Nick Collins, Pete Colley, Tim Abraham, Roger Clarke.....

[Easy 10]

Maybe not on the English game, where Sky are maybe going to be more and more of a busted flush on the grounds of cost. But as they signed a deal with the Chinese Super League in the Summer, that's a whole new massive market opened up to them to more than take up the slack.

Really ?

I couldn't give a flying fvck at a rolling donut about the Chinese Super League. Similarly the MLS and Eredivisie, which Sky have been flogging like a dead horse. Seriously, who cares about that ? They're going to have to do a LOT better than that to tempt me back.

They don't have Champions League any more
They don't have the Europa League any more
They don't have the FA Cup any more
They don't have England any more

They've hiked and hiked their prices time and again to cover the BILLIONS they threw at the Premier League, it just got too much, so I cancelled over a year ago. They've put all their eggs in one basket, they've gone and killed the goose that laid those golden eggs, and now the chickens are coming home to roost.

(I do love a metaphor)

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Really ?

I couldn't give a flying fvck at a rolling donut about the Chinese Super League.

Same. Nobody does. Apart from maybe the many billions Chinese with a few bob in their pocket. Cynically the top teams here have in recent years started including a Token Asian player in their line-up. Soon to be refined down to a Token Chinese player in their line-up. Nothing's surer.

 

[Don Tmatter]

England Test matches as well?

 

[Easy 10]

Same. Nobody does. Apart from maybe the many billions Chinese with a few bob in their pocket. Cynically the top teams here have in recent years started including a Token Asian player in their line-up. Soon to be refined down to a Token Chinese player in their line-up. Nothing's surer.

Yes, but Sky are not selling to the many billions of Chinese with a few bob in their pocket - they've bought the rights to the Chinese Super League for the next 3 years, and are selling that to a UK market.

How many new UK subscriptions do they expect to pick up off the back of showing Shinzhang Noodles v Guangzhou Foo Yung on a Saturday lunchtime ?

 

[studio150]

England Test matches as well?

Currently only lost the next test ashes series in Australia/

However it will be interesting to see who gets the rights to the revamped T20 tournament when that is launched and how much they have to pay for it

 

[banjo]

What about Jamie Carragher?? Can't understand a word he says.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

How many new UK subscriptions do they expect to pick up off the back of showing Shinzhang Noodles v Guangzhou Foo Yung on a Saturday lunchtime ?

Not sure they're actually that bothered about the UK market anymore. Must be a global market shirley to see the the Gus Bus go wrong one more time

 

[AmexRuislip]

....all being made redundant by Sky. Never a nice time to lose your job but particularly with winter festivities approaching. All fine broadcasters, hope they find alternative employment soon.

Could be a film in the making there.....Skyfall 2

 

[Official Old Man]

Not just Sky Sports. I've notice Sky News has dropped many big names (Eamon Holms is one) and the news is now presented by unknowns. BBC 5 Live is the same. Revamped about 6 weeks ago. I've never heard of most of the people on during the day. Bring back Peter Allen! Will Ken Bruce be next? Tightening of the belts all round.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Really ?

I couldn't give a flying fvck at a rolling donut about the Chinese Super League. Similarly the MLS and Eredivisie, which Sky have been flogging like a dead horse. Seriously, who cares about that ? They're going to have to do a LOT better than that to tempt me back.

They don't have Champions League any more
They don't have the Europa League any more
They don't have the FA Cup any more
They don't have England any more

They've hiked and hiked their prices time and again to cover the BILLIONS they threw at the Premier League, it just got too much, so I cancelled over a year ago. They've put all their eggs in one basket, they've gone and killed the goose that laid those golden eggs, and now the chickens are coming home to roost.

(I do love a metaphor)

Agree. Am on verge of cancelling sub.

 

[Easy 10]

Sky have priced my local pub out of a subscription, and they've priced me out of it as well. Its a great product with excellent coverage, but I just can't justify £900+ a year on it now, its gotten ridiculous. I do miss the convenience of flicking on the channel and watching their coverage...but certainly not enough to make me want to shell out £80-£90 a month for it. Can't see me ever going back.

The constant hikes in prices and the further emergence of moody internet streams via Kodi must be having quite an effect now on the number of subscribers. The fact that they're binning off reporters now, who's salaries must be a grain of sand in amongst the vast turnover of that business, is very telling.

Knowing our luck, the bubble will burst ITV Digital-style JUST as BHA board the "gravy train".

 

[Exile]

Frankly, binning off the reporters, who are at least trained professional journalists, with years of experience, to save middling sums, whilst continuing to shell out MILLIONS to ex-players and managers who add pretty much **** all to the coverage of the sport is utter bullshit.

Three, four, sometimes even five of the grinning pricks sat there pontificating over a single penalty decision for about 8 ****ing minutes at half time of a game, whilst three quarters of the viewing public are in the kitchen making a cup of tea, or on the toilet. What is the ****ing POINT?

 

[ManOfSussex]

Not just Sky Sports. I've notice Sky News has dropped many big names (Eamon Holms is one) and the news is now presented by unknowns. BBC 5 Live is the same. Revamped about 6 weeks ago. I've never heard of most of the people on during the day. Bring back Peter Allen! Will Ken Bruce be next? Tightening of the belts all round.

Sky News moved to brand new new studios that it built on it's Osterley site that Sky sold for over £500m earlier in the year and leased back. Eammon Holmes was contracted until 2018 and wanted out just to do other things, as I understood it. Who else has gone other than Jeremy Thompson, who retired? New era, but it is tightening of belts?

 

[alfredmizen]

Would it really have hurt sky to keep them on for another 5 weeks and do it in early january ? Absolute toerags , that's it for me , subscription going to be cancelled now.

 

[swindonseagull]

I have met Nick a few times out at Lancing.

Nice chap. Best wishes to him.

How about you and Nick do a job swap? then you can be made redundant and give us all a rest.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

There was a recent article suggesting that the football 'bubble' might be about to burst due to a combination of factors. Little coincidence that two football fans at work who I sit near have ditched their Sky Sports package as they don't find it value for money.

I dumped it last month due to not really getting any real value for money. A good decade or more unbroken I had Sky Sports.

 

[Gwylan]

However it will be interesting to see who gets the rights to the revamped T20 tournament when that is launched and how much they have to pay for it

That's beginning to look a bit more unlikely. Several counties are now having second thoughts on the project precisely because Sky (and other broadcasters) have said that they're not going to pay what the ECB wants. Remember, the counties only agreed to explore the idea of the new tournament and they need 13 to support it.

Knowing our luck, the bubble will burst ITV Digital-style JUST as BHA board the "gravy train".

Doesn't it run for a couple of years though so, unless Sky go bust entirely (which is unlikely), we should have the brief benefit if we go up this year. And someone will take over broadcasting rights after than period anyway - although clubs that have been handing out four year contracts to players may be in for some bum squeaking time

 

[Ernest]

BT seem to have money to burn but for how much longer ? They've paid MILLIONS for Champion/Europa League matches that nobody watches and this big bubble will burst sooner rather than later. You can just see the season Albion get promoted the TV rights going back to be worth two bob

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Those of us with long memories who jumped on the Sky bandwagon early (for me it was in 1990/1) might recall a certain mount of stick dished out by mates who argued that this would lead to a loss of 'free' sports events. Subsequently I've always felt a bit ambivalent about Sky - a bit of residual guilt but also a grudging respect for the technical excellence of their coverage. In a way, they are the architects of their own downfall - sky-high subs are pricing out many (pubs and individual punters) and competition from other providers with even deeper pockets or just smarter technology is doing them in. Plus they've had a fair few to&&ers on their books - Andy Gray and Richard Keys to name but two. I can't think there'll be many who shed too many tears as Sky's bubble bursts.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Sky are moving into the mobile market next year, complete with unused data rolling over to the next month. Interesting how that goes on top of TV, Phone and Broadband.

That and Fox owning over 39% of Sky, I wouldn't write them off just yet.