[Albion] No more blanket TV coverage

[Hugo Rune]

Common sense will prevail.

All games will be available to watch on TV if fans are not allowed back into the Stadiums.

 

[mwrpoole]

Does anyone know about the last games of this season in a couple of weeks? As all are kicking off at the same time I assume only 2 or 3 will be shown live? Or will they all be live shared between SKY/BT/Amazon?

 

[Gazwag]

I don't understand why in this day and age the Premier League don't just stream the games themselves. How hard can it be? Do away with the broadcasters and rake in even more money for themselves.

How will they do that, stick 30 people with mobile phones in the crowd. My experience of getting a mobile signal in a premier league ground is 2 out of 19

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Rubbish decision that they will regret. I have loved being able to watch our games. Surely will only encourage more streaming from less ethical sources.

Maybe the club could charge for showing its matches?

This. Doubtless not do-able due to the stranglehold of Sky and the like, but would be a perfect time for the club or any club to introduce a virtual season ticket to enable live streaming of every match. Maybe something even Sky could consider introducing, because there must be huge numbers of fans who are only really interested in watching their own team, and who aren't overly fussed about the rest, other than tuning in to MOTD for the highlights

 

[Bozza]

This approach to football on TV seems so archaic to me. Like the TV companies are trying to cling on to how it used to be, when they held all the cards and people couldn't do anything but pay up to watch the game. Times have changed, people can and will find other places to watch the games or, longer term, may just not bother (the viewership trend is in steep decline over the past few years). The approach reminds me of the record companies that ignored music downloading and thought it was a fad that would soon disappear. Eventually I am sure that a "Netflix for football" or something similar will exist and we'll all laugh at how in the old days you couldn't watch your team every week.

I'd be surprised if the TV companies have a preference for the Saturday 3pm blackouts.

I would imagine Sky et al would absolutely love to be able to broadcast game(s) on a Saturday afternoon. It's FA / Football League ruling.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Eventually I am sure that a "Netflix for football" or something similar will exist and we'll all laugh at how in the old days you couldn't watch your team every week.

Netkicks / Netkix

I'm copyrighting that, NOW.

 

[vagabond]

This approach to football on TV seems so archaic to me. Like the TV companies are trying to cling on to how it used to be, when they held all the cards and people couldn't do anything but pay up to watch the game. Times have changed, people can and will find other places to watch the games or, longer term, may just not bother (the viewership trend is in steep decline over the past few years). The approach reminds me of the record companies that ignored music downloading and thought it was a fad that would soon disappear. Eventually I am sure that a "Netflix for football" or something similar will exist and we'll all laugh at how in the old days you couldn't watch your team every week.

[emoji122][emoji122][emoji122]

 

[blockhseagull]

How hard would it be? Impossible.

A vast majority of people (particularly outside the UK) would not pay for a Premier League only subscription.

However billions around the world subscribe in some form to broadcasters that pay for the Premier League.

Then you have the likes of Amazon and BT who pay crazy money just for a few games to prop up their brand.

It works with other sports, so I wouldn’t rule it out

NFL in America and MLB have streaming passes which work along with some broadcasters having games as well.

Not sure how it would work for football but with the rise of streaming services like DAZN it might not be a million miles away.

 

[rippleman]

I don't have an Athletic subscription so cannot see the whole thing but a few thoughts occurred.

1) This is probably contractual. The TV money must be based on a certain number of games for a certain number of broadcasters. With Covid on the decline it's harder to claim special circumstances.
2) If the football is behind closed doors then you'd hope there was an option for STHs to stream legally via username and password.
3) Might be a bit of Covid hedging going on here. If we're not quite clear then football will only be on in pubs and social clubs at specific times and with specific teams. Something like we have today in October is going to turn pubs into germ factories. Indoors. On the other hand if we're clear then it's a bit of pressure on the powers that be to get people back into stadia.

Agree with all your points - but especially point 2. I don't see any issues or problems giving STHs a stream for all our games next season. Then they don't have to worry about refunds, partial refunds and all the other pony. The compromise for not being able to go and see the games live is that we get both home & away on a stream.

We aren't all going to get to see all the home games next season. Making a stream available to STHs seems a reasonable compromise. Would also cater well for those too scared to return to the Amex when it re-opens on reduced capacity.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Hopefully if the non league can get going they could benefit from easy social distancing at games, the corona days could have a silver lining. (if non league can resume)

 

[Arthur]

Maybe the club could charge for showing its matches?

I asked PB that very question on one of the club Zoom chats at the start of lockdown. He said it wasn't possible as the rights are sold on behalf of the club by the premier league. He said it wouldn't be in the clubs interest to broker their own deal as our global reach isn't wide enough.

 

[e77]

I suspect the government and police might have a say if they still want people kept away from grounds.

 

[Gwylan]

I suspect the government and police might have a say if they still want people kept away from grounds.

Yes, this strikes me as the most crucial thing. The reason that all the games were shown is that the police didn't want supporters turning up mob handed. If they can't watch the games, they're more likely to hang around the grounds.

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

Not full houses though..

Who knows. The Gov narrative seems to be shifting towards getting things ‘back to normal’ getting people back to work, businesses open etc.

The Prem season starts 12 Sept so if case numbers continue to drop between now and then we could potentially have full crowds. Crystal ball stuff at this stage.

I agree with the post above - that if we do end up with restrictions on crowds come 12 Sept, they will make live TV coverage available. Somehow. Either revert to the current arrangement of an alternative.

 

[Wardy's twin]

I don't understand why in this day and age the Premier League don't just stream the games themselves. How hard can it be? Do away with the broadcasters and rake in even more money for themselves.

Possibly but using the big streaming suppliers means they have to do very little to get s lot of money.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I don't understand why in this day and age the Premier League don't just stream the games themselves. How hard can it be? Do away with the broadcasters and rake in even more money for themselves.

It would make money to match that from TV contracts only if it carried endless adverts for gambling surely? Whereas Sky seems to have a sweetheart deal (in the UK anyway) that allows it to do pretty much what it likes, I can see a propper backlash against 'bet in play, naaaaah!' adverts effectively directly mediated to us by our clubs. I don't generally watch ITV but I don't recall betting ads there (maybe I've not kept up).

But....streaming is so easy now even I can take my laptop down to my mate's house so we can watch BT games or Amazon games on his telly via a cable, in pristine HD.

 

[studio150]

I don't see any issues or problems giving STHs a stream for all our games next season. Then they don't have to worry about refunds, partial refunds and all the other pony. The compromise for not being able to go and see the games live is that we get both home & away on a stream.

We aren't all going to get to see all the home games next season. Making a stream available to STHs seems a reasonable compromise. Would also cater well for those too scared to return to the Amex when it re-opens on reduced capacity.

So if you're a North Stand ST holder, do you just get a stream from a single camera looking towards the south goal, and if a ST in Upper Eat Stand you just get a stream from a camera looking into the sun..........

If there is a stream ST then the cost needs to a flat rate regardless of where you normally sit, so that partial refunds will be required.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

This approach to football on TV seems so archaic to me. Like the TV companies are trying to cling on to how it used to be, when they held all the cards and people couldn't do anything but pay up to watch the game. Times have changed, people can and will find other places to watch the games or, longer term, may just not bother (the viewership trend is in steep decline over the past few years). The approach reminds me of the record companies that ignored music downloading and thought it was a fad that would soon disappear. Eventually I am sure that a "Netflix for football" or something similar will exist and we'll all laugh at how in the old days you couldn't watch your team every week.

This is not true, the figures are going up and up. The Premier league is now shown live in 188 of the 193 countries in the world and in the 18/19 season was watch by 3.2 billion people.

The model they are using is highly efficient. They run a football competition, let the broadcasters take the risk and worry about dealing with advertising.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Agree with all your points - but especially point 2. I don't see any issues or problems giving STHs a stream for all our games next season. Then they don't have to worry about refunds, partial refunds and all the other pony. The compromise for not being able to go and see the games live is that we get both home & away on a stream.

We aren't all going to get to see all the home games next season. Making a stream available to STHs seems a reasonable compromise. Would also cater well for those too scared to return to the Amex when it re-opens on reduced capacity.

1901 get HD, rest of us riff-raff get SD?

 

[nicko31]

Who knows. The Gov narrative seems to be shifting towards getting things ‘back to normal’ getting people back to work, businesses open etc.

The Prem season starts 12 Sept so if case numbers continue to drop between now and then we could potentially have full crowds. Crystal ball stuff at this stage.

I agree with the post above - that if we do end up with restrictions on crowds come 12 Sept, they will make live TV coverage available. Somehow. Either revert to the current arrangement of an alternative.

I see the French open tennis will play in front of a reduced attendance which is interesting

Imagine a packed train from Brighton to Falmer, then a hike up a packed staircase to the west upper to a packed concours. I'm all for taking calculated risks but that isn't one I fancy. Would rather pay per view at home and be safe