Sky blames piracy for lost customers. Sky: it's time to wake up and smell the coffee.

Forums › Sky, Neon, Lightbox › Sky blames piracy for lost customers. Sky: it's time to wake up and smell the coffee.

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#1858202 4-Sep-2017 14:57

Pumpedd:

Fund TVNZ or TV3 for that matter to provide free to air (with adverts) so most of NZ can watch our key games free to air like a lot of other countries do. And...please don't suggest that everyone should go to a local tavern to watch.

Absolutely not!

Your solution is essentially that you want to watch rugby and don't want to pay Sky, so everyone else (even those with no interest in rugby) should be forced to pay for it via money deducted from their pay packets, so that you can get what you want at their (taxpayers) expense. Providing you with entertainment so that you don't have to pay for it isn't a legitimate role for the government. And if the government has spare money I would rather that they either take less from taxpayers (tax cuts) and/or spend it on stuff that truly is essential like health care. Having my pockets picked to pay for your entertainment isn't something I support.

Plus, as well as burdening the taxpayer with inappropriate spending, your solution would be a disaster for dedicated sports fans as well. Sports fanatics like to watch a game live an uninterrupted (just look at the row when they cut of an anthem with a Hyundi ad). The ones I know would be prepared to pay handsomely to avoid what your "solution" would impose - having the game fall further and further behind real time, so that it can be interrupted every seven minutes while they are shouted at to buy cars, tampons, potato crisps, fidget spinners or whatever other tat the advertisers think they can shift.

MikeAqua

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#1858210 4-Sep-2017 15:14

JimmyH:

Pumpedd:

Fund TVNZ or TV3 for that matter to provide free to air (with adverts) so most of NZ can watch our key games free to air like a lot of other countries do. And...please don't suggest that everyone should go to a local tavern to watch.

Absolutely not!

Your solution is essentially that you want to watch rugby and don't want to pay Sky, so everyone else (even those with no interest in rugby) should be forced to pay for it via money deducted from their pay packets, so that you can get what you want at their (taxpayers) expense. Providing you with entertainment so that you don't have to pay for it isn't a legitimate role for the government.

I'm a Rugby fan and I agree with you. I'm happy to pay to watch it.

But ... the government is happy to subsidise 'performing arts' which are also entertainment.

Mike

Rikkitic

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#1858248 4-Sep-2017 15:44

I think the usual argument for this kind of thing is that the government has a role in supporting cultural activities that cannot compete in the normal marketplace. I am not a sports fan at all but I think an argument could certainly be made that rugby is an essential part of New Zealand culture. It doesn't seem to have trouble attracting funding, though. I would not object to a taxpayer-supported non-commercial channel, which I would like to see anyway, spending some of its time broadcasting important rugby matches as long as a proper balance was maintained.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

afe66

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#1858254 4-Sep-2017 15:58

NZ TV and in general is a cultural backwater (yes I am a snob).

Rugby keeps going on about how important it thinks it is to Nz but if not enough people want to pay for sky, I don't think the limited amount our government spends on cultural things should be diverted to pay for rugby.

Because of course no one would want taxes/levies raised so would have to come out of existing funds.

(ducks despite paying for sky sports and having a season pass the see local super15 team previous 5 years)

mattwnz

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#1858256 4-Sep-2017 16:04

tdgeek:

dafman:

Here's a scenario:

1. Amazon, or whoever, bid high to win rights over Sky.

2. There are no post deals with Sky and a rugby-less Sky haemorrhage subscribers before eventually calling it a day.

3. In a post-Sky world, Amazon (or whoever) bid lower for future rights as there is now no Sky counter bid.

4. NZ rugby learn to live with what the market is prepared to pay.

5. Consumers get high quality on demand streaming options at a reasonable price.

Remember that rugby isnt the be all and end all of Sky Sport. Its big, but as a % its probably a medium minority.

I am not so sure about that. If I was getting it, that would probably be the reason I would get it these days. Movies used to be a big thing, but these days not so much, as quality TV seems to have taken over from movies, and online services like google and itunes offer movie rental in real time.I think it is a case of technology changing, and not adapting fast enough for the change. Some companies just become irrelevant as they go through their life cycle.

Starlith

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#1858260 4-Sep-2017 16:11

MikeAqua:

StarBlazer:

But this is becoming a discussion about Rugby. It is not Sky's responsibility to underpin the NZRU/All Blacks, neither should all other Sky subscribers have to pay a tax so that Rugby remains what it is. Rugby is a professional sport and as such needs to yield to the requirements of running a business and pay it's "stars" what it can afford. I agree that Sky and NZRU have a tricky symbiotic relationship but not everybody wants to pay for that.

No-one has to pay Sky a single cent. It's entirely voluntary.

Sure, there is some content viewers can only get from Sky (legally) in NZ. But no-one needs it. They want it. It's entertainment not necessity of life.

I would be interested to know how many subscriptions Sky would lose if it didn't have rugby. Along with HBO it's their premium offering.

Sky only got my business because of the RWC. I wouldn't re-subscribe in the absence of rugby.

The basic only package may be far less viable as a stand alone than people are assuming, it has few advantages over Freeview.

For me it is the opposite, I like Football (A-league and NZ Football Premiership) but the prices of Fanpass got extremely high during the Lions Tour that I'm not sure if I can do a fanpass this season. Even if I get a Sky Sport Subscription it seemed like my love of NZ football will be subsidizing the Rugby/League fraternity especially as the NZ football clubs had to pay Sky a sum for broadcasting and the game that is semi-pro at best. Couple that with only one game a week being played on Sky and it doesn't seem appealing to support such a model. I just want my money to be able to support the sports I want to watch, instead I have decided to go to games and pay a season ticket for the Phoenix and hopefully Team Wellington. I would love to watch more NZF Premiership but Sky is now far too expensive for the small amount of content I can view and I can see most of the subscription money being funneled to Rugby, NRL and Cricket.

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dafman

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#1858267 4-Sep-2017 16:21

tdgeek:

Remember that rugby isnt the be all and end all of Sky Sport. Its big, but as a % its probably a medium minority.

I think it is. When I ask people why they still pay $100 give or take a month for Sky given all the cheaper streaming options, rugby is invariably the answer.

(ok, maybe 1 in 10 may offer up another reason, Rialto or UK TV, for eg, but these are very much the minority).

If Sky lost the rugby, it would be its death knell.

Of course, 100% my opinion. Other opinions are available.

MikeAqua

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#1858340 4-Sep-2017 18:04

afe66: NZ TV and in general is a cultural backwater (yes I am a snob).

Rugby keeps going on about how important it thinks it is to Nz but if not enough people want to pay for sky, I don't think the limited amount our government spends on cultural things should be diverted to pay for rugby.

If not enough people want to pay for the Ballet/NZSO/etc then I don't think limited funds should be diverted from health/housing/education/fire service/coastguard/police/other-essential-service to pay for it.

The more traditional arts can't self fund in NZ, because there isn't enough market interest to provide a suitable revenue stream - either from admissions or sponsorship.

Entertainers performing stuff people actually want to watch come to NZ and do very well. Ten of thousands will go to a Springsteen concert at >$100 a ticket. The River is much more relatable than Swan Lake I guess.

Mike

vexxxboy

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#1858349 4-Sep-2017 18:42

dafman:

tdgeek:

Remember that rugby isnt the be all and end all of Sky Sport. Its big, but as a % its probably a medium minority.

I think it is. When I ask people why they still pay $100 give or take a month for Sky given all the cheaper streaming options, rugby is invariably the answer.

(ok, maybe 1 in 10 may offer up another reason, Rialto or UK TV, for eg, but these are very much the minority).

If Sky lost the rugby, it would be its death knell.

Of course, 100% my opinion. Other opinions are available.

i have sport , havent watched rugby in years. I have it for mainly ESPN and all the Cricket.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

tdgeek

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#1858361 4-Sep-2017 19:00

dafman:

tdgeek:

Remember that rugby isnt the be all and end all of Sky Sport. Its big, but as a % its probably a medium minority.

I think it is. When I ask people why they still pay $100 give or take a month for Sky given all the cheaper streaming options, rugby is invariably the answer.

(ok, maybe 1 in 10 may offer up another reason, Rialto or UK TV, for eg, but these are very much the minority).

If Sky lost the rugby, it would be its death knell.

Of course, 100% my opinion. Other opinions are available.

I was more referring to other sport. Rugby is probably the biggest, but NRL, cricket, soccer, tennis, golf, motorsport all have fans. I recall here on a thread when rugby came up, many arent into it. So I see rugby as the biggest sport on Sky, maybe at 20% dedicated, of the sport audience. Where the lines blur is those that want say to watch rugby, but all the other stuff makes it more value, for other sport or family genres. $100 ammonite to watch your favourite super 14 team, maybe even two either games, thats costly. The AB's are hardly ever playing. They are generally 3 games every few months when there is a tour here or overseas.

The other option is Rugby go it alone. They can get the same broadcast personalities, and stream direct to the public, who can buy a Rugby pass. But without knowing the fee they charge Sky, impossible to discuss much on that

Pumpedd

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#1858496 4-Sep-2017 21:25

MikeAqua:

JimmyH:

Pumpedd:

Fund TVNZ or TV3 for that matter to provide free to air (with adverts) so most of NZ can watch our key games free to air like a lot of other countries do. And...please don't suggest that everyone should go to a local tavern to watch.

Absolutely not!

Your solution is essentially that you want to watch rugby and don't want to pay Sky, so everyone else (even those with no interest in rugby) should be forced to pay for it via money deducted from their pay packets, so that you can get what you want at their (taxpayers) expense. Providing you with entertainment so that you don't have to pay for it isn't a legitimate role for the government.

I'm a Rugby fan and I agree with you. I'm happy to pay to watch it.

But ... the government is happy to subsidise 'performing arts' which are also entertainment.

They also subsidise most NZ made programming eg Shorty Street. So why not also subsidise our key sports?

Interestingly they subsidised Americas Cup but most NZers still couldnt watch it.

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SheriffNZ

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#1858501 4-Sep-2017 21:38

Interestingly they subsidised Americas Cup but most NZers still couldnt watch it.

Didn't they invest in the America's Cup to promote NZ rather than subsidise it?

richms

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#1858515 4-Sep-2017 22:01

Pumpedd:

They also subsidise most NZ made programming eg Shorty Street. So why not also subsidise our key sports?

Interestingly they subsidised Americas Cup but most NZers still couldnt watch it.

When I last bitched about shortland street someone posted something that showd that its not had nz on air funding for ages now, and pays its own way.

Richard rich.ms

Pumpedd

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#1858561 4-Sep-2017 23:15

richms:

Pumpedd:

They also subsidise most NZ made programming eg Shorty Street. So why not also subsidise our key sports?

Interestingly they subsidised Americas Cup but most NZers still couldnt watch it.

When I last bitched about shortland street someone posted something that showd that its not had nz on air funding for ages now, and pays its own way.

You may be right on that.

Linuxluver

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#1858565 4-Sep-2017 23:27

I never saw any sense in paying $1000 / year for Sky. I saw the basic package in hotels and other people's homes. Lots of stuff I'd never waste my time on.

But I do pay for Lightbox (well....I did until they gave it to me for free) and Netflix.

I also watch a fair bit of YouTube. The electric car video blogs, for example, can be up to the minute - literally - and very good.

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