Sky v BT and the other sporting channels

[Peg Leg]

This Christmas I decided to subscribe to Sky sports for the period as it's usually a bumper period for sports (and partly to keep certain guests occupied while entertaining). Well, that has been a fairly dumb investment (barring the Northampton/Leinster clash in Franks), Sky have had so little to cover over the course of the holidays.
This battle for dominance is not going to do many short term favours for the fans, if all of the sports end up splitting the schedules and selling the broadcasting rights to several parties, as per the soccer. Other than BT broadband subscribers, I doubt many are going to pay for all of the sporting channels and fans are now having to decide what sports/match packages they are going to have to miss out on!!

Who wins in this?
Regardless of all the publicity and effort, I still don't entirely believe in BT's want to actually be considered a "Sporting Broadcaster", they (to my mind) are just hoovering up rights in an effort to sell streaming rights to other online outlets (which would of course, still make them sporting broadcasters mind).
Is this a commoner garden rights competition or a battle to stake an ownership/monopolising of the next broadcasting medium?

[Dexter]

This Christmas I decided to subscribe to Sky sports for the period as it's usually a bumper period for sports (and partly to keep certain guests occupied while entertaining). Well, that has been a fairly dumb investment (barring the Northampton/Leinster clash in Franks), Sky have had so little to cover over the course of the holidays.
This battle for dominance is not going to do many short term favours for the fans, if all of the sports end up splitting the schedules and selling the broadcasting rights to several parties, as per the soccer. Other than BT broadband subscribers, I doubt many are going to pay for all of the sporting channels and fans are now having to decide what sports/match packages they are going to have to miss out on!!

Who wins in this?
Regardless of all the publicity and effort, I still don't entirely believe in BT's want to actually be considered a "Sporting Broadcaster", they (to my mind) are just hoovering up rights in an effort to sell streaming rights to other online outlets (which would of course, still make them sporting broadcasters mind).
Is this a commoner garden rights competition or a battle to stake an ownership/monopolising of the next broadcasting medium?

Sky was good over the last month if you liked darts or "wrestling"..or maybe watching cricket in the middle of the night.
I just have it for rugby (HEC, some Internationals, S15), American Football now, and the odd soccer game - but I'd agree that a lot of the content seems to be filler stuff.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Have to say I really like BT. Lots of interesting programmes on it and the analysis tends to be pretty good. They start coverage of games way too early and I can't stand Clare Balding in that talk show role but outside of that I think they do a great job.

[domhnallj]

I've just ditched Sky Sports - shelling out £20+ a month when the sports I want to watch are covered less and less stopped making sense. I can live without the super rugby competition. If they get the Pro 12 next year will re-subscribe. I get BT sports for nowt on my broadband subscription and this give AP and Top14, the other channels (BBC/S4C) give me enough Pro 12 to be getting on with although I do miss the interpros (except the Ulster ones).

[Peg Leg]

I've just ditched Sky Sports - shelling out £20+ a month when the sports I want to watch are covered less and less stopped making sense. I can live without the super rugby competition. If they get the Pro 12 next year will re-subscribe. I get BT sports for nowt on my broadband subscription and this give AP and Top14, the other channels (BBC/S4C) give me enough Pro 12 to be getting on with although I do miss the interpros (except the Ulster ones).

I'm a bit too stubborn to pay for BT and now I have no Sky, it'll be interesting to see what way the pro12 will be divided up for the broadcasters!

[domhnallj]

I'm a bit too stubborn to pay for BT and now I have no Sky, it'll be interesting to see what way the pro12 will be divided up for the broadcasters!

It's £12 here (without BB subs) which is still cheaper than Sky. When I rang to cancel the chap kept on about the F1 channel like I was a friggin' maniac - I've never watched F1 in my life but there was no convincing him. I asked for a reduction in subs and he could have the F1 channel back.

[mikerob]

I subscribe to Sky Sports for the months they have the HEC (and Lions...) and unsubscribe for the months they don't, however I can see myself subscribing for the season for the Pro12 coverage.

I don't know if it is available in the ROI however Sky also offer a PAYG streaming service called NowTV and they offer a range of content on this, including Sky Sports for £9.99 a day. NowTV is available on a small box you connect to your TV and broadband, and on a number of other platforms as well - I know AppleTV is one.