Will you be paying to watch the England match this weekend ?

[johnscarlet]

So the game this weekend will be broadcast over the internet only and some cinemas ?
Will you be paying ?

[C225]

First i've heard of such a thing what game is it?

[johnscarlet]

Ukraine V England . Fiver if you buy it now , upto £12 on the day i believe

[Aaron D84]

No.

If i decide to watch it i'll find somewhere to stream it for free. People can lambast me about that all they like but i refuse to pay to stream a game on my PC.

I may have considered paying for it if it was PPV on TV and may have considred paying for it on the PC it if the game was important but i already subscribe to Sky HD with Sky Sports and ESPN i'm not paying yet more money out for a meaningless qualifier.

[Noggin1980]

No wonder they didn't get an "acceptable" offer from any TV station if they think it's good value for fans to pay £12 for what is in essence to England a meaningless friendly.

[johnscarlet]

now with added Poll

[Toasty]

So, can this game be shown in a pub? How bizarre.

[loz]

I won't be paying £4.99 given the lower quality and fragility of internet broadcasting.

AFAICS there is no highlights package on TV either.

So this is your only option to see the game.

[johnscarlet]

I wonder what they paid for the rights?
They may have no choice but to offer a highlights package to recoup some of their losses

[JohnG]

Another rip off for England fans, I won't be paying.

A mate of mine and his wife have been to most England qualifying games home and away and is in the top 3,000 for the Englandfans points system which should allow him to get tickets for South Africa. But England have now arranged another friendly, against Brazil in Qatar in November which will cost an absolute fortune for flights and hotels. This will mean that he'll miss out on these points and probably go down in the list. They did a similar thing before the last world cup as well.

Another mate has worked out that if you went to all the qualifiers and other matches for which points were awarded, you'll pay about the same (or maybe more) as you would if you bought your tickets for every England game in South Africa from a tout. This includes the unlikely even that we get to the final as well

[loz]

Originally Posted by johnscarlet

I wonder what they paid for the rights?
They may have no choice but to offer a highlights package to recoup some of their losses

It would not surprise me if there was a hasty rearrangement of some broadcasters Saturday night schedule come thursday/friday.

The Ukranian's will probably see how the bookings go for the Internet feed, and if (as likely) there isn't a big enough takeup, then they will accept one of the broadcasters offers.

So a TV highlights package could still be on the cards. Even live, if the Internet offer totally tanks.

[johnscarlet]

I would jave thought the Ukranians already have their cash , unless they also get a % on top
Didn't Setanta try this , but over satellite/TUTV ?
Did that not tank too ?

[la gran siete]

I stopped paying to Sky because i was fed up with being ripped off , so no i wont be paying for this one.They can get stuffed .As far as i am concerened i pay enough for the tv licence

[JohnG]

I remember when setanta were messing people about with an England game and many of us watched it live on the internet for free at a site called "f-word setanta.com"

[hdsport]

Originally Posted by JohnG

But England have now arranged another friendly, against Brazil in Qatar in November

Just on this the Brazil game is part of a reciprocal arrangement with the Brazilian FA. They agreed to play in that first (senior) England game at the new Wembley in return England would then play an 'away' friendly with Brazil. So this isn't something out of the blue.

As for the Kentaro thing this has been on the cards for weeks personally I've no problem with it the foreign FA's have the right to make money and appoint an agency to do that. It's a bit rich for people from a country where the game is awash with money to moan about it. Unless there is a global decision from FIFA/UEFA to have competitive games FTA.

I'd say every home England qualifier live and FTA is pretty good deal (and since the collapse of Setanta you get home friendlies too). Just think of that Likely Lads episode.

In answer to the poll yes I will be watching (thanks to the people at Bet365).