http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2016/03/17/sbs-strike-epl-deal-optus

Actually think this is bad news for the A-league

Discus

More football on free to air is only a good thing.

This could be good too depending on the deal.

Basheer will be commentating? :(

Great news TBH.

Getting rid of FOX now for sure.

Hopefully Martin Tyler will be the commentator

Until now I didn't know SBS didn't have the 18 World Cup rights fully.

I really enjoyed the entirety of SBS's coverage of the World Cup in 2014 (although I did get sick of those select few ads, like the gladiator curved tv one!). Hopefully Optus can do something similarly amazing.

Did not see this coming, SBS still in the game.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is the World Cup rights, I didn't know they had those. Obviously the Anti Siphoning laws means a FTA network got the rights the SBS ended up with.

Have I missed out on how Optus will be broadcasting these? There's no TV channel, so can only assume you sign up for the year and can watch unlimited EPL and World Cup, discounts for Optus customers?

Then sub-lease a game a week to interested parties?

Shit deal. sbs coverage is a joke

This is shit news for people who are general fans of both A-league and epl

Edited by lukerobinho: 17/3/2016 12:30:43 PM

Premier League on free to air is awesome and is just good for Football in this country. Hoping that it is the early Saturday game that is shown to maximise audiences.

The whole of the World Cup not being shown on SBS however fills me with dread. SBS usually throw the kitchen sink at securing these rights, budget cuts are hitting it hard. It'll be pathetic if the Australian confederations cup games aren't shown on free to air as well.

No it isn't

Looks like it will be a dedicated channel on Optus TV with Fetch.




Edited by myzer: 17/3/2016 12:36:36 PM

I'm still extremely confused by this too.

I've got a monthly mobile contract with Optus so here's me hoping I get to watch the BPL for free each week on my mobile/tablet/computer/etc.

Oh, and if you want Optus TV with Fetch, you have to have a mobile, mobile broadband or fixed internet connection with Optus.

Edited by myzer: 17/3/2016 12:39:52 PM

So you're convinced SBS are going to send Basheer and Robbie Slater over there instead of employing some existing UK services to cover the EPL? Struggling to see how commercial-free* + FTA coverage of the world's most sort after football league is a joke.

one epl game a week is kind of useless unless its the early game...

my initial thoughts are this is shit for fans. id rather pay $50 a week and have access to all a-league and epl games on the same ch.

i thinking it maybe time to go back to streaming online... :(

Edited by simione001: 17/3/2016 12:43:43 PM

The reason i think its bad is i was hoping the a-league could be on the same FTA channel as the epl.

Not gonna happen now.

Almost think this was done on purpose by SBS to piss the FFA

Obviously no, but there studio coverage is going to be bad. Hell, I even hated fox sports coverage with Bosnich and slater.

Ended up getting my mate teaching me how to stream sky and bt sports in HD instead.

This, pretty disappointed 2018 will be a limited FTA-SBS coverage (Perhaps they can pad their 23hr a day coverage with other highlights and off-field football documentary type programing ;)).

I suppose this deal makes a lot of sense for SBS though, so good luck to them.

Bye bye Foxtel.

your happy with just one random epl game a week and no access to the a-league???

Bingo. Optus didn't pay waay over the odds for nothing.... and then they'll make you bundle these products once you've had a taste =p~

Edited by absent_doz_2259: 17/3/2016 12:55:22 PM

It's really the best feeling.

How many people sign up for online streaming services ? it couldn't be anymore than about 20-30k people surely

I don't even see how the business case stacks up

How Many casual sports viewers would pay extra on top of foxtel ?

Keen to see what Optus do.

I'm hoping it will be on Apple TV, Xbox and Playstation as an EPL package in full HD.

Otherwise it will be streams.

Yep. Not paying 80+ or some shit for no EPL, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Eredivisie, Champions League or Europa League. Foxtel can fuck off with FOX Footy and stick to that until they die. It's not my fault that their business model is pure shit. Hopefully Optus come in and manage to get the A League too.

Edited by Draupnir: 17/3/2016 12:53:58 PM

Honestly A-League on its own is not worth $90 p/m especially this year.

i only pay $50 for epl and a-league...
i'd rather pay $50 and have full access to a-league and epl than have no acces to a-league and ad one random epl game a week.

Edited by simione001: 17/3/2016 12:57:01 PM

This would be excellent. One assumes the coverage will be better than the A-League.

One EPL game a week is nothing more than a marketing tool for Optus.
Presumably they understand SBS commentary is poor ,so will just force them to use EPL commentary.
It's kimd of strange though.Because surely they can see that any other FTA network would be a better place for marketing the EPL .
It's almost certain that Optus will have all games on Fetch.
Now what would be a massive laugh, would be if Optus gained full rights for the HAL by going in hard with an over the market price and then did a deal with SBS.
It could be a good move by Optus.Tying up Football in Oz and using this as a marketing tool to get access into Football grass roots for all its products.At the same time undermining FOXTEL and Telstra.
Imagine if a clever marketing campaign could push all its internet and mobile coverage to all the Football grassroots,male and female.
That has to be worth much more than the perceived value of HAL alone.


Edited by crimsoncrusoe: 17/3/2016 01:04:27 PM