Sports Extra (TNT/Premier)

icdg · 19-07-2016 8:12am

I don't really think you can invoke competition law in this instance. You're effectively saying that you want to compel the two parties to enter into a contract at any price; that's not what competition law is for. If it could be shown that Eir had actively embarked on a strategy of keeping the Eir Sport pack exclusive to its own platform that'd be a different kettle of fish. But it remains available on Astra and Vodafone.

It is true that in broadcasting we sometimes have the concept of "must offer" and "must carry", but both are only applied together to channels of a public service nature. Even when Ofcom intervened to make Sky Sports 1 & 2 "must offer", it never said that there was any "must carry" attached.

flazio · 19-07-2016 9:25am

I suspect you're right. I mean from a non Sports pov take a look at Sky Atlantic. Sky have never been compelled to offer the channel elsewhere or to allow it's programmes to be offered on other channels once they've finished with it,

It does weaken Eir a bit if bidding for, Ireland friendlies for example, if there potential reach has been reduced.

ziggyman17 · 19-07-2016 9:50am

Looking at the Virgin twittet feed and there answer to losing the sports package is to watch F1 on channel 4, champions league on rte and tv3 and ufc on ufc online., a joke

Dodge · 19-07-2016 10:08am

I always feel sorry for customer service folk manning a company's Twitter feed for stuff like this. They know they have to peddle BS but have no choice

I found their 'look, the package had nothing you'd want anyway' pretty infuriating yesterday though.

UPC/Virgin customers have gone from a situation where a few years ago we had Setanta Ireland and the ESPN channels at no extra cost to now not even be able to purchase the package that replaced it

JDxtra · 19-07-2016 11:36am

Virgin playing tough here for sure. It's media wars out there. Of course the rebrand from Setanta was a major part of this. They simply could not have a competitors channel on 105 - they'll want 105 for UTV Ireland (or whatever it becomes).

Dodge · 19-07-2016 11:40am

JDxtra wrote: »

Virgin playing tough here for sure. It's media wars out there. Of course the rebrand from Setanta was a major part of this. They simply could not have a competitors channel on 105 - they'll want 105 for UTV Ireland (or whatever it becomes).

Don't think it's just that. Could have easily moved it off 105 and left it in the 400s with the other sports channels.

It's clearly a power play with between Virgin and Eir for for people who don't want Sky though

gordongekko · 19-07-2016 12:11pm

Does eir now have an issue gaining access to sound and vision funding as these must be ftv broadcasts and without access to the virgin network it may not pass that requirement

Goose81 · 19-07-2016 12:13pm

What's the link between eir and BT in the UK?

There has to be because this is exactly what BT have done in the UK, and they did it to try to destroy sky when sky moved into the broadband and phone market.
Ie made sports channels , bought half the rights to everything and offer it for free to people who have BT internet

lertsnim · 19-07-2016 12:21pm

There is no link between eir and BT

Goose81 · 19-07-2016 12:24pm

lertsnim wrote: »

There is no link between eir and BT

Wondering why have eir been allowed exclusive rights to BT and operate the exact same deal as BT are doing in the UK then, can't be coincidence ?

Dodge · 19-07-2016 12:25pm

Goose81 wrote: »

What's the link between eir and BT in the UK?

There has to be because this is exactly what BT have done in the UK, and they did it to try to destroy sky when sky moved into the broadband and phone market.
Ie made sports channels , bought half the rights to everything and offer it for free to people who have BT internet

There's no link, but it's a pretty common practice around the world. ComCast in the US has their own network of sports channels in addition to offering cable and broadband services. They all know the value of Sport for subscribers. I mean Sky was pretty much (re)launched on the back of Sky Sports in the early 90s

As has been discussed, BT Sports is available on the Sky platform, so people can access it without signing up for BT broadband.

dulpit · 19-07-2016 12:39pm

What's the story in the UK then? Do eir sports not broadcast there at all? So in effect an eir customer here gets a better deal than a BT customer there?

lertsnim · 19-07-2016 12:56pm

Eir Sport is not available in the UK though they do have Premier Sport which has the same schedule as Eir Sport 2 95% of the time. They only differ when Premier Sport has GAA for British viewers. Premier Sport however is a standalone channel and has no connection with BT.

BT customers also have access to the BT Sport 4K channel and the AMC channel, both of which aren't available here.

Goose81 · 19-07-2016 1:07pm

Eir is IPTV isn't it? So while you get HD channels in resolution, the bitrate will be so poor it will basically look like a good SD picture when you have a 50 inch + tv

Elmo · 19-07-2016 1:07pm

Sky were eventually forced to allow Virgin gain access to Sky Atlantic as part of their package. Have they added it to their Irish EPG yet?

Does anyone know of a reseller buys rights to premium pay TV channels meaning they must sell a certain amount before making any money? If eir is charging 1m for sales rights and Virgin only has 30000 subs to the eir pack of which 95% of subs go back to eir. Unrealistic figures but just pointing out Virgin made little on those transactions.

Eir sport 1 will no longer be on 105

icdg · 19-07-2016 1:18pm

Setanta had made an agreement in 2013 with BT to sell their channels in Ireland. Eir inherited the successor to that agreement when they bought Eir. That's the link.

BT sold their consumer and SME business in Ireland many years ago and although Eir and BT co-operate on this issue, they compete in the corporate market.

No Elmo, Sky were never forced to offer Sky Atlantic to anyone. It's not on Virgin even in the UK. Lost in all the controversy yesterday was news that Virgin Media (Ireland) and Sky signed a new carriage deal but there's no sign of Sky Atlantic being part of that deal. The only channels Sky were ever forced to offer were Sky Sports 1 & 2 and they are no longer required to do so.

Elmo · 19-07-2016 1:20pm

icdg wrote: »

No Elmo, Sky were never forced to offer Sky Atlantic to anyone. It's not on Virgin even in the UK. Lost in all the controversy yesterday was news that Virgin Media (Ireland) and Sky signed a new carriage deal but there's no sign of Sky Atlantic being part of that deal. The only channels Sky were ever forced to offer were Sky Sports 1 & 2 and they are no longer required to do so.

Thanks, I was sure in the end ofcom insisted.

An Ciarraioch · 19-07-2016 1:26pm

I would have more pity for Virgin if they hadn't deliberately reduced their geographic reach in recent months, withdrawing from Kerry, for example, which ironically only served to draw customers to Saorview and Eir!

[Deleted User] · 19-07-2016 1:28pm

An Ciarraioch wrote: »

I would have more pity for Virgin if they hadn't deliberately reduced their geographic reach in recent months, withdrawing from Kerry, for example, which ironically only served to draw customers to Saorview and Eir!

They had to end MMDS, it wasn't voluntary. Comreg wouldn't issue them with a new licence.

Johnboy1951 · 19-07-2016 1:28pm

Goose81 wrote: »

Eir is IPTV isn't it? So while you get HD channels in resolution, the bitrate will be so poor it will basically look like a good SD picture when you have a 50 inch + tv

Have you got some reference to the bitrate of eir's future service?
Trying to understand exactly what you mean.

lertsnim · 19-07-2016 1:31pm

An Ciarraioch wrote: »

I would have more pity for Virgin if they hadn't deliberately reduced their geographic reach in recent months, withdrawing from Kerry, for example, which ironically only served to draw customers to Saorview and Eir!

That wasn't their decision.

STB. · 19-07-2016 1:32pm

gordongekko wrote: »

Does eir now have an issue gaining access to sound and vision funding as these must be ftv broadcasts and without access to the virgin network it may not pass that requirement

Thats not what got them past the requirement.

What got them past the requirement was either dropping the encryption on their channels on satellite or providing a FTV card for satellite. That in itself was joke shop stuff.

jack presley · 19-07-2016 1:56pm

On the bright side, there's no way they'd have the balls to hit those who stay with them with the annual price rise after this.

Ur[s]uS · 19-07-2016 2:29pm

jack presley wrote: »

On the bright side, there's no way they'd have the balls to hit those who stay with them with the annual price rise after this.

Should we not get cashback for missing out on the 30 for 30 OJ special, recorded but unlikely to be watched before 31 July. They have confirmed in the Ask VM thread that the recording will be unavailable/unwatchable after 31 July.

Elmo · 19-07-2016 2:33pm

Virgin are holding 105 they are not replacing eir sport 1. so it will go from 104 TG4 to 106 3e

jack presley · 19-07-2016 2:37pm

Elmo wrote: »

Virgin are holding 105 they are not replacing eir sport 1. so it will go from 104 TG4 to 106 3e

Will whatever they rename UTV Ireland go in there instead?

Berty44 · 19-07-2016 2:46pm

Has anyone with a subscription though Sky been able to get the Eir Sport app up and running, or is it even possible??

muffler · 19-07-2016 2:48pm

Im a Sky sports subscriber and for the last few years i have taken subs on a 2 monthly cycle with Setanta for a tenner a month. I would cancel and before cut off date Setanta would ring me and after a bit of haggling I would get the 2 months sub again for a tenner. Id then wait a couple of weeks and cancel again and round and round the wheel would go.

Currently I'm subscribed up to the end of August but I'm wondering what will happen these type of subs now with Eir being in the driving seat? Will Setanta or Eir call me again or will I just be let go?

Goose81 · 19-07-2016 2:57pm

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Have you got some reference to the bitrate of eir's future service?
Trying to understand exactly what you mean.

I don't have a reference but for IPTV to work to supply a lot of channels they have to compromise and 5.1 audio and the bitrate of HD channels is what they cut.

I have seen IPTV before on a couple of providers recently and the quality is soft to say the least

icdg · 19-07-2016 3:22pm

To those that reported Eir:Tony's post, the reports are noted and I am taking advice

Please do not reply to this post on thread

Sports Extra (TNT/Premier)

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