Spark adds Formula 1 to sports line-up

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#2114690 26-Oct-2018 20:31

Jaxson:

Re 4k elsewhere, I'm pretty sure that was via a 'special box' and satellite, rather than via broadband?

spark. Any word on apps, android TV or Xbox One type support?

Yes, that is true, but it doesn't stop Netflix and Amazon delivering 4k streaming here. If Spark wants to up the ante in this space they should consider offering a superior service. Spark already have a lightbox app for Andriod TV (Sony TVs anyway) and PS4, so this shouldn't be unachievable.

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#2114713 26-Oct-2018 22:03

smcc:
Jaxson:

Re 4k elsewhere, I'm pretty sure that was via a 'special box' and satellite, rather than via broadband?

spark. Any word on apps, android TV or Xbox One type support?

Yes, that is true, but it doesn't stop Netflix and Amazon delivering 4k streaming here. If Spark wants to up the ante in this space they should consider offering a superior service. Spark already have a lightbox app for Andriod TV (Sony TVs anyway) and PS4, so this shouldn't be unachievable.

Sounds good 👍🏻

Agree, youtube is 4K too and has been for a while. Should be possible.

rlevis

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#2114714 26-Oct-2018 22:11

But they don't offer live events at 4k AFAIK, only prerecorded which is much easier to serve with large file buffering.

MikeB4

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#2114780 27-Oct-2018 09:24

tdgeek:

MikeB4:

With the events that Spark are picking up I feel there is another dominant players replacing Sky and the viewer will not be that better off in the long term.

Can you explain why? Genuine question.

Welcome back.

Spark seem to be picking up the major sporting events and series and it worries me that we appear to be replacing one dominant provider with another. One of the criticism leveled at Sky was their dominance created a lack of genuine competition in the market. If Spark continue down the trend that seems to be developing we may get to a point where Sky considers it uneconomic to contiue in the Sports market and this will leave Spark in the same position that Sky has held and we will be in a situation where there is no real competition. This is one of teh reasons cited by Spark when they lodged their objection to teh Sky/Vodafone merger.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

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#2114837 27-Oct-2018 11:24

MikeB4:

tdgeek:

MikeB4:

With the events that Spark are picking up I feel there is another dominant players replacing Sky and the viewer will not be that better off in the long term.

Can you explain why? Genuine question.

Welcome back.

Spark seem to be picking up the major sporting events and series and it worries me that we appear to be replacing one dominant provider with another. One of the criticism leveled at Sky was their dominance created a lack of genuine competition in the market. If Spark continue down the trend that seems to be developing we may get to a point where Sky considers it uneconomic to contiue in the Sports market and this will leave Spark in the same position that Sky has held and we will be in a situation where there is no real competition. This is one of teh reasons cited by Spark when they lodged their objection to teh Sky/Vodafone merger.

Thank you

I agree. But I dont feel competition is the issue with sports, its the sports owners bleeding every cent from us, via the end broadcaster. In fact, if we had Sky and Spark and someone else all after the same rights, they will bid up the price. If we had one, and that one said to Rugby, no thats too much, then Rugby would be without a big revenue stream, so might back down a few dollars. Maybe that happened with Sky? No way to know. Possibly now, Rugby (as one example) can ask for top dollar +10%, and then when declined go to the other broadcaster.

What I feel will happen is instead of paying $100 for Sky Sports, I might end up paying $65 + $65 for the same content. As Spark adds more and more sports, the monthly fee would need to rise somewhat. My $65 is just a number as an example.

Jas777

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#2120695 6-Nov-2018 08:26

tdgeek:

MikeB4:

tdgeek:

MikeB4:

With the events that Spark are picking up I feel there is another dominant players replacing Sky and the viewer will not be that better off in the long term.

Can you explain why? Genuine question.

Welcome back.

Spark seem to be picking up the major sporting events and series and it worries me that we appear to be replacing one dominant provider with another. One of the criticism leveled at Sky was their dominance created a lack of genuine competition in the market. If Spark continue down the trend that seems to be developing we may get to a point where Sky considers it uneconomic to contiue in the Sports market and this will leave Spark in the same position that Sky has held and we will be in a situation where there is no real competition. This is one of teh reasons cited by Spark when they lodged their objection to teh Sky/Vodafone merger.

Thank you

I agree. But I dont feel competition is the issue with sports, its the sports owners bleeding every cent from us, via the end broadcaster. In fact, if we had Sky and Spark and someone else all after the same rights, they will bid up the price. If we had one, and that one said to Rugby, no thats too much, then Rugby would be without a big revenue stream, so might back down a few dollars. Maybe that happened with Sky? No way to know. Possibly now, Rugby (as one example) can ask for top dollar +10%, and then when declined go to the other broadcaster.

What I feel will happen is instead of paying $100 for Sky Sports, I might end up paying $65 + $65 for the same content. As Spark adds more and more sports, the monthly fee would need to rise somewhat. My $65 is just a number as an example.

What is going to happen is for the same money you will get less content.

The one I find interesting is the EPL, each time a different company gets the rights means the consumer has to change provider and have the overhead be it money or time associated with it as it doesn't always rum smoothly.

Do they actually make enough v what they pay for it as there is only a certain small dedicated fan base in NZ.

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#2120711 6-Nov-2018 08:37

Jas777:

Do they actually make enough v what they pay for it as there is only a certain small dedicated fan base in NZ.

No way to tell. Sky will see the number of viewers, but they wont make money from playing F1, or most other sports or most other content, individually, as its a bundle. If the bundle is wide ranging, its worth it, if its small, its not worth it, so they need to pay an amount for what is perceived as a nice bundle, and hope that viewers buy the subs. The lost the RWC they are probably ok with that, as the money paid wont be recouped, and as its 6 weeks then gone, good idea not to have it probably

If the sports bundle keeps reducing that will cause churn, they can only reduce the price to help that, or be forced into it with deals

Benoire

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#2120713 6-Nov-2018 08:40

At the moment I'm on the verge of cancelling Sky Sports after the F1 has finished. I had it originally for the EPL and F1 and then the bonus of all the other sports such as the Hyundai A league etc. With the main two gone from it, I have no need for it and neither movies so the loss of non-leading sports for them will cause them a sports sub lost.. but then I was never their main demographic as I'm not a big rugby fan.

Anyone got any updates on the F1 price?

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#2120721 6-Nov-2018 08:48

Ill wait and see, on the basis that I need a sweetener. Maybe I can get a better deal, add Spark F1 and be about the same. All speculation off course. If they go OD on a full app, that saves MySky rental

Jas777

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#2120742 6-Nov-2018 09:10

Benoire:

At the moment I'm on the verge of cancelling Sky Sports after the F1 has finished. I had it originally for the EPL and F1 and then the bonus of all the other sports such as the Hyundai A league etc. With the main two gone from it, I have no need for it and neither movies so the loss of non-leading sports for them will cause them a sports sub lost.. but then I was never their main demographic as I'm not a big rugby fan.

Anyone got any updates on the F1 price?

Not to put you on the spot but if Spark were to charge for each individually what would you be willing to pay?

Benoire

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#2120746 6-Nov-2018 09:21

I would be comfortable to pay $35 a month for both EPL and F1, noting that my EPL and Sky Sports package is currently $45... I do however think that Sky Sports is under priced as a result of cost sharing across the platform and really sky should be charging its true cost plus margin and drop the other channel rates down accordingly... even then I think the $35 would still represent reasonable value; F1 Pro is $200NZDish a year and EPL is currently $240NZD a year.

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Jas777

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#2120753 6-Nov-2018 09:36

Thanks

Do you support a certain team or like the EPL as a whole? The reason I ask is if you support a certain team how to handle if they have Champions League or Europa League games on a different provider?

As an aside I see SKY now shows all the Champions league games. It is actually quite good to watch games involving teams other than the English and Barcelona or Madrid.

The thing that will be interesting is if SKY gets the team channels like they did before now that EPL won't be a thru channel.

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#2120754 6-Nov-2018 09:39

I support Manchester United; born and bred about 15 minutes from old trafford. I love the champions league but its at times in the morning when I have to leave for work so I never get to see it and by the time I get home I know the scorelines so don't watch... Monday AM is generally the only time I can afford to be late in and that is split between F1 and EPL if MU are playing on Sunday.

Jas777

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#2120761 6-Nov-2018 09:46

The other thing with this will be to see if Spark will actually do any NZ made sport in the future. All their sport at moment is overseas based.

With lightbox they don't produce any NZ content so will they do it with sport (which of course will add cost and therefore increase the price to watch)

Benoire

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#2120762 6-Nov-2018 09:48

Yep, I suspect they want to try and get the rights to the bigger overseas stuff and avoid home grown content as it requires the Outside broadcasting equipment; expensive and currently Sky is the only viable option...

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