ViaPlay in a bit of financial trouble?

[Gundermann]

3 hours ago, Newton51 said:

 

 

Bad news if Dundee United wanted their games replayed under a new sponsor...

[davemclaren]

19 minutes ago, The Treasurer said:

You mean too much choice 😁

🥸😄

[OTT]

The idea of having multiple different broadcasters is ****ing stupid. 

 

Hopefully (and I'm boaking as I say this), Sky get it until the end of the current SPFL contract, then can try and negotiate a better deal with the national team games included. 

 

Or would that be too easy  

[kevin_hmfc]

6 minutes ago, OTT said:

The idea of having multiple different broadcasters is ****ing stupid. 

 

Hopefully (and I'm boaking as I say this), Sky get it until the end of the current SPFL contract, then can try and negotiate a better deal with the national team games included. 

 

Or would that be too easy  

Tnt can p off as well. 

[davemclaren]

7 minutes ago, OTT said:

The idea of having multiple different broadcasters is ****ing stupid. 

 

Hopefully (and I'm boaking as I say this), Sky get it until the end of the current SPFL contract, then can try and negotiate a better deal with the national team games included. 

 

Or would that be too easy  

I think it ignores competition in the market, which does seem to be consolidating.  Even the EPL sell rights to multiple providers.  

[OTT]

3 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

I think it ignores competition in the market, which does seem to be consolidating.  Even the EPL sell rights to multiple providers.  

 

Its just not very consumer friendly and I wonder if there is a premium Sky (or whoever) would be prepared to pay to have an all in one type package deal with the league/national team?

 

At the end of the day, not having everything under the one umbrella drives consumers to their competitors, which I would assume they would prefer to avoid?

[davemclaren]

Just now, OTT said:

 

Its just not very consumer friendly and I wonder if there is a premium Sky (or whoever) would be prepared to pay to have an all in one type package deal with the league/national team?

 

At the end of the day, not having everything under the one umbrella drives consumers to their competitors, which I would assume they would prefer to avoid?

Depends on what value they and the seller put on the rights.  As I said, this happens with the EPL. 

[Daveandal]

Is there any news on when they will actually stop broadcasting? As the channel is still live now.

If its say the end of July they will probably show all the group league Cup games. They might go end of November hoping to claw back some loses with Scottish internationals and a few juicy League Cup ties. Or it could be midnight tonight.

 

Then what happens? Are they giving up the rights? If so a mini bidding war will happen or will they somehow retain the rights and they will sell them off on a case by case basis? 

 

As a side note they also show all of the URC rugby games (The league Edinburgh are in). So its not just Scottish football taking a hit but rugby too.

[Newton51]

1 minute ago, Daveandal said:

Is there any news on when they will actually stop broadcasting? As the channel is still live now.

If its say the end of July they will probably show all the group league Cup games. They might go end of November hoping to claw back some loses with Scottish internationals and a few juicy League Cup ties. Or it could be midnight tonight.

 

Then what happens? Are they giving up the rights? If so a mini bidding war will happen or will they somehow retain the rights and they will sell them off on a case by case basis? 

 

As a side note they also show all of the URC rugby games (The league Edinburgh are in). So its not just Scottish football taking a hit but rugby too.

 

[Daveandal]

1 minute ago, Newton51 said:

 

 Thank you.

 

Basically watch this space.....

[tian447]

If they want to cut costs, they could punt the commentators and just broadcast the games.

[davemclaren]

1 hour ago, Daveandal said:

 Thank you.

 

Basically watch this space.....

Viaplay: Broadcaster of Scotland games and Scottish League Cup to pull out of UK https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/scotland/66256891

[DesertDawg]

7 hours ago, kevin_hmfc said:

Doubt he has any pals in Norway 

 

You'd have to get a copy of his "bonus" payments to verify that.

[Boozyuzi]

French broadcaster Canal+ have taken a 12% stake in Viaplay...  funds injection I guess.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/france-canal-group-acquires-stake-161738558.html?guccounter=1

Edited July 20, 2023 by Boozyuzi

[kevin_hmfc]

47 minutes ago, DesertDawg said:

 

You'd have to get a copy of his "bonus" payments to verify that.

Viking 

[The Treasurer]

4 hours ago, OTT said:

 

Its just not very consumer friendly and I wonder if there is a premium Sky (or whoever) would be prepared to pay to have an all in one type package deal with the league/national team?

 

At the end of the day, not having everything under the one umbrella drives consumers to their competitors, which I would assume they would prefer to avoid?

I would say not having everything under one umbrella drivers consumers to illegal streaming 

[The Treasurer]

3 hours ago, tian447 said:

If they want to cut costs, they could punt the commentators and just broadcast the games.

Or if they want to make it more attractive to viewers they could ditch the commentators 

[Glamorgan Jambo]

They’ll try and sell the business and contracts but they won’t hang on to them indefinitely. At some point they’ll pull the plug.

 

For the folks interested in the rights they hold it’s merely a question of whether it’s better and cheaper to wait for the closure and buy from a liquidator or try and do a deal over the next few weeks/couple of months.

[kevin_hmfc]

1 hour ago, The Treasurer said:

Or if they want to make it more attractive to viewers they could ditch the commentators 

Ditch the female ones first. Tick a box

[kevin_hmfc]

 

 

Look how good the coverage used to be.  Good result in this case tae

[Tommy Brown]

13 hours ago, kevin_hmfc said:

 

 

Look how good the coverage used to be.  Good result in this case tae

Didn't watch the video.

But it passes me off that BBC have a highlights show that has pundits, why?

 

It means 50% is banal chat. 50% football. 

Out of the 50% football, 50% is replays.

 

Give us back the days of Archie on his own, introducing and summing up.

[davemclaren]

9 minutes ago, Tommy Brown said:

Didn't watch the video.

But it passes me off that BBC have a highlights show that has pundits, why?

 

It means 50% is banal chat. 50% football. 

Out of the 50% football, 50% is replays.

 

Give us back the days of Archie on his own, introducing and summing up.

The deal will cover an allowed amount of footage.  The rest, as always, has to be padded out. 

[kevin_hmfc]

53 minutes ago, Tommy Brown said:

Didn't watch the video.

But it passes me off that BBC have a highlights show that has pundits, why?

 

It means 50% is banal chat. 50% football. 

Out of the 50% football, 50% is replays.

 

Give us back the days of Archie on his own, introducing and summing up.

Well this video is just Jim and Charlie talking about the game. But the lead up footage is excellent.. interviews with niemi and robbo.  Great program 

[stranraer-jambo]

Just seen this posted in the last hour on a Glasgow Warriors rugby forum. The reply is suggesting that Scottish football will not now be shown, but URC rugby (the league Edinburgh/Glasgow play in) will be shown.  It doesn't specify whether that means League Cup,  Internationals or both.

 

 

 

[briever]

I got this on Sat when I tried to cancel.

 

[henryheart]

2 hours ago, stranraer-jambo said:

Just seen this posted in the last hour on a Glasgow Warriors rugby forum. The reply is suggesting that Scottish football will not now be shown, but URC rugby (the league Edinburgh/Glasgow play in) will be shown.  It doesn't specify whether that means League Cup,  Internationals or both.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, briever said:

I got this on Sat when I tried to cancel.

 

 

Thanks for these updates. As a subscriber I've no issue with this. I paid my £59 to continue watching Spanish football and I enjoy dipping into the club rugby (excellently presented) and Swedish speedway.  Their limited Scottish football coverage is no more than an added bonus that I can live without.  

[Kiss my badge]

On 20/07/2023 at 16:15, tian447 said:

If they want to cut costs, they could punt the commentators and just broadcast the games.

I find it amazing that the seems  no option on any channel to watch the game with just the crowd noise and no commentators just like you would at a match. If I was at a match and I had two halfwits chatting in my ear during the game I wouldn't last 20 minutes before 👊👊

[Daveandal]

35 minutes ago, Kiss my badge said:

I find it amazing that the seems  no option on any channel to watch the game with just the crowd noise and no commentators just like you would at a match. If I was at a match and I had two halfwits chatting in my ear during the game I wouldn't last 20 minutes before 👊👊

 

Never been to Tynecastle then....... 😇😁

 

The above info is interesting though. Apparently they are keen to keep the URC (Rugby). The death of Via Play in Scotland might not be as simple as first seemed.

[kevin_hmfc]

7 hours ago, Kiss my badge said:

I find it amazing that the seems  no option on any channel to watch the game with just the crowd noise and no commentators just like you would at a match. If I was at a match and I had two halfwits chatting in my ear during the game I wouldn't last 20 minutes before 👊👊

If they had the option of picking commentary as well that would work.

[Mikey1874]

 

[Mr Kipling]

On 20/07/2023 at 19:51, Boozyuzi said:

French broadcaster Canal+ have taken a 12% stake in Viaplay...  funds injection I guess.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/france-canal-group-acquires-stake-161738558.html?guccounter=1

Wow, that's a big hitter over here. Good to here I guess. Shame they have ended their UK participation. 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Mr Kipling

[briever]

I managed to get out of my 12 month deal by changing my payment method to Paypal and then cancelling the subscription within Paypal.

[Boozyuzi]

Premier Sports have bought back Viaplay UK rights and are launching (rebranding) 2 channels.  Nothing dodgy going on at all

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chaps]

More than likely bought back for fraction of the price for what Viaplay paid.

 

Dungcaster has earned his 400k salary on this one 

 

[Unknown user]

1 minute ago, Chaps said:

More than likely bought back for fraction of the price for what Viaplay paid.

 

Dungcaster has earned his 400k salary on this one 

 

 

Bought back from Viaplay surely?

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

Be back to Setanta next year then

 

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by Lord Beni of Gorgie

[Section Q]

Scottish Football "unfortunately", just isn't all that valuable/marketable to the powers that be.......

[tian447]

At least it's been going for the past few months. Was raging about it in August, but now it's nearly December I've well and truly made my money out of the annual subscription with all the qualifier matches

 

If it disappeared tomorrow, I wouldn't care all that much. 

[davemclaren]

1 hour ago, Chaps said:

More than likely bought back for fraction of the price for what Viaplay paid.

 

Dungcaster has earned his 400k salary on this one 

 

Probably has shares in Premier. 😄

[OTT]

Will keep saying it, but I think the best avenue to getting better commercial deals is to take it in house. 

 

Its one of those ones where the start up costs to do so are big, but if we started it ASAP and just used it for the league cup or Scottish cup then it could be built up in the back ground and then a stronger stance could be taken with Sky - as we would be building up a rival internally, so its up to Sky to keep batting it away and offer enough that it isn't financially worth doing it ourselves. 

[sirwalter]

4 hours ago, tian447 said:

At least it's been going for the past few months. Was raging about it in August, but now it's nearly December I've well and truly made my money out of the annual subscription with all the qualifier matches

 

If it disappeared tomorrow, I wouldn't care all that much. 

Some cracking URC rugby as well.

[Daveandal]

29 minutes ago, sirwalter said:

Some cracking URC rugby as well.

 

It's rugby coverage is great. 

 

Something that our powers that be need to look at. What I mean by that every game is looked at equally, it's all about the teams on the pitch playing. 

 

Given Lenisters domination it could be about them but they are just treated the same. It's refreshing.

[Tour22]

20 hours ago, OTT said:

Will keep saying it, but I think the best avenue to getting better commercial deals is to take it in house. 

 

Its one of those ones where the start up costs to do so are big, but if we started it ASAP and just used it for the league cup or Scottish cup then it could be built up in the back ground and then a stronger stance could be taken with Sky - as we would be building up a rival internally, so its up to Sky to keep batting it away and offer enough that it isn't financially worth doing it ourselves. 

 

Too many people would still use IPTV.

[JimmyCant]

20 hours ago, OTT said:

Will keep saying it, but I think the best avenue to getting better commercial deals is to take it in house. 

 

Its one of those ones where the start up costs to do so are big, but if we started it ASAP and just used it for the league cup or Scottish cup then it could be built up in the back ground and then a stronger stance could be taken with Sky - as we would be building up a rival internally, so its up to Sky to keep batting it away and offer enough that it isn't financially worth doing it ourselves. 

It’s the ideal solution but a Few problems right off the bat.

 

1. Set up costs as you said. Probably manageable for 4-5 clubs but a struggle for anyone else

 

2. Getting it on to a broadcast platform so it’s easy to subscribe and watch on TV. Web based only wouldn’t work IMO

 

3. Getting round UEFA restrictions on broadcasting live football

 

4. IPTV. unless you make it dirt cheap or find a way to block it you'll never get people away from that source

 

5. Are the viewers really there to support it, especially on a subscription basis

 

6. What’s a live broadcast season ticket going to do to attendances ?

 

[OTT]

13 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

It’s the ideal solution but a Few problems right off the bat.

 

1. Set up costs as you said. Probably manageable for 4-5 clubs but a struggle for anyone else

 

2. Getting it on to a broadcast platform so it’s easy to subscribe and watch on TV. Web based only wouldn’t work IMO

 

3. Getting round UEFA restrictions on broadcasting live football

 

4. IPTV. unless you make it dirt cheap or find a way to block it you'll never get people away from that source

 

5. Are the viewers really there to support it, especially on a subscription basis

 

6. What’s a live broadcast season ticket going to do to attendances ?

 

 

Yeah all fair and valid points JC, 

 

1. Correct, I think clubs would struggle on pulling together a contribution to get it off the ground. There are well meaning individuals like James Anderson involved in Scottish football, and if there was a very strong business plan put forward, I think that could go a long way to bringing people in willing to help fund the project. 

 

2. I think we're moving closer and closer to web based only being viable. SPL TV crashed and burned in the early 00s, but I think it was too far ahead of its time. Older people that can't work computers bluntly are becoming fewer and fewer as the years go by. Perhaps in the short term some sort of licence could be agreed with the BBC to help cater for this and inject cash?

 

3. I'm not sure how relevant this point is, I think it could totally be managed and not done in a way where every game is televised, more so on a "spotlight" game basis, where a few games are chosen each week for broadcast with early/late kick offs to work around any blackouts. 

 

4. True, streaming is a big problem. I suppose a strong emphasis on "Supporting Scottish Football" and a very litigious legal department may well be the best avenue to go to combat this as best we can. Its a losing battle though. 

 

5. I think so. Sky seem to think Scottish football is worth about £30m a season to pay for, meaning what they're making likely exceeds that a few times over. 

 

6. Would only be an issue if every game was broadcast IMO, I think picking and choosing would help. Could maybe operate a system where all cup games after a certain point are broadcast? With a few novelty fixtures being chosen before that stage (e.g. Spartans v Hearts, Brora v Hearts, Darvel v Aberdeen - these kinds of David v Goliath type fixtures that have cup upset material all over them!). 

 

I think like any idea, there are going to be pros and cons, I'd be very keen to see it quietly built up in the back ground so its viability can be tested. Scotland is a massively engaged country when it comes to football. I think this is an idea with legs, but would require skills the SFA/SPFL do not have to execute effectively (like competence). 

[JimmyCant]

1 hour ago, OTT said:

 

Yeah all fair and valid points JC, 

 

1. Correct, I think clubs would struggle on pulling together a contribution to get it off the ground. There are well meaning individuals like James Anderson involved in Scottish football, and if there was a very strong business plan put forward, I think that could go a long way to bringing people in willing to help fund the project. 

 

2. I think we're moving closer and closer to web based only being viable. SPL TV crashed and burned in the early 00s, but I think it was too far ahead of its time. Older people that can't work computers bluntly are becoming fewer and fewer as the years go by. Perhaps in the short term some sort of licence could be agreed with the BBC to help cater for this and inject cash?

 

3. I'm not sure how relevant this point is, I think it could totally be managed and not done in a way where every game is televised, more so on a "spotlight" game basis, where a few games are chosen each week for broadcast with early/late kick offs to work around any blackouts. 

 

4. True, streaming is a big problem. I suppose a strong emphasis on "Supporting Scottish Football" and a very litigious legal department may well be the best avenue to go to combat this as best we can. Its a losing battle though. 

 

5. I think so. Sky seem to think Scottish football is worth about £30m a season to pay for, meaning what they're making likely exceeds that a few times over. 

 

6. Would only be an issue if every game was broadcast IMO, I think picking and choosing would help. Could maybe operate a system where all cup games after a certain point are broadcast? With a few novelty fixtures being chosen before that stage (e.g. Spartans v Hearts, Brora v Hearts, Darvel v Aberdeen - these kinds of David v Goliath type fixtures that have cup upset material all over them!). 

 

I think like any idea, there are going to be pros and cons, I'd be very keen to see it quietly built up in the back ground so its viability can be tested. Scotland is a massively engaged country when it comes to football. I think this is an idea with legs, but would require skills the SFA/SPFL do not have to execute effectively (like competence). 

It is an idea with legs. But we’ve got so many ‘can’t do’ people running Scottish football and the clubs, including our own silent acceptance of the status quo.
 

Referees is an example of this acceptance. We and others should be through at Hampden screaming ‘Nut we not accepting this bias any more’ we’ve had 3 managers in the last week talking about a meeting they had and all 3 shrugged their shoulders and expect no change.

 

Theres no innovation, no thought that there might be a different way (and not just on broadcasting rights) to do things. An essential part of Scottish society being run for the benefit of two clubs, neither of whom support the wider game, neither of whom want to be here. So many things would have to change before we had an organisation that can say ‘know what, let’s try this’

 

Just drop your drawers for Sky and a few tuppenny happenny sponsorships and we breath a sigh of relief and its job done till the next time Sky give us it dry.

Edited December 1, 2023 by JimmyCant

[upgotheheads]

On 15/07/2023 at 20:00, tian447 said:

From an admittedly unknown source: https://rxtvinfo.com/2023/crunch-week-for-viaplay/

 

"Following rumours that Viaplay may withdraw from some countries to focus on its core Nordic markets, the company has said it will not be able to make any further comments until the 20th July announcement. There’s been some speculation that it may either sub-licence or hand back some sports rights it’s acquired across Europe.

 

Some of Viaplay’s current operating losses (325m Swedish Krona, approximately £24.1m) are due to upscaling its operations in the UK and launching a service in the USA and Canada."

 

Their CEO has resigned: https://www.viaplaygroup.com/news/news-releases/viaplay-group-downgrades-outlook-2023-and-appoints-new-ceo and it's been reported for a while that they are pretty much humped: https://www.digitaltveurope.com/comment/the-factors-behind-viaplays-sudden-fall-from-grace/

 

Anyone else take out that yearly subscription a couple of weeks ago as well?

 

Surely Doncaster will have some compensation safety net in place for the National Team and Scottish Cup rights and it won't end up screwing those of us who paid for it over. No doubt we'll end up paying them...! 

 

B****r. Youv'e reminded me that I failed to cancel my subscription... again.

[Fort Vallance]

19 hours ago, sirwalter said:

Some cracking URC rugby as well.

And La Liga. Been well worth the money.

[The Treasurer]

5 hours ago, Tour22 said:

 

Too many people would still use IPTV.

Maybe if clubs were allowed to sell their own coverage at a reasonable price then fans might be tempted to put their money into their own club to get live coverage 

[May98]

Just now, The Treasurer said:

Maybe if clubs were allowed to sell their own coverage at a reasonable price then fans might be tempted to put their money into their own club to get live coverage 

Fans would.  But the problem would be for the smaller clubs when they sell pptv to away fans the away fans would just pile on iptv and that leaves a black hole.  For that reason your Ross county or Killie would never vote it through.