Eir and Virgin Media Sport - cross supply deal

Infoanon · 28-08-2020 12:18am

icdg wrote: »

Alas we are back to a position where your sports interests may play a part in determining your broadband selection.

Though VM BB does not give you access to VM Sports.

It's bad news for customers and ultimately one player may fail with knock on effect for the sports associations dependent on the cash

icdg · 28-08-2020 7:38am

Infoanon wrote: »

Though VM BB does not give you access to VM Sports.

It does now, if you are a new customer, and depending on what package you take. (Looking at their BB levels it appears the only package at the moment that doesn’t give you the entitlement is the 30 day rolling contest for 250mb).

awec · 01-09-2020 2:35pm

icdg wrote: »

Lack of diversity, and lack of exclusivity. That one deal is essentially their entire rights portofolio and it’s virtually all non exclusive - if you have Sky and BT already you have no need for Virgin Media Sport. And if they lost those rights next time around it is game over. Eir have the Pro14, GAA Allianz Leagues, the FA Cup, League of Ireland, the Masters, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Incidentally- not sure if there’s anything to read into this - but the statement on eir Sport’s website has a distinctly more hopeful wording than the twitter post - it maybe that they have yet to update it though.

It still represents terrible value for money at 30 quid a month. When they didn't reduce their price after losing the vast majority of their decent content when they lost BT it was pretty galling.

Honestly I hope eir just leave this business altogether, their pro14 coverage has been a total shambles.

From their initial promises of all the games live, to then only some games being live, to then losing the premier sports link and therefore half the games, to the eir sport 2 not on sky/virgin thing, it's just complete amateur rubbish.

I think the Pro14 will be slow to go down this road again. Even in the UK that premier sports crowd have been slow to release any numbers around their subscribers etc, I suspect the numbers are not great.

muffler · 01-09-2020 3:55pm

awec wrote: »

It still represents terrible value for money at 30 quid a month. When they didn't reduce their price after losing the vast majority of their decent content when they lost BT it was pretty galling.

Agreed.

The irony though is Eir charging its sports customers the full whack and at the same time they are refusing to pay the "full whack" to VM.

You couldn't write this stuff st times.

landofthetree · 23-09-2020 8:45pm

So no updates?

Infoanon · 23-09-2020 9:54pm

landofthetree wrote: »

So no updates?

Not even on the EPG....

Hard to find any live sport on either Eir or VM Sports

Sheep Shagger · 23-09-2020 9:59pm

Infoanon wrote: »

Not even on the EPG....

Hard to find any live sport on either Eir or VM Sports

PR014 starts 2 October so that's exclusively on eir sport here.

Infoanon · 23-09-2020 10:01pm

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

PR014 starts 2 October so that's exclusively on eir sport here.

That's one live sports on two sports channels !

Open to correction but there was no live sport on either channel over the weekend !!

iseegirls · 23-09-2020 10:24pm

Infoanon wrote: »

That's one live sports on two sports channels !

Open to correction but there was no live sport on either channel over the weekend !!

VM Sports had 3 live Champions League matches last night (1 of those was on RTE2), and 3 live tonight. There's the Super Cup (which is also on VM2 on Thursday). And I think there is Bellator MMA on Saturday night on VM Sports.

Infoanon · 23-09-2020 11:24pm

iseegirls wrote: »

VM Sports had 3 live Champions League matches last night (1 of those was on RTE2), and 3 live tonight. There's the Super Cup (which is also on VM2 on Thursday). And I think there is Bellator MMA on Saturday night on VM Sports.

That's a very weak line up.

Eir Sports ?

No live sports at the weekend on a premium sports channel is unheard of.

icdg · 23-09-2020 11:35pm

Not this year it isn’t. And even when it wasn’t this year, it was par for the course for VM Sport outside of international football windows.

Eir don’t have one drop of live sport this weekend either, though that’s partially down to it being a Heineken Champions Cup weekend. The Pro, er, 14 is back next weekend.

Really, there isn’t enough sports organisations willing to do ROI-only deals for both these channels to operate as separate premium services. (And some of those who are have done deals with RTE or TG4 meaning neither of them have the rights). But hey, a large chunk of their viewership are getting them for “free”.

Neither of these companies are really in the premium sports business. It is a side to their BB business. VM in particular are always one deal loss (the UEFA deal, which is entering its last season) from exiting the sports channel market entirely.

Only glitter of hope I can see is that eir still haven’t put the request in to Sky to rename VM Sport back to eir Sport 2 which means there might be some sort of talking still going on. (they’ve removed the VM Sport listings from the eir TV app though).

kooga · 24-09-2020 12:16pm

Fingers x they sort out out. The pro 14 is back next weekend so at least all the games will be on. Although two of those games will be fta across s4c and tg4 so very hard to justify the eir sub.

On a side if you have access to premier sport in ni or uk it’s available on an annual sub for £80 - but you will not get Saturday premier ship games. Although last year the offer was £49

holidaysong · 08-10-2020 5:08pm

Any word on this being sorted any time soon?

icdg · 09-10-2020 11:50am

No.

Though I notice the Sky EPG, while the channel name still shows “Virgin Sport HD”, now has correct programme listings for eir Sport 2.

mackersdublin · 09-10-2020 4:58pm

icdg wrote: »

No.

Though I notice the Sky EPG, while the channel name still shows “Virgin Sport HD”, now has correct programme listings for eir Sport 2.

Virgin Sport HD was relabelled eir Sport 2 HD earlier today

The "Pub" version on Sky is stil carrying the VM Sport listings, that version hasn't updated that data yet

icdg · 09-10-2020 6:01pm

That I fear is the end of any hopes it will be sorted out. Really isn’t enough ROI only rights for these two to go round, but anyway.

Video · 20-10-2020 1:13pm

i wonder if they'll attempt to get champions league back in the eir sports pack through other routes ? id imagine they will lose customers without it

mikeym · 23-10-2020 9:28pm

Video wrote: »

i wonder if they'll attempt to get champions league back in the eir sports pack through other routes ? id imagine they will lose customers without it

Eir dont care.

testarossa40 · 15-12-2020 9:57pm

https://www.independent.ie/business/media/virgin-media-sues-eir-for-25m-over-soccer-broadcast-right-39864200.html

schmoo2k · 16-12-2020 6:43am

testarossa40 wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/business/media/virgin-media-sues-eir-for-25m-over-soccer-broadcast-right-39864200.html

To be fair, they did first try to resolve it via Eir Customer Support, but couldn't get through...

icdg · 16-12-2020 11:00am

As proceedings have now issued, we might leave any commentary on this issue until the proceedings are settled or judgement is handed down

mikeym · 25-12-2020 12:44pm

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2020/1224/1186308-munster-v-leinster-called-off/

I know its not Eirs fault but 2020 has been a farce for Eir Sport viewers.

There has been more live sport on Rte than Eir sport which is pitiful.

tomwaits48 · 29-12-2020 7:10pm

Does anyone actually pay for eir sports as a stand-alone offering?

29-12-2020 7:24pm

tomwaits48 wrote: »

Does anyone actually pay for eir sports as a stand-alone offering?

Can you do that? I thought it was exclusive to broadband or phone customers.

icdg · 29-12-2020 7:50pm

Yes there would have been a sizeable base of satellite standalone customers inherited from Setanta Sports but it’s pricey at €29.99 pm (unless you take the annual sub at €149 pa which is a bit better value - actually it’s about 60% cheaper!).

You can also get eir Sport 1 (only) included in Vodafone TV subscriptions and (with a sizeable amount of programmes blocked out) in Premier Sports subscriptions in Northern Ireland.

Father Hernandez · 29-12-2020 7:51pm

icdg wrote: »

Yes there would have been a sizeable base of satellite standalone customers inherited from Setanta Sports but it’s pricey at €29.99 pm (unless you take the annual sub at €149 pa which is a bit better value - actually it’s about 60% cheaper!).

You can also get eir Sport 1 (only) included in Vodafone TV subscriptions and (with a sizeable amount of programmes blocked out) in Premier Sports subscriptions in Northern Ireland.

€29.99 pm!! :eek:

Is it even worth a 5er per month?

Pro14 and what else?

icdg · 29-12-2020 10:02pm

Father Hernandez wrote: »

€29.99 pm!! :eek:

Is it even worth a 5er per month?

Pro14 and what else?

The FA Cup (3pms, BBC games, and certain other non-U.K TV. fixtures), the League of Ireland, GAA Allianz Leagues (Saturday games), the Masters golf, Roland Garros and Wimbledon tennis.

And lots and lots of repeats. Lots of repeats. So many that they have a brand for them (“eir Sport Gold”).

mikeym · 30-12-2020 8:51pm

icdg wrote: »

The FA Cup (3pms, BBC games, and certain other non-U.K TV. fixtures), the League of Ireland, GAA Allianz Leagues (Saturday games), the Masters golf, Roland Garros and Wimbledon tennis.

And lots and lots of repeats. Lots of repeats. So many that they have a brand for them (“eir Sport Gold”).

Speaking of the FA Cup will Eir be able to show more Fa Cup Matches?

https://www.live-footballontv.com/live-fa-cup-football-on-tv.html

awec · 03-01-2021 12:24am

Father Hernandez wrote: »

€29.99 pm!! :eek:

Is it even worth a 5er per month?

Pro14 and what else?

It used to be that 29.99 a month got you Eir Sport plus all of BT Sport. Then all the BT Sport bits went, but they kept the same price.

It's true value is 10-15 a month max.

Stewball · 03-01-2021 2:08pm

awec wrote: »

It's true value is 10-15 a month max.

It's barely worth a fiver a month.

awec · 04-01-2021 12:39pm

Stewball wrote: »

It's barely worth a fiver a month.

I'd argue if you don't like rugby then it's totally worthless.

mikeym · 04-01-2021 9:57pm

Premier Sports is only £9.99 a month in the UK.

Dodge · 05-01-2021 9:48am

It was designed to get people to sign up to their IPTV offering. By taking over setanta, they had to offer it a stand-alone but (and I know people who’d know) absolutely no one has subscribed at 30 a month since launch. They thought people who’d be interested would think ‘well I might as well switch to broadband and tv with eir if I’d pay XX for their sport’

Virgin tried to use their sport channels in the same way obviously. On its own it’s not enough to subscribe but it might tempt you to their overall package

What both did was overestimate how much people are willing to change providers based on sport and underestimate how dominant sky sports is with the people who are willing to spend to watch sport

If the VM and Eir sports rights were combined, they still wouldn’t have enough to charge €15 a month

icdg · 05-01-2021 1:05pm

There will be some who take it. I took it for years when I was with Virgin, from when it was Setanta Sports. In those days of course it was much between value as it was cheaper but also included six channels instead of 2-3 and not so many repeats. For example if you live an apartment block where there is a deal between the developers/management company with Virgin, and you are a massive club rugby fan, what other way do you have to follow your team in the Pro14 (First person suggesting “piracy” gets a 48 hour ban). Yes there are some games on TG4 but a heavy Connacht focus.

I’d argue the aim was (and is) to get people to sign up to their broadband rather than IPTV offering. They wouldn’t offer it for free to BB only customers if that was the case.

Dodge · 05-01-2021 1:15pm

icdg wrote: »

I’d argue the aim was (and is) to get people to sign up to their broadband rather than IPTV offering. They wouldn’t offer it for free to BB only customers if that was the case.

Yeah sorry, I meant more that when the IPTV a was introduced, the sports channel was the biggest calling card. But IPTV itself was (and is) to get people onto their broadband

All companies want you to take their tv/broadband/phone bundle now of course

mikeym · 14-01-2021 10:58pm

https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/february-deadline-for-irish-broadcasters-interested-in-uefa-club-competition-rights/?registered_metered=1

Mod: Sorry, for copyright reasons I have to cut the article. The policy is that you post a link and a summary. If the article is paywalled that’s not an excuse.

mrunsure · 09-02-2021 12:03pm

Is FreeSports still available on eir?

icdg · 09-02-2021 12:24pm

Yes. Only Irish-operated platform carrying it on their EPG at the moment. It was on the Sky EPG for a while but bumped for LaLigaTV.

channelsurfer2 · 09-02-2021 2:41pm

mikeym wrote: »

https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/february-deadline-for-irish-broadcasters-interested-in-uefa-club-competition-rights/?registered_metered=1

Mod: Sorry, for copyright reasons I have to cut the article. The policy is that you post a link and a summary. If the article is paywalled that’s not an excuse.

I did see that a while back (but didnt want to register to view it). will be interesting to see if rte are able to put up a good bid given the financial troubles.

icdg · 19-02-2021 2:56pm

Interestingly enough the legal action between eir and Virgin (over the unrelated matter of the carriage of VMTV channels on eir TV) has been settled and the proceedings struck out.

blindsider · 19-02-2021 3:30pm

Does that give us a faint hope that the next item for resolution is the return of Eir Sport on Virgin?

icdg · 19-02-2021 4:31pm

Faint I suspect is the word.

blindsider · 21-02-2021 12:07am

mikeym · 21-02-2021 1:06pm

I wouldnt be surprised if Eir close down the Eir Sport channel.

They dont seem to be interested in getting new sporting content and are happy to show old content.

Virgin could have taken them to the cleaners over the recent row over the cross supply deal, clearly Eir were in the wrong.

icdg · 21-02-2021 3:45pm

Long term future hinges on what happens with the Pro14 deal. I am not convinced it is currently paying its way for Premier Sports given the resources they need to put in as the main host broadcaster and I suspect they might back out. Where does the league go then? Sky are essentially out of rugby now. BT have PRL and little room in their schedule to do the Pro14 too. A new FTA coalition deal in the U.K. might then be on the cards but could weaken the case for eir Sport if they are effectively left with only interpros exclusively in any new deal. Interesting times ahead.

schmoo2k · 22-02-2021 8:05am

icdg wrote: »

Long term future hinges on what happens with the Pro14 deal. I am not convinced it is currently paying its way for Premier Sports given the resources they need to put in as the main host broadcaster and I suspect they might back out. Where does the league go then? Sky are essentially out of rugby now. BT have PRL and little room in their schedule to do the Pro14 too. A new FTA coalition deal in the U.K. might then be on the cards but could weaken the case for eir Sport if they are effectively left with only interpros exclusively in any new deal. Interesting times ahead.

Amazon Prime might sweep up those rights?

icdg · 22-02-2021 8:57am

Don’t see why they’d be interested in the Pro14 when by all accounts their mooted “interest” in PRL was purely imaginary (and left PRL with egg on their face when it turned out to be so and they ended up renewing with BT for less money). Amazon like rights that they don’t have to do any work in producing or that give a boost to their real business (retail and logistics) at a busy time of year.

forzacalcio · 24-02-2021 9:19am

Why is the CL/EL not blocked for us over here? If VM have the deal I would have assumed the BT part would be blocked? Will we still get CL/EL on BT from 2021/22 season the way we have for the last few seasons?

iseegirls · 24-02-2021 10:25am

forzacalcio wrote: »

Why is the CL/EL not blocked for us over here? If VM have the deal I would have assumed the BT part would be blocked? Will we still get CL/EL on BT from 2021/22 season the way we have for the last few seasons?

It must be that they don't have an exclusive deal (if even something like that exists)

Renewing the 6 Nations and Champions League this year is crucial for Virgin Media.

icdg · 24-02-2021 12:19pm

forzacalcio wrote: »

Why is the CL/EL not blocked for us over here? If VM have the deal I would have assumed the BT part would be blocked? Will we still get CL/EL on BT from 2021/22 season the way we have for the last few seasons?

Essentially, what happened was that BT’s deal was done first, and was done on the basis of “exclusive in the U.K., non-exclusive in Ireland”. So both BT and Virgin Media have Irish rights to the content in question. This is different from a previous deal ESPN U.K. had for the Europa League only, prior to BT Sport’s entry into the market, where they had only U.K. and not ROI rights and it was blocked here. My recollection is that the last two years of that deal was inherited by BT Sport after they bought what remained of ESPN UK (after they lost the Premier League rights to BT) and that may have informed the change from 2015 onwards.

Eir and Virgin Media Sport - cross supply deal

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