OT - The Ashes

[Andy_Faber]

I have a RamsTV subscription but that does not include Sky/BT etc televised games. I still get to see those games though

The current government and the owner of Sky believe in market forces. Just maybe. If people stopped their subscriptions to Sky and all bought "sticks" or watched Mobdro or similar, income would fall and force subscription charges to drop too.

....or Sky would make a few thousand fellahs redundant and their customer service worse. THAT'S the issue....

[roger_ramjet]

I think the relevant point is that the subscriptions are not excessive in the overall scheme of things. There are so many different packages around but I probably pay about 50 quid a month for Sky HD and BT (its all part of a bigger bundle including phones, internet, several boxes etc). Ok there are some marquee events (mostly boxing) that are pay per view on top, but Im not interested in them anyway. So for 50 quid I get

Cricket tests/one day/T20i England home and away, domestic England, IPL Ram Slam, Big Bash etc etc
Football PL, EFL CL plus football from all over the world
F1, NFL, College Football & Basketball, Baseball
plus plus plus

For £50

Whereas one day at a test match, lets think - say Lords

Ticket 75
Travel 15

Beers £ 5-6 each, food take your own otherwise excessive price. I usually reckon on a day at the test match costing me £ 125-150 and for that I may get 20 overs of dull play before it rains just after I have had the minimum play to get a refund

Football: One PL game - tickets £ 40-50, travel 10-15 minimum
A home game at Derby for me would be £ 25 or more for ticket plus maybe £ 40+ for travel


So, sorry, whats this about excessive Sky/BT subscriptions? Give me a break. of course we would all like it for free on BBC, but how many of us would complain if the TV licence went up to £ 500-600 in order to finance it being on "free" TV? there is no such thing as a free lunch... But really is £ 50 a month too much to watch all that stuff? consider all your other expenses and then assess value for money

[Andy_Faber]

I think the relevant point is that the subscriptions are not excessive in the overall scheme of things. There are so many different packages around but I probably pay about 50 quid a month for Sky HD and BT (its all part of a bigger bundle including phones, internet, several boxes etc). Ok there are some marquee events (mostly boxing) that are pay per view on top, but Im not interested in them anyway. So for 50 quid I get

Cricket tests/one day/T20i England home and away, domestic England, IPL Ram Slam, Big Bash etc etc
Football PL, EFL CL plus football from all over the world
F1, NFL, College Football & Basketball, Baseball
plus plus plus

For £50

Whereas one day at a test match, lets think - say Lords

Ticket 75
Travel 15

Beers £ 5-6 each, food take your own otherwise excessive price. I usually reckon on a day at the test match costing me £ 125-150 and for that I may get 20 overs of dull play before it rains just after I have had the minimum play to get a refund

Football: One PL game - tickets £ 40-50, travel 10-15 minimum
A home game at Derby for me would be £ 25 or more for ticket plus maybe £ 40+ for travel


So, sorry, whats this about excessive Sky/BT subscriptions? Give me a break. of course we would all like it for free on BBC, but how many of us would complain if the TV licence went up to £ 500-600 in order to finance it being on "free" TV? there is no such thing as a free lunch... But really is £ 50 a month too much to watch all that stuff? consider all your other expenses and then assess value for money

Agreed RR, subscription TV sport is great value for money.

Sometimes its even better than being there, F1 being a great example, rugby being a surprising addition to that list after going to my first live international the other week.

I recently cancelled my £72 Sky sub and get almost the same viewing experience for about £20 a month using BT/Eurosport/Now and free to air. The only big miss is NFL but at least I can get up on a monday am now

[MadAmster]

A match at Pride Park normally costs me 300 to 350 depending on how many nights I stay. A stay usually consists of flight, 2 nights in a hotel, return train BHX to Derby, match ticket, food and drink. I book the extra to cater for Sky moving the game......

I find attending a game, even at that price well worth it due to seeing old friends between 2 and 4 times a season. Don't get that with Sky

[Andy_Faber]

Back to the cricket. England might be on a loser in the second test but the ball is swinging and Jimmy Anderson is on fire. That's why I don't begrudge my various subscriptions

[ramAnag]

Assuming that we are 2-0 down by the time of the third Test would the possible return of Ben Stokes be too late?
From what little I know it seems he may have actually been more of a protector than a villain. Hopefully the truth will ‘out’ very soon and he may be able to make the relatively short trip from NZ in time for the next Test.

[eddy779h34]

Assuming that we are 2-0 down by the time of the third Test would the possible return of Ben Stokes be too late?
From what little I know it seems he may have actually been more of a protector than a villain. Hopefully the truth will ‘out’ very soon and he may be able to make the relatively short trip from NZ in time for the next Test.

I find the Ben Stokes problem silly,what about innocent until proven guilty. Can't see why he shouldn't be allowed to play
It isn't even court pending with a date

[Romanis]

I find the Ben Stokes problem silly,what about innocent until proven guilty. Can't see why he shouldn't be allowed to play
It isn't even court pending with a date

Yeah, punish him for his outside of sports life but not with the sport unless he breaks rules.

Anyway I don't see a way back for England in this 1. 2-0 Australie

[MadAmster]

Are they called the Ashes because that is what our hopes usually turn into?

[Andy_Faber]

Are they called the Ashes because that is what our hopes usually turn into?

No, the batsmans spines have the same structural integrity