Sky Sports+ and Rugby League: What we know so far (hijacked thread)

[Futtocks]

 

Edited August 5 by Futtocks

[Damien]

Changes to the coverage of future games:

 

[Futtocks]

59 minutes ago, Damien said:

Changes to the coverage of future games:

 

That might need its own thread, if only so we have something bookmarked for a few months down the line, when the hard-of-thinking end of the TRL spectrum are "furious" that nobody told them in detail about the changes we were all told about months ago as well as now in August.

[Just Browny]

10 hours ago, Futtocks said:

That might need its own thread, if only so we have something bookmarked for a few months down the line, when the hard-of-thinking end of the TRL spectrum are "furious" that nobody told them in detail about the changes we were all told about months ago as well as now in August.

I've read it, but I will make no pledges about future questions because it seems to be needlessly confusing.

[Archie Gordon]

51 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

I've read it, but I will make no pledges about future questions because it seems to be needlessly confusing.

I haven't read it but I also won't make any promises because why would I rely on an obscure tweet that I can't access for my info?

[gingerjon]

1 hour ago, Just Browny said:

I've read it, but I will make no pledges about future questions because it seems to be needlessly confusing.

My understanding, from this weekend:

- Two live matches on the main Sky channels

- Four live matches on Sky Sports Plus

- In the UK, Six matches (four live, the two Sky on delay) on Super League +. All matches live in most countries around the world.

- Sky Sports Plus is a new service which is mostly on streaming. It will be available in various ways, including via Now TV, at no cost for now, to all Sky Sports subscribers.

- There will be a Sky Sports Plus channel on the TV but it will only be showing a fraction of the full Sky Sports Plus schedule.

- Super League + is the existing subscription platform launched at the start of the year.

[HawkMan]

Sky channel 412 will be rebranded as Sky sports plus. This whole new channel is primarily to service the new EFL contract. Almost 1000 games will be streamed or shown live on the linear channel. Production is by IMG, yes that IMG.

For SL presumably you will need to tune in to 412, then use red button to access streamed content. Apparently the streamed matches football or rugby are not recordable.

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Q/Recording-football-matches-which-are-shown-on-the-new-Sky-Sports-channel/m-p/4709906#:~:text=Just to confirm about Sky,linear content on that channel.

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, Just Browny said:

I've read it, but I will make no pledges about future questions because it seems to be needlessly confusing.

No, a couple of people have decided that they have read the detail and understand it, so nobody can claim they don't get it. 

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, HawkMan said:

Sky channel 412 will be rebranded as Sky sports plus. This whole new channel is primarily to service the new EFL contract. Almost 1000 games will be streamed or shown live on the linear channel. Production is by IMG, yes that IMG.

For SL presumably you will need to tune in to 412, then use red button to access streamed content. Apparently the streamed matches football or rugby are not recordable.

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Q/Recording-football-matches-which-are-shown-on-the-new-Sky-Sports-channel/m-p/4709906#:~:text=Just to confirm about Sky,linear content on that channel.

The not being able to record thing is a massive issue if true and if the games are not available on demand afterwards. 

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, Archie Gordon said:

I haven't read it but I also won't make any promises because why would I rely on an obscure tweet that I can't access for my info?

Rugbyleafueontv.com is an excellent resource, and far more helpful than official channels, which as far as I can see haven't explained things in the level of detail that they have. 

[Futtocks]

The official announcement.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13131189/sky-sports-launches-in-august-to-give-more-choice-to-fans-via-live-streams-app-and-new-channel 

[Futtocks]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

The not being able to record thing is a massive issue if true and if the games are not available on demand afterwards. 

It would be pretty surprising if catch-up viewing wasn't available, just as it is with SL+.

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

It would be pretty surprising if catch-up viewing wasn't available, just as it is with SL+.

I'm a virgin customer, so only get limited on demand at the moment. Games are not on there. 

It'd be a serious downgrade on the season so far if it isn't allowed. 

[Futtocks]

3 hours ago, Just Browny said:

I've read it, but I will make no pledges about future questions because it seems to be needlessly confusing.

But it does need its own thread that can be found in a search, as potential subscribers will want information and this is just a thread about a single match being available free on a different platform.

It was only last week that someone was "fuming" about SL+, but because it had a dedicated thread, we were able to go back to it and check what was actually announced at the time.

[Futtocks]

A digest.

https://www.rugbyleagueontv.com/skysportsplusexplainer 

[Hopie]

Looks like it is going to have to be a more deliberate action to find Super League on Sky, which will have some effect on viewing figures.

[StandOffHalf]

What a complicated mess!

I just want to turn on and sit down in front of my TV on an afternoon or evening.

[Archie Gordon]

It sounds as if you can always go to 412 and red button games. On Sky anyway. That seems straightforward.

[Barry Badrinath]

as a virgin customer, i've had to subscribe/upgrade virgin 360, which is a streaming channel, i've currently got a new voice activated remote heading my way in the post, that apparently is how i'll be accessing sky sports plus

[ATLANTISMAN]

It sure is confusing.

I watch so many matches live anyway and mainly stick to the NRL for my TV fix.

[Chrispmartha]

12 hours ago, StandOffHalf said:

What a complicated mess!

I just want to turn on and sit down in front of my TV on an afternoon or evening.

You'll still be able to do that

[Dave T]

23 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

You'll still be able to do that

Yes - in effect - we will see 4 of our games per week move to Sky Sports Red Button. A real backward step from this season so far, but we knew that was temporary. 

As a fan, probably not a massive issue (as long as we get on demand/recordings), but for visibility not good.

[glossop saint]

16 hours ago, Dave T said:

Yes - in effect - we will see 4 of our games per week move to Sky Sports Red Button. A real backward step from this season so far, but we knew that was temporary. 

As a fan, probably not a massive issue (as long as we get on demand/recordings), but for visibility not good.

I think your point about being temporary and knowing that it was is important. This might get some stuck but it was always the case. The BBC games probably become more important as a way to get casual viewers. 

[Hopie]

3 hours ago, glossop saint said:

I think your point about being temporary and knowing that it was is important. This might get some stuck but it was always the case. The BBC games probably become more important as a way to get casual viewers. 

I think the sticking point is likely to be that "all games on TV" has been heavily emphasised by some as a key progress point this year, but now we are going to some games on TV and some games on streaming.
This is as expected, but other than those who watch all the games who does it benefit? Rugby League needs a way to preach to those not already converted, and most things I see suggest the strategy, or lack of it, means we are doing the opposite.

[glossop saint]

1 minute ago, Hopie said:

I think the sticking point is likely to be that "all games on TV" has been heavily emphasised by some as a key progress point this year, but now we are going to some games on TV and some games on streaming.
This is as expected, but other than those who watch all the games who does it benefit? Rugby League needs a way to preach to those not already converted, and most things I see suggest the strategy, or lack of it, means we are doing the opposite.

I suppose the grey area is what is 'TV'. Iplayer? Amazon Prime? Netflix? SL+?

There's an argument to be made either way for each of them. Though I think it was always the case that we were going onto this Sky Sports streaming platform. It depends on how you look at it, or rather how you want to look at it to support your own views.