No more free Wales matches on S4C

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Quoting the article linked in the first post of the thread:

"The agreement comes through UEFA's centralised National Association media rights sales process, under which UEFA takes sole responsibility for the marketing and sales of broadcast rights for member associations."

But it's still a case of highest bidder wins. Quite clearly Channel 4's bid for England games was higher than anyone else's. I understand both the FAW and SFA are happy with the income they'll be getting from it. Wouldn't have made any difference whether UEFA controlled it or not. Had it not been centralised, I'm sure the football associations on their own would have accepted Viaplay's offer.

Blaming UEFA is a bit pointless.

[Kind of Blue]

Anyone know if this deal starts from the next set of NL and qualifiers and if the PO final still be on s4c?

[Des Parrot]

But it's still a case of highest bidder wins. Quite clearly Channel 4's bid for England games was higher than anyone else's. I understand both the FAW and SFA are happy with the income they'll be getting from it. Wouldn't have made any difference whether UEFA controlled it or not. Had it not been centralised, I'm sure the football associations on their own would have accepted Viaplay's offer.

Blaming UEFA is a bit pointless.

That’s not how Noel Mooneys response read. He had not seen the contract and it reads asa collective bargaining point on by UEFA on behalf of 55 nations. I’ve not seen a statement anywhere that the FAW were involved in the final process, although they must have signed up to the collective bargaining rights at the outset.

[Undercoverinwurzelland]

But it's still a case of highest bidder wins. Quite clearly Channel 4's bid for England games was higher than anyone else's. I understand both the FAW and SFA are happy with the income they'll be getting from it. Wouldn't have made any difference whether UEFA controlled it or not. Had it not been centralised, I'm sure the football associations on their own would have accepted Viaplay's offer.

Blaming UEFA is a bit pointless.

You don't have to always accept the highest bid though. You're right that the FAW might have made the same decision, but they might not have done. They chose to keep our playoff matches at the CCS when they could have tried to squeeze a few extra quid out of them at the PS.

Yes, a higher bid means more income, but generating and maintaining interest in the game is vital too, and there's great momentum with the national team at the moment. This decision could affect that. Lots of people would say that English cricket shot itself in the foot by accepting Sky's money and taking cricket off free to air TV. Hope I'm wrong though.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

You don't have to always accept the highest bid though. You're right that the FAW might have made the same decision, but they might not have done. They chose to keep our playoff matches at the CCS when they could have tried to squeeze a few extra quid out of them at the PS.

Yes, a higher bid means more income, but generating and maintaining interest in the game is vital too, and there's great momentum with the national team at the moment. This decision could affect that. Lots of people would say that English cricket shot itself in the foot by accepting Sky's money and taking cricket off free to air TV. Hope I'm wrong though.

I completely agree with everything you've said here and back that sentiment 100%.

[Undercoverinwurzelland]

I completely agree with everything you've said here and back that sentiment 100%.

👍

[Optimistic Nick]

I completely agree with everything you've said here and back that sentiment 100%.

Believe me it is not always the highest bid wins. The rights holders have a product and many of them realise that limiting the population that will get to see it has a long term detrimental effect on the value of what they have (or limiting the quality of the broadcast too: imagine selling EPL to a gang with Matterface as lead commentator and gazza as host). Being a new entrant in this market is hard work and bidding more than an established broadcaster is no guarantee of success. It's not just the population issue but also the quality of the packaged product they worry about. A lot. Sports rights is a bizarre business but it is a lot more sophisticated than biggest bid wins.

[Cardiff Ultra]

I completely agree with everything you've said here and back that sentiment 100%.

Here's the thing, I've spent a lot of time defending the FAWs decision to keep the qualifiers at CCS even though it means restricting the numbers of people that can get tickets. It's effected me personally and a lot of other fans as its genuinely hard to get hold of tickets for the big games but frankly so what. The team benefits massively from playing at CCS and that's the only thing that matters.

All that being said, if games are no longer free tonair then that's a massive problem. At a time when the cost of living is sky rocketing and even Netflix can't keep hold of subscribers, putting a fairly niche sporting event behind a pay wall is unforgivable and aslo incredibly short termist.

Just look at Test cricket. After one of the best and most watched ashes series of all time in 2005, the ECB could have used it as a springboard to massively increase viewing and participation in cricket but instead they took a quick buck from Sky. Wales is going through arguably the best football period in its history and we need to capitalise on this by making the game as accessible to young people as possible. We are a small nation and one in which football faces massive competition from another sport at grass roots level. It makes this decision look so short sighted

[LeningradCowboy]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...could-23859111

FAW chief Neil Mooney says decision yet to be made on who broadcasts Wales matches between 2022-24, with games after that already committed to a paid-for new streaming service.

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Here's the thing, I've spent a lot of time defending the FAWs decision to keep the qualifiers at CCS even though it means restricting the numbers of people that can get tickets. It's effected me personally and a lot of other fans as its genuinely hard to get hold of tickets for the big games but frankly so what. The team benefits massively from playing at CCS and that's the only thing that matters.

All that being said, if games are no longer free tonair then that's a massive problem. At a time when the cost of living is sky rocketing and even Netflix can't keep hold of subscribers, putting a fairly niche sporting event behind a pay wall is unforgivable and aslo incredibly short termist.

Just look at Test cricket. After one of the best and most watched ashes series of all time in 2005, the ECB could have used it as a springboard to massively increase viewing and participation in cricket but instead they took a quick buck from Sky. Wales is going through arguably the best football period in its history and we need to capitalise on this by making the game as accessible to young people as possible. We are a small nation and one in which football faces massive competition from another sport at grass roots level. It makes this decision look so short sighted

Losing Test Cricket from terrestrial TV was a massive own goal. Yes, the £££ roll in, but what's the point when it loses geniune fan appeal. In the end this and otherr events just become TV entertainment.