The beginning of the end for FTA Champions League?

Cantona's Collars

UEFA have given their blessing for UCL coverage to go completely to pay tv in France. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2435951/ITV-Champions-League-bid-fears--Charles-Sales-Sports-Agenda.html

UEFA awarded exclusive coverage in France to subscription network beIN Sport, owned by Qatar-based TV broadcast giants Al Jazeera.

This sets a precedent and how long will it be before it follows the EPL and everyone has to pay to watch it on tv?

The tender for the UK, due to be launched next week by UEFA’s marketing agents TEAM, will detail the way the rights packages are going to be sold over the next three-year cycle from 2015. But there is no obligation - with the Champions League not a TV-listed event - for UEFA to sell to free-to-air channels.

And with Sky and BT Sport almost certain to be the highest bidders, UEFA could decide to maximise the value of the rights in their richest territory by sharing the packages between the two rival subscription channels. That could be worth over £1billion to UEFA compared to the £400m that Sky and ITV paid for the present deal that runs until the end of next season.

Fr Tod Umptious

zerks wrote: »

UEFA have given their blessing for UCL coverage to go completely to pay tv in France. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2435951/ITV-Champions-League-bid-fears--Charles-Sales-Sports-Agenda.html

UEFA awarded exclusive coverage in France to subscription network beIN Sport, owned by Qatar-based TV broadcast giants Al Jazeera.

This sets a precedent and how long will it be before it follows the EPL and everyone has to pay to watch it on tv?

There's that word again

Fr Tod Umptious

zerks wrote: »

UEFA have given their blessing for UCL coverage to go completely to pay tv in France. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2435951/ITV-Champions-League-bid-fears--Charles-Sales-Sports-Agenda.html

UEFA awarded exclusive coverage in France to subscription network beIN Sport, owned by Qatar-based TV broadcast giants Al Jazeera.

This sets a precedent and how long will it be before it follows the EPL and everyone has to pay to watch it on tv?

But will it affect Ireland

Unless Setanta bid for the Irish rights I don't see them moving from TV3 and RTE

Sikpupi

,,,and I for one wont be paying for it. Already paying €90++ for my monthly TV subs.

Anyway... the allure of CL is starting to wear off.

Call Me Jimmy

Football has almost reached maximum saturation and in general the lack of quality from an entertainment perspective is being glossed over by mega-marketing. As the game becomes more tactical only the people for which it is part of their identity will remain.

I am a big football fan but I wouldn't pay the kinds of subscriptions that are required to watch so much of it on TV anymore.

Duff

I'll just stream the shíte out of it regardless.

Oat23

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

There's that word again

They might like to work slaves to death and put the gays in jail, but their business model of buying sports rights and not caring about making a profit is great for fans

The footballing bodies are getting greedier and greedier and they are going to push it to the point of oblivion.

Recession regardless, i think people are starting to twig that the sport isn't all that so much so as that they would be willing to spend a large chunk of their income on it.

Its a bit like every lad fancying the best looking girl in town, but if she was to measure her level of prettiness by putting large numeracy on the cost of maintaining a relationship of sorts with her then many of the lads would decide 'Well she's not all that' and just as happily settle for less

GLaDOS

Surprised it's taken this long. Just pumping more and more money into the ever expanding football bubble.

ScienceNerd

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Surprised it's taken this long. Just pumping more and more money into the ever expanding football bubble.

If it goes to the point of having to pay a considerable chunk of money for the privilege of watching football and consider you also have to pay for channels that you typically dont want, then i would reckon there will come a time when common sense will prevail and people will decide enough is enough.

Sky's viewership has grown year on year since they entered the Irish market but i would have to wonder as to what type of package the majority of Irish households subscribe to? I cant imagine the majority are paying €65 per month especially in these times. There will come a time that the bubble will have to burst. Its just taking longer then expected. The less exposure that the game has can only prove detrimental in the long run.