Premier Sports ROI

[tom-dblin]

Hi There

has anybody any idea whats going on with Premier Sports in ROI, URC coverage now has no punditry either pre/half time or post match, just adverts, I am aware of the Viaplay takeover but when they are conatcted they say nothing to do with them they are a separate company and to contact Premier Sports, which is quite difficult when their website/twitter page/ facebook page have all disappeared, their support email auto replys from Viasport and their info email replies as not found.

I am assume ROI subscribers are now stuck in some kind of rights issue limbo which nobody can be bothered to explain ?

[nolte]

@tom-dblin @  Wrote

• I am assume ROI subscribers are now stuck in some kind of rights issue limbo which nobody can be bothered to explain

Interesting question.

It could be that, particularly as the customer sales in Ireland is a residual agreement between bt sports and Premier sports and both changed ownership this year so viaplay and Discovery Bt Sports merged company are left with this agreement made by Premier and Bt sports.

I guess (only a guess), the last time when the packages were changed was during the off season in the english premiership in football so I guess if there is any change to how these operate or are sold in Ireland, it will come when the football season is over but that depends on the length of the existing agreement.

[Paul+Boland]

@tom-dblin 

Premier Sports Ireland is still a separate operation in Republic of Ireland to Viaplay in UK

On 28 November the channels split, with the Irish feeds reverting to full Premier Sports branding

Premier Sports Ireland at the moment they don't have Website or Facebook or Twitter accounts since the Premier Sports website and social media accounts changed to Viaplay in UK

There wont be a rebranding of Premier Sports to Viaplay in Republic of Ireland at the moment but might happen from 2025-2026 season

The Irish operation of Premier Sports remains owned by Michael O Rourke/Leonard Ryan aka Setanta Sports even though Viaplay Group UK/Ireland Limited owns the Viaplay UK channels 

Premier Sports in Republic of Ireland  still has the Premier League football rights for  2022/23 to 2024/25 seasons

As in the 3PM Saturday Games and Premier League games that are broadcast on Amazon in UK

53 premier league games per season

Premier Sports in Republic of Ireland also has the broadcast rights for FA Cup and some other sports

Sky in Republic of Ireland

Sports Extra includes BT Sport and Premier Sports that deal will remain in regards to 2022-2023 and 2024-2025 seasons

Due to this we also get access to the UK broadcasts on Viaplay Channels 1/2

You will see Viaplay logo on screen for UK Viaplay broadcasts and Premiersports logo for Premier Sports Irish broadcasts 

Sky EPG in Republic of Ireland will still list as Premier Sports 1 and Premier Sports 2 even though lot of the broadcasts are from Viaplay in UK

What happens in regards to premier league Irish rights and FA Cup etc for 2025 -2028 will be decided later this year or next year 

Premier Sports in Republic of Ireland might bid for those rights again or Viaplay in UK might do this or another broadcaster bids for the rights in Republic of Ireland

There is a rumour Apple might be putting in a bid for some of the 2025-2028 Premier League rights that Premier Sports has in Republic of Ireland and Amazon/BT/Sky has in UK 

So a lot might change in regards to the broadcast rights for Premier League for 2025 - 2028 seasons in both Republic of Ireland and UK

[tom-dblin]

@Paul+Boland thanks for the info, that does explain a lot, probably would not have noticed any change at all if it hadn't been for lack of any punditry on the URC coverage, it would just be good to know is this lack of punditry/analysis going to continue or are they looking to put something in place, may seem like a small issue and indeed I'm sure some people probably enjoy the lack of it but i actually enjoyed it and the advert stream for the duration of the half time break is very irritating. But with absolutely no way of contacting anybody from premier sports to ask the question maybe I should just go and make a cup of tea 🙂