Second Captains

Anyone listen to the Six Nations preview? Enjoyed it, but wish I was half as optimistic as Shane Horgan. Really liked Simon Hick calling Gregor Townsend Scotland's best coach since McGeechan with Matt Williams in the studio. I imagine it was nice and awkward after the recording.

VonZan wrote:

So how is the podcast fairing? I think ultimately the step away from national radio has improved the format of the show but ultimately the quality has suffered IMO. There is some really good bits but I think the lack of content and padding of banter as a filler hasn’t worked so well although I must be wrong if they are still going.

I'm confused. How can you estimate the content if you haven't been listening?

VonZan wrote:

I should of stated that I unsubscribed 3/4 months ago.

Gotcha!

Yeah there were a few months of crap leading up to the new year but January has had good content imo.

Hippo wrote:

I think January has been excellent. It's unrealistic to expect to like everything in every pod, but for me the quality recently has been right up there, I think they've done a fantastic job. There's just no comparison with their competitors.

Their competitors being Off The Ball, who had Jim White on as a guest last night. I couldn't reach for the off button fast enough!

Irish Times starting their own sports podcast today, I see. Will be interesting to see how it flies, or not.

The Irish Examiner & The Buzz pods are reasons why I keep subscribing to Second Captains. Dodgy audio quality and hit & miss with their guests/analysis.

JuanJose wrote: »

Irish Times starting their own sports podcast today, I see. Will be interesting to see how it flies, or not.

.

They have so many regular guests who work for the times it will be interesting to see whether they'll now need to change. I'd assume clerkin, emmet malone, thornley will have a role with the Irish times pod.

Raisins wrote:

They have so many regular guests who work for the times it will be interesting to see whether they'll now need to change. I'd assume clerkin, emmet malone, thornley will have a role with the Irish times pod.

They're not really in competition. It's not like they're in the same time slot. I'll certainly give the IT a try and if I like it, it's not as though I'll be cancelling my SC subscription.

Most of the podcasts I listen to are ones I heard about when plugged on other podcasts. I'd imagine that the best thing Clerkin could do would be to go on Second Captains next week and have them plug his new podcast.

Ken and Murph still write columns for the Irish Times, I wouldn't be surprised to hear them pop up on the Irish Times podcast.

Ol' Donie wrote: »

Worth every penny. Easily.

I'm much happier paying for daily pods than the 2 free twice a week deal they had with the IT.

Definitely, I don't want to sound arrogant, but I found it a bit annoying when people were originally complaining about the fiver (yes, plus VAT) subscription fee when Second Captains initiated this policy. It is the price of a pint, or 2 cups of coffee, etc. Minuscule really, and you are contributing to quality journalism (which as a profession is becoming increasingly undermined these days). I suppose, it is an inertia phenomenon, by that I mean, when people are used to getting something for free for so long, they are reluctant to change and justify paying for it.

Sorry for the rant! :pac:

No-one is paying €20+VAT per month to be fair.

Unless its one subscription each for everyone in a 4 person family.

I do agree with your point. Its a lot to pay when you have come from paying nothing to now paying something.

I also think that if they put a price on something that was once free, there better be a good standard of content on a consistent basis, no matter how much it costs.

Raisins wrote: »

dominatinMC wrote: »

Definitely, I don't want to sound arrogant, but I found it a bit annoying when people were originally complaining about the fiver (yes, plus VAT) subscription fee when Second Captains initiated this policy. It is the price of a pint, or 2 cups of coffee, etc. Minuscule really, and you are contributing to quality journalism (which as a profession is becoming increasingly undermined these days). I suppose, it is an inertia phenomenon, by that I mean, when people are used to getting something for free for so long, they are reluctant to change and justify paying for it.

Sorry for the rant! :pac:

Thats true in some cases definitely but to be fair you also have to recognise there's a cohort of people who can't afford it and it's not minuscule to them. The people who don't buy pints in pubs or coffees on the go because they just can't justify the cost. I know a squeezed couple whose treat is a cheap bottle of wine on a Sunday. They're not paying €20 + VAT a month for a podcast. It's definitely worth the money for me but then...I can afford it.

It's not €20+vat though? it's a fiver plus vat.

Raisins wrote:

I don't see guests jumping over and back like that and I'd be very surprised if the lads agreed to that. It's no coincidence that very few guests appear on OTB and Second Captains on the same day/week talking about the same thing. The few times that's happened I remember people on this thread giving out. It would be a huge risk for Ken to start talking football on the Irish times one mid week when that's what a lot of people pay for but we'll see what happens.

This isn't the war for late night.
They have people from Football Weekly, Totally Football and Arseblog on all the time. They had famous podcaster Eamon Dunphy on a couple of weeks ago.
It's an odd way to look at things; you think Ken speaking about football on a one off would cost them subscribers and I think that doing so would earn them subscribers.
It's like saying will not pay €10 to see Black Panther in the cinema, because they saw a trailer for free online.

"You're a bitch and a holf, Eoin."

Pter wrote: »

Unless Raisins is on some secret tier of membership where Ken hand delivers his pod to him or records a voicemail message into his phone.

'Why don't you f*cking wake up.....and answer the phone

Something like that anyway.

I'd pay €20 a month for that

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

Was it just me or was Michael Duignan all over the place with his argument on yesterday's pod?

Ya. I felt he didn't even know what he was protesting against.