EFL Live for overseas fans.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39797400
Not sure this is such a good thing.
Too many fans of premier league sides watch every match via illegal streaming sites.
I work with so called fans who have never been to a game.
Will this encourage fans to become armchair supporters rather than real fans who turn up at a big green thing?
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I don't think we currently need to worry too much about keeping an army of armchair fans entertained. They've at least got the option of an off switch
Every game will absolutely be accessible illegally from next season... if you look hard enough and aren't scared of pop ups and misleading close buttons.
The people who are likely to look long and hard? Younger fans. Exactly the kind of supporters we need to attract to games.
Even if just 10 supporters stream every Wycombe game illegally rather than going per game, that will be incremental revenue taken out of WWFC. I'm sure Dev can pluck some arbitrary numbers to either prove me right or wrong depending on how he's feeling!
Great for those of us who live abroad though.
From a purely selfish standpoint, this is absolutely amazing as if I ever need to miss a game I can still watch it!
But I can see the problem.
Presumably some (minor) financial benefit to the clubs that have signed up?
Great news for me in Las Vegas, but I hope this does not undermine Wycombe.
I don't think the FA realise the extent of illegal streaming, most young people (not me by a long chalk) know how to stream every game free regardless of subscription or security measures.
Let's be honest, if this is run by the EFL it's going to be an amateurish shambles. I'd imagine some simple VPN software will let you watch these games.
I will certainly be subscribing so I can watch games I can't make. I'd recommend HMA's VPN software, the modest subscription fee is worth it.
I still think it's a bad idea. Yes, I'm a hypocrite.
It's a fascinating move. I'm interested in the logistics. Chairboys Player can't make this and other clubs with small support bases much money, given the costs of installing broadcast quality equipment against the rather paltry subscription charges - and that's when it's only it needs to employ one commentator and has the whole fan base able to subscribe, and no chance of getting illegal feeds.
But to do this visually as well as audibly - that's surely going to require at least two decent quality cameras at each ground, preferably three or four; a commensurate number of cameramen; an editor / mixer, a producer, a technician; tonnes of bandwidth to broadcast it (or incredibly expensive satellite trucks at each ground) and another commentator. And how many Wycombe fans live abroad who will bother subscribing? A few dozen?
I cannot see how this can possibly be profitable - even if it's a very basic service with one camera, no mixing, and one commentator I can't see how it will make money. If it's a very basic service I can't see many returning for more, either - surely a decent audio-only commentary from Phil or his friends would be better? And what's going to happen to Chairboys Player? Will both services be competing against each other or does iFollow replace Player?
Surely all the games are being filmed already, hence you can see the goals on Sky/Channel 5/YouTube etc. Isn't it just a case of taking the footage that's already being recorded, adding a commentary (possibly the one that's already being done for Player) and then streaming it to anyone that subscribes.
I think you will find it will just be the one camera that currently records goals at each ground, It will be a basic service.
I can't imagine it will be a massive issue for us. Going to a game 'live' is infinitely better than watching it on tv, even if you can watch it for free
The connectivity at Adam's Park can barely handle one audio stream, they'd need an OB van and satellite to get video out of the place.
There is a bit more detail in the article about this on the club website:
http://www.wycombewanderers.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/ifollow-launch-3704495.aspx?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral
No idea how all this will work.
This is great for me as a Wanderer in exile! I have been asking for it for a while and at only double the cost of Player it is well worth it. Hope it doesn't affect gates that much but pleased with the EFL for a change. COYB!
the ideal scenario would be a video feed with the current player commentary. I'd much rather have @bluntphil and friends than whoever is dubbed over the player highlights currently.
About $4 a game seems like a good price, let's hope it's good value.
Whoever is dubbed over the commentary on Player is appalling. If this new service gets @bluntphil I might have to move abroad.
I don't mean to be negative, but who the bloody hell is going to watch your average league 2 game abroad?
The 13 foreign based fans we have?
Would certainly be a lot more appetising clicking a button to watch one of our distant aways than spending 8 hours round trip travelling time!
I don't believe there will be any difficulty doing it at all, I remember there being a live stream of Fleetwood v Wycombe in that horrible cup tie (them non league, us league, them 10men for 45mins and still coasting 2-0), and that wasn't even live on a tv channel (the only usual way any non prem games are available online)
@floyd, the no televised games at 3pm would scupper the vast majority of games that'd be available too.
One day every team will have their own pay per view service, it's inevitable. It's surely one of the biggest untapped potentials left. For smaller clubs though, with limited fanbases would you simply lose gate money?
I'm not sure i understand you @Malone. The no televised 3pm games rule only applies in the UK.
Wonder which Wycombe pub will become the first to have an 'every WWFC game live on tv in the backroom' kind of offering..... shh don't tell anyone.
I fully expect it to be the one camera used for highlights, with terrible audio, no replays, no commentary and people standing up and getting their head in the way whilst they go for a pie, piss or shit.
@bill_stickers throw in a bunch of kids from a football team completely disinterested in the game and that sounds like my usual Adams Park experience.
@floyd , i was mixing things up a little, mistaking your "desired" player/video comment for being a future utopian dream of our commentary team on actual live footage!
Now that'd be a combo!