Spark Sport
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@Chris-B said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
@Cyclops said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
@Snowy said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
@Chris-B said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
Makes sense for Spark to hold the line on "internet or nothing" for as long as possible, but at the last minute it also makes sense for them maximise revenue.
Yes, and piss off all of the people who have Sky anyway, and bought the Spark package because Sky don't have it. Unlikely to happen I reckon.
I'm assuming Chris B's scenario would mean that the pop up channel is an extra on top of the sky bill and not included in the basic sport package.
Yeah - they're already offering it to commercial premises - a Spark pop-up channel on Sky.
You'd have to pay for it and you'd obviously also need to have Sky - don't really see why anyone would get upset if it was offered to people who can't otherwise access it.
Would be an issue if offered to people who could access via internet but have chosen not to.
Hard to prove that, I can just say I don't have internet even if it is available, just not signed for it. And what speed of internet is the cut off point?
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@No-Quarter said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
I'd be pretty happy for them to offer that as an option for those stuck on shitty internet.
Radiosport?
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@Machpants According to Spark it's 15mbs.
I'd think it wouldn't be difficult for Spark to map people who definitely have access to sufficient speed.
At the end of the day - anyone who has access to sufficient capacity and is desperate to watch will have signed up.
I was watching a couple of old guys in the McKenzie country on TV the other night - rugby stalwarts who'd tried to sign up, are desperate to watch, but are going to have to drag their 75 year old butts down to the pub every night if they want to see most games.
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@Chris-B said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
I'd think it wouldn't be difficult for Spark to map people who definitely have access to sufficient speed.
Yes and no.
Easy to map ability to access various methods (ADSL/VDSL/Fibre/Coax).With Fibre and Coax (the old Telstra network in Welly and ChCh now owned by Voda) then access means enough speed as long as you have made connection from street.
With ADSL and VDSL you can assume that connection is already in place (via copper phone line) but the speed is very variable depending on circumstance of each h/hold
- distance to cabinet. There is a grey distance where some will work OK, some won't
- quality of copper from house to cabinet. this can have big effect on the point above and change the distance calculation
- quality/set up of copper in house. Old star networked internal wiring (from the days of multiple phone jacks) needs cleaning up to maximise speeds.
In short they can calculate a pretty close idea based on what is available where but there will also be a sizable grey area.
For the purpose of the suggestions above they would have to cast a wide net.
My understanding is that the whole point of spending big money on the RWC is to drive as many people as possible to moving to internet based sports. This will drive more people to upgrading their internet and although not all people will go with Spark, many will.
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@Crucial said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
My understanding is that the whole point of spending big money on the RWC is to drive as many people as possible to moving to internet based sports. This will drive more people to upgrading their internet and although not all people will go with Spark, many will.
Yeah - there's no doubt about that. And it is fair enough.
However, the flip side of the coin is, on currently announced policy, Spark is making a commercial decision to not let a reasonable chunk of the country watch RWC in their own homes - even though the pop-up channel is available with the push of a button. So I think if I was completing one of those corporate surveys today about "Spark cares about its customers", I'm currently marking them zero - and I think that is fair and accurate.
On the technical side of things, it doesn't need to be an exact science. If someone applies from central Auckland where they know download speeds are several hundred mbs then send them the instructions for how to sign up to streaming.
If someone applies from five kms out of town and it's "I would have thought they'd be able to stream it", what does it really matter if they're at the margins and get to watch the pop-up channel? Spark still gets their money. I guess they could say send us a screen shot of your Ookla speed test.
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@Chris-B said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
@Crucial said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
My understanding is that the whole point of spending big money on the RWC is to drive as many people as possible to moving to internet based sports. This will drive more people to upgrading their internet and although not all people will go with Spark, many will.
Yeah - there's no doubt about that. And it is fair enough.
However, the flip side of the coin is, on currently announced policy, Spark is making a commercial decision to not let a reasonable chunk of the country watch RWC in their own homes - even though the pop-up channel is available with the push of a button. So I think if I was completing one of those corporate surveys today about "Spark cares about its customers", I'm currently marking them zero - and I think that is fair and accurate.
On the technical side of things, it doesn't need to be an exact science. If someone applies from central Auckland where they know download speeds are several hundred mbs then send them the instructions for how to sign up to streaming.
If someone applies from five kms out of town and it's "I would have thought they'd be able to stream it", what does it really matter if they're at the margins and get to watch the pop-up channel? Spark still gets their money. I guess they could say send us a screen shot of your Ookla speed test.
I don't disagree with the sentiment of that at all. However it is doubtful that the pop up channel is available selectively at 'a push of a button'. My understanding is that they have made it available to a group of customers easily targeted by package. Changing the available channels by package is probably simple. Making it available by subscriber number more so. Not impossible but a purchased channel launch involves a fair bit more system configuration an testing than just pushing a button. Spark would have to want to reimburse Sky for that system work which is starting to push things a fair bit. The other question is the customer contact and identification work before determining eligibility. Again not impossible but involves scripts/training/escalation processes etc.
Spark have made a financial decision taking into account the customers they will likely piss off. These are also likely to very low yield customers in the first place.If you want to blame anyone blame the NZRU for allowing the awarding of rights to a streaming service in the first place
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@Crucial said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
I don't disagree with the sentiment of that at all. However it is doubtful that the pop up channel is available selectively at 'a push of a button'. My understanding is that they have made it available to a group of customers easily targeted by package. Changing the available channels by package is probably simple. Making it available by subscriber number more so. Not impossible but a purchased channel launch involves a fair bit more system configuration an testing than just pushing a button.
Maybe they could use the ppv channel? That has been well tested.
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@Crucial Don't know the ins and outs of the pop-up channels - but, Sky seems to have them happening all the time.
If it's not already part of the plan though it won't be easy to start implementing the process from now.
However, I think I've at least grasped the meaning of Spark's current slogan - "A little number of people who are hugely pissed off!"
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@Chris-B said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
@Crucial Don't know the ins and outs of the pop-up channels - but, Sky seems to have them happening all the time.
If it's not already part of the plan though it won't be easy to start implementing the process from now.
However, I think I've at least grasped the meaning of Spark's current slogan - "A little number of people who are hugely pissed off!"
But aren't you talking about a pop up on a subscriber by subscriber basis? Not a general package inclusion? That's the bit that is more difficult unless they can utilise an existing set up such as rugby channel.
You could probably add "A huge number of people a little pissed off!" as well
@Bovidae Yes it was a RWC ultimate decision but based on factors such as bid amount, ability to deliver, coverage etc. I have no doubt that the NZRU had input into the decision. Maybe they had reservations and told RWC but they have never really worried about the broadcasting except for $
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@Crucial said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
But aren't you talking about a pop up on a subscriber by subscriber basis? Not a general package inclusion? That's the bit that is more difficult unless they can utilise an existing set up such as rugby channel.
There is a pay per view channel..
Content enabled on an account by account basis
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@Duluth said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
@Crucial said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
But aren't you talking about a pop up on a subscriber by subscriber basis? Not a general package inclusion? That's the bit that is more difficult unless they can utilise an existing set up such as rugby channel.
There is a pay per view channel..
Content enabled on an account by account basis
Yeah - and I guess that's pretty much what I'm talking about.
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@Duluth said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
@Crucial said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
But aren't you talking about a pop up on a subscriber by subscriber basis? Not a general package inclusion? That's the bit that is more difficult unless they can utilise an existing set up such as rugby channel.
There is a pay per view channel..
Content enabled on an account by account basis
True. I forgot all about the PPV set up. I guess that just leaves the 'qualification' process for giving away a freebie.
They really don't want to go down that path though. It opens up way too much. I'd imagine plenty of customers trying it on to qualify or complaints if turned down etcTheir compromise is to provide a free feed to schools (all schools have fibre) and have locals organise something at the school hall or the sky pub feed.
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@Crucial said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
Their compromise is to provide a free feed to schools (all schools have fibre) and have locals organise something at the school hall or the sky pub feed.
One cannot watch RWC knock out matches with the wider community.
There is far too high a risk of some cheerful fluffybunny going, "Oh well, it's only a game"!
Let alone the ladies frowning on people who shriek, "Catch the ball you useless %$^ %&^&^ %&%^%^ &&$#& %*#@"!!!
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@Chris-B said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
@Crucial said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:
Their compromise is to provide a free feed to schools (all schools have fibre) and have locals organise something at the school hall or the sky pub feed.
One cannot watch RWC knock out matches with the wider community.
There is far too high a risk of some cheerful fluffybunny going, "Oh well, it's only a game"!
Let alone the ladies frowning on people who shriek, "Catch the ball you useless %$^ %&^&^ %&%^%^ &&$#& %*#@"!!!
At least in a pub you can blame it on the booze. And you won't be the only one screaming
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@canefan True - although on reflection, there is yet another compelling piece of evidence....
Years I have watched the ABs final RWC match in the comfort of my own home - 1987, 1991, 2011, 2015
Years I've watched elsewhere 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007.
Moutter is playing with fire - that's all I'm saying...!
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