Get with the EPL program(ming)

you mean like what they do with the Champions League during the group stage?

I suppose DirecTV would need to sign up for that. But it would be awesome to have an EPL "Saturday Ticket"

I suspect it's all about the money.

 

Except in the actual UK, where they get like three live matches a week.

 

They had that, like, 5 years ago. It was an EPL pay-per-view season package.

It cost something like $300 for the season. Pardon me for saying so, but I think the way it is now is much more cost-effective.

 

The PPV package showed less games than Setanta.

 

I think that there were only 1 or 2 games per week that were available pay per view and when Setanta started they aired those games instead. We get more EPL games today than we did then. There just isn't enough interest to justify the costs/bandwidth.

 

In markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand, EPL video rights are sold by the FAPL on a platform-exclusive basis, meaning one must subscribe to a particular pay TV service in order to watch EPL matches.

Due to platform exclusivity, the pay TV service can air all matches live without having to cut deals with other pay TV platforms.

(Example: in Hong Kong, if you want to watch EPL, you MUST subscribe to iCable. If you have the other service [NowTV], you are completely shut out.)

In the U.S., because only platform FSI controls is foxsoccer.tv, FSI cannot air all EPL matches live without having to cut deals with other providers.

(In the case of UEFA Champions League, FSI has a deal with DirecTV to sublicense 4th-5th picks during the playoff round and 4th-8th picks during the group stage. FSI keeps 1st-3rd picks for FSN regional networks, FSC, FS+, or FSE/FOX Deportes.)

What we have learned over the years: when lawyers (and greed) get in the way of technology, the lawyers always win.

 

why couldn't we have both? would be another source of revenue for Fox

I assume the answer is money.

 

Not sure how you define small fortune, but I just signed up for the Comcast Sports Entertainment Package for only eight bucks per month, getting Fox Soccer and GolTV.

I had DirecTV last year and got FSC, GolTV, and Fox Plus for about thirty bucks a month.

It might be more than peanuts, but it's not a small fortune either.

 

PPV wouldn't work since FOX needs matches FSC and FS+. PPV of the last-choice matches wouldn't sell.

 

but you don't have to order FS+ on DirecTV - so the true comparison is $8 for FSC and GolTV on Comcast vs $13 on DirecTV. $5 a month, $60 a year.

 

some would on the basis of those who would pay the premium to see their second tier team play live. This is why I said it must be because the money - the cost of setting up the infrastructure would be more than what Fox/DirecTV is willing to spend for the return of whoever would buy. It would mean less available PPV movie slots and less viewers for the first-run matches that would show delayed on FSC and FS+ later in the day.

 

Can't you watch all additional Premier League matches on Foxsoccer.tv (Saturday 3pm UK kick-offs)? I think their stream looks fine. I still have FSC via cable but not Plus and the online subscription gives me access to a lot.

 

That's how it was at the end of last season. foxsoccer.tv is a much better service than FS+.

 

The monday night games are nowhere near regular, at least in the past. And a lot of times it's only 1 game on sunday. Up until 2 seasons ago one of those saturday games (usually the late one) was also PPV only for about $15 until Setanta started broadcasting the games there.