Basically, if you use a VPN, and successfully connect to VP this afternoon, please post here details of which country you set the VPN to and which VPN you use, ta. Personally I am already covered, as once again my Swedish buddy’s son has lent his access code for Viaplay, but they will not show any of the buildup.
Here is the backstory. Under the current rights contract, the EFL claim that they have to geoblock fans from watching VP for a game shown on Sky, if they login from a country that is part of what they grandly call the global deal. But guess what. Apart from the playoffs most countries in the deal never screen the L1 games. So there is no loss to the local rights holder by allowing access to VP/ IFollow, because they are not showing it. And then, how many subscribers do you imagine would watch todays game using our streams in, say the Czech Republic? I currently dont know of a single Addick out here. I reckon the total across us and Wendies here, motivated to pay for streams, is probably max 20. Thats how pathetically small this “ issue” is.
i found out who is in charge of this at the EFL. His name is Ben Wright and he is far too grand to reply to me directly. Twice I have put to him that the solution is simple. The EFL paid an agency, Pitch International to negotiate this. So the EFL can make them work for the money. Pitch can each week ask each rights holder to notify them if they plan to show the EFL game, and then the EFL only geoblocks in that country if the rights holder says yes. Simple?
Nah, not for the Chief Commercial Officer, twice he drafts a load of blah which is delegated down to one of the hapless little Customer Service minions telling me that I have to contact the local rights holder. To say what, he does not explain. To say, hey, please upend your schedule to show a third division game in England for me, and I will subscribe? What effing planet, etc. And on top of that, this time round I learnt from Heather (CAST) that the EFL told the club ( complained?) a fan is lobbying them directly. WTF did they expect the club to do? Ban me? The club actually showed some solidarity and passed on to Heather an EFL press release about the new rights deal which will be negotiated for next year - a coded message of “ try to be patient for one more season”. Sod that. Please post all useful info to help us watch VP on this landmark day.
Comments
EDIT, nope I am blocked already. So the EFL block pre-match coverage which is not available on Sky, as wellas the actual footie. Another one for the charge sheet. ****s!!!
Geo-blocking is justified to protect local rights holders from losing significant revenue by allowing people to use iFollow. However if the local rights holder is not actually showing the game, and never does show L1/L2, then there is no revenue to lose.
Good luck but I fear that you are wasting your time. The EFL are wankers. They have sold the rights as a package to companies who do not even want to use half of the package. Neither they or the EFL care about us, the fans of lower League clubs.
2. They treat fans like shit
As the match has been selected for live coverage by Sky Sports, the club are NOT permitted to live stream the game in any country that is covered by the EFL’s global broadcast deal.
As the Sheffield Wednesday match can only be streamed in a small number of countries, the club will not be running a full CharltonTV production. The live coverage – which will be available in multi-camera – will begin shortly before kick-off, conclude at full-time and will not include commentary.
https://www.cafc.co.uk/news/view/610c3ec643f59/important-live-streaming-information-for-charlton-v-sheffield-wednesday
@PragueAddick
But expecting a change mid contract to cater to 20 fans, to the detriment of their bottom line, is just madness.
There is one reason alone to show the EFL any sympathy. This rights deal was all done before iFollow appeared. It did not take account of the situation even arising. Fair enough. However now that it has arisen, it needs to be addressed. The EFL are selling direct to the overseas consumer, via iFollow, albeit the clubs get some of the revenue. So they have a duty to fix the problem. I've suggested them the remedy, its in my original post. It's not difficult. They just can't be arsed.
As for my local broadcaster, what is my issue with them? Its a tiny digital outlet, and they will show some Championship games, but can anyone be surprised if they don't think there's a Czech audience for Charlton v Wendies on amid summer afternoon when everyone is on hol or their chatas, or watching the Czech league which has started, or are all done for sport after a night watching the Olympics? Why should I expect them to show it. And that's the point.. a simple phone call "Guys, you planning to show this Charlton game?" "Nah". "OK, you mind if we don't block the subscribers to the closed iFollow stream?" "How many customers involved" "Oh about 20, mainly expats" "20 people? Fill yer boots...".
I also went back and removed my sentence about selling to the consumer because I remembered very quickly I was wrong there. :-)
It’s obviously frustrating and I sympathise. I just don’t think you can expect the EFL to put in place the process you suggest, especially as that investment is likely to end up redundant in a year’s time anyway.
Although the deadline for consultation has passed, might it be worth your while drawing this situation to the attention of Tracey Crouch MP, for the Fan-Led Review? Maybe with cc to the EFL, & Sky/@BenRansomSky?
It certainly seems a prime example of the way the EFL disrespects fans, particularly as it has contacted the club, apparently for a moan! And clearly you are not the only Addick to contact them on this issue.
Dare I suggest the EFL may be fearing another mass emailing campaign from Charlton supporters filling up their inbox? They do have some experience of this from previous years...
https://www.efl.com/iFollow/international-broadcasters/