Should Scotland games be back on terrestrial TV?

[jake.]

55 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

Google 'Now TV Sports pass' and you'll probably find one cheaper than the standard price.

Last set of internationals I bought a week pass from CDkeys for £9.80 which isn't too bad for two games

[DA Baracus]

31 minutes ago, jake. said:

Last set of internationals I bought a week pass from CDkeys for £9.80 which isn't too bad for two games

Aye I got a week pass from them as well for around the same price (can't mind the exact cost).

[Scary Bear]

Thanks for the advice on the tenner for a week deal. I still think it’s out of order that the Scotland games aren’t still on normal TV. Depends how bored I get but I think I am almost moved to write to MPs about this citing Wales as an example. Part of me says “do it” part of me thinks It’s maybe healthy that future generations won’t get too attached to the national team.

[Aidan]

Plenty of sites streaming in HD quality now for free, not a chance I'd be paying to watch Scotland!

[Life on Marrs?]

I was previously in the camp of, "the more the SFA can get for a TV deal, the better".

As someone who has spent the last 15 years, or so watching Scotland games in the pub, I have enjoyed the cameraderie & togetherness these games can bring. Since lockdown, & now early closing times though it has changed my view point on Scotland games. Yes, I feel they should be availiable to all on terrestrial tv (in Scotland). We have now made a whole generation of fans feel our product is second-rate, and that an England friendly is more important that a potential play off for the Euros!

[BFTD]

Talking about paying to see Scotland matches, it looks like NowTV have stopped doing weekly passes for Sky Sports, is that right?

It still seems like you can buy them for a tenner through third parties, but presumably they'll eventually run out, so that's £20 for two day passes to watch the games next week.

[Savage Henry]

I’d really rather the BBC didn’t bid for any live sport, frankly, other than those events on the protected list.  If ITV wants to throw ludicrous money at the FA, fine, but I’m happy it doesn’t come out of the public purse.

[Rodhull]

3 hours ago, BigFatTabbyDave said:

Talking about paying to see Scotland matches, it looks like NowTV have stopped doing weekly passes for Sky Sports, is that right?

It still seems like you can buy them for a tenner through third parties, but presumably they'll eventually run out, so that's £20 for two day passes to watch the games next week.

Oof that's shit. £10 for a week pass feels bearable to pay but I don't think I could ever justify that for a day pass.

Imagine the current stock of week passes on places like CDkeys won't last long.

[BFTD]

It's interesting that I've been thoroughly emptied by Craigkillie on this thread, but folk seem to be broadly agreeing with the sentiment regardless [emoji1]

[Scary Bear]

19 minutes ago, BigFatTabbyDave said:

It's interesting that I've been thoroughly emptied by Craigkillie on this thread, but folk seem to be broadly agreeing with the sentiment regardless

The sentiment about the SFA is just right. 

You might want to direct some of your ire at BBC Scotland and other broadcasters. Use the shotgun approach and spray as many of them as possible. Why don’t Channel 5 think we’re sexy enough to bid for anymore? The b*****ds!

Does anyone know how much UEFA got for our TV rights? How much did they pass on to the SFA?

Edited October 6, 2020 by Scary Bear

[GordonS]

On 04/10/2020 at 09:17, Scary Bear said:

I’m contemplating paying Now TV a tenner for their day pass for the Scotland v Israel game. I got to thinking about what a shame it is that Scotland games are no longer on terrestrial TV.

President Eck was bringing this up as an issue a decade ago back in 2008. 

Mr Salmond said: "Let me simply say that when it comes to getting the national team back onto the screens of all our citizens - it can be done and it should be done." he never managed it. 
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7267706.stm

More recently the man in the Union Jack suit, Ian Murray was fighting for Scotland games to be returned to the air waves. He never managed it.

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/leader-bring-scotland-football-games-back-terrestrial-tv-1481853
 

What are your thoughts? Are the BBC/ITV doing us a favour by keeping them off the telly or was taking them off terrestrial telly a poor decision which has eroded support for the national team.

I can well understand the football authorities looking the maximise income at this point, their finances have been ravaged. And the TV deals must have been done ages ago.

In an ideal world it would be free, but as someone who spent money on a ticket for this and would've had travel on top, should I expect it to be free? 

Not an easy one.

On 04/10/2020 at 17:06, Scary Bear said:

As the likes of S4C can presumably put together a winning bid for some Welsh games, how can the likes of the BBC Scotland channel not do likewise? What was the winning bid Sky put in for Scotland games? 

I feel a letter to an MSP coming on.

S4C's budget is well over double BBC Scotland's, and they sell advertising so presumably can recover some of the outlay for big events. 

On 05/10/2020 at 07:28, BigFatTabbyDave said:

Talking about paying to see Scotland matches, it looks like NowTV have stopped doing weekly passes for Sky Sports, is that right?

It still seems like you can buy them for a tenner through third parties, but presumably they'll eventually run out, so that's £20 for two day passes to watch the games next week.

I got a month pass for £20. I don't know if that offer will be open generally (I got it off the back of a three month deal coming to an end) but it's been good value for me. Worth a rummage.

[Virtual Insanity]

4 hours ago, GordonS said:

 

I got a month pass for £20. I don't know if that offer will be open generally (I got it off the back of a three month deal coming to an end) but it's been good value for me. Worth a rummage.

SSC members getting offered 2 months at £20/month although suspect that will be of limited interest to people who only want the Scotland games. For those who have Sky they're offering both football channels for £18/month 1 month rolling contract, I've taken that and got some decent Premiership games out of it (Merseyside derby after internationals should be good too). 

[forameus]

22 minutes ago, Virtual Insanity said:

SSC members getting offered 2 months at £20/month although suspect that will be of limited interest to people who only want the Scotland games. For those who have Sky they're offering both football channels for £18/month 1 month rolling contract, I've taken that and got some decent Premiership games out of it (Merseyside derby after internationals should be good too). 

I thought the SFA were offering something great to try and make up for not having fans in.  I don't want two months of it, I want to pick up Thursday night, and then next month (if we go through).  

I know, I know, seems ungrateful, but I'd imagine a lot of people who would be interested enough to have Sky Sports for a couple of months likely already do.  

[GordonS]

I thought the SFA were offering something great to try and make up for not having fans in.  I don't want two months of it, I want to pick up Thursday night, and then next month (if we go through).  
I know, I know, seems ungrateful, but I'd imagine a lot of people who would be interested enough to have Sky Sports for a couple of months likely already do.  

We've got Nations League games in November too, so it will be 5 or 6 matches for £40, plus everything else on Sky. I think that's ok. Not great if you're not interested in their other sport, but at £8 max per game it compares reasonably with the SPFL PPVs so it's not terrible either.

[forameus]

4 hours ago, GordonS said:

We've got Nations League games in November too, so it will be 5 or 6 matches for £40, plus everything else on Sky. I think that's ok. Not great if you're not interested in their other sport, but at £8 max per game it compares reasonably with the SPFL PPVs so it's not terrible either.

 

Bold of you to assume I give a shit about the non play-off games.... 

It's better than nothing, I get that.  Just would've been nice to have a day pass option too.  If we get put out on Thursday, getting to watch RABESTLEAGUEINRAWORLD or some meaningless Scotland games won't really be salve to the wounds

[craigkillie]

It'll be less than 10% of what they spend on Match of the Day I would guess.

[craigkillie]

56 minutes ago, ThatBoyRonaldo said:

For about a quarter of the content (~10 matchdays per year vs 38 matchdays per year for the EPL) and with about a tenth of the audience as for Match of the Day as well though. The BBC would also argue I'm sure that they provide Sportscene as the Scottish equivalent to MOTD.

There is a good chapter in David Goldblatts book The Age of Football where he discusses the 'futbol para todos' experiment that ran in Argentina for a few seasons, where their leftist government bought the rights to football highlights to ensure (in that case domestic) football was on free to air TV and used things like the advertising space to promote social justice programmes, before the right wingers came into power and dismantled it. I suppose it's not dissimilar to when the SG sponsored the Scottish Cup for a few seasons. Would probably take someone making a political issue of it to make any difference though. 

It's actual live football rather than highlights though, so it should offer more value. I am not saying that the BBC have to be bidding for these games, but I think it is reasonable to ask them to roughly match their investment in English football on a pro-rata basis.

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

On 04/10/2020 at 17:06, Scary Bear said:

As the likes of S4C can presumably put together a winning bid for some Welsh games, how can the likes of the BBC Scotland channel not do likewise? What was the winning bid Sky put in for Scotland games? 

I feel a letter to an MSP coming on.

I think they buy the rights from Sky and can only do Welsh commentary.

And since only ~20% of Wales can speak Welsh it probably doesn't cut into their potential audience too much. Perhaps BBC Alba could try to get a similar deal with Scotland games.

[Life on Marrs?]

Then you can watch it with the sound down & have Radio Scotland on for the commentary.

[craigkillie]

2 minutes ago, Life on Marrs? said:

Then you can watch it with the sound down & have Radio Scotland on for the commentary.

I'd take my chances with the Gaelic.