]

I hate watching football in pubs. So even if Sky reduce their rates for pubs and clubs and every pub has it I still wouldn`t go in and watch. You always get caught with some knobhead whether its England or the Albion....................

Like : Well why did you sell you`re old ground then ?

Well, why did we?

 

[Gwylan]

With the current grey market a card is registered in the country where the satellite provider is based , the subscription paid is for residential use not commercial use. The only redress for the satellite provider who finds out the card is not being used for personal use is to send a "kill" signal to the card to render it inoperative.

As far as I see, the point of the ruling (if upheld) is that there will be no "grey market" - isn't that the whole idea?