iFollow - EFL Streaming for Abroad

Robert Molenaar

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http://www.efl.com//news/article/20...ifollow-unveiled-for-global-fans-3703898.aspx

Basically, £110 for all games streamed if you live abroad.

A good idea and one that hopefully will come to the UK, but don't we have a rule that stops any football being streamed/shown at 3pm on a Saturday?

Hopefully they won't ask for ID on whether you actually live abroad and you could just use a VPN to view the streams. Either that, or someone restreams them to the UK, will be very handy for away games that I can't get to!
 

TrinidadsNumberOne

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I think this is a revolutionary idea and brilliant for expat fans of clubs to follow their teams.

But make no mistake, this cannot come to the UK as gates will go down dramatically, particularly at the clubs in Leagues 1 and 2.

Simple economics - Spend £200-500 on 23 home matches plus the added burden of 23 away games. Or pay £110 for all 46 league matches from the comfort of your own home?

The die-hards won't succumb to that but the cash-strapped moderate fan might well do so...
 

Robie

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I really hope it doesn't come to the UK because it could kill attendances.
 

ThisTinpotLeague

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Agree with the other replies.

It's been a while since I subscribed to one of these but how are the highlights packages nowadays? They could potentially offer more extended clips after the games are done maybe. Feeds into every football fan wanting to be an analyst these days.
 

CCFC_Charlie

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Be good if they could launch something similar over here for away games only. I doubt streams would deter the majority of those that travel away anyway and there are a lot of us out there that work Saturday evenings and are unable to make away days. Would be 10x better than listening to the morons on Cov and Warwick local radio.
 

Bobbin'

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Be good if they could launch something similar over here for away games only. I doubt streams would deter the majority of those that travel away anyway and there are a lot of us out there that work Saturday evenings and are unable to make away days. Would be 10x better than listening to the morons on Cov and Warwick local radio.

Not sure how that would work, unless you specified what side it is you follow and were only allowed to stream their away games.
 

blademan89

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Be good if they could launch something similar over here for away games only. I doubt streams would deter the majority of those that travel away anyway and there are a lot of us out there that work Saturday evenings and are unable to make away days. Would be 10x better than listening to the morons on Cov and Warwick local radio.

I'd rather it not from a selfish point of view as it would also effect away support.
 

Reaper

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They'll defo be a way of picking up these streams in this country on kodi or some other dodgy way next season i should imagine.
 

CCFC_Charlie

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Not sure how that would work, unless you specified what side it is you follow and were only allowed to stream their away games.

Isn't this how this already works though? You specify who you support and you only get to watch their games. Surely not that hard to make it so only away games are available to UK fans?

I'd rather it not from a selfish point of view as it would also effect away support.

Fair point but most of the lads who go week in week out don't do it just to watch the game, it's more about the entire experience of an away day. If anything this would be more likely to affect the bandwagon fans who all turn out for a big away day when your team is flying.
 

Jonny12

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Happy with this. I go to as many games as I can but if for whatever reason I can't or don't want to travel I can just change my location and watch, good stuff.
 

Meadow

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I'd just stick with my £40 odd pounds a year for audio commentary. I'm at every home match anyway so it's just the away matches I miss. TBH, radio commentary is part of the experience and highlights are available.
 

dedwardp

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It's been a while since I subscribed to one of these but how are the highlights packages nowadays? They could potentially offer more extended clips after the games are done maybe. Feeds into every football fan wanting to be an analyst these days.

Ten minutes of highlights are uploaded centrally the day after every game currently, it's decent enough to be fair.
 

SMH

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Fantastic for overseas fans of EFL clubs. Recently being in the top flight means that we still have a decent chunk of fans abroad who used to watch our games every week a few years back. but can't anymore unless they are on Sky. It doesn't affect me as much as I travel away but it was quite useful a few years back being able to watch our 3pm kickoffs in the Premier League from my own home rather than paying 40 odd quid to go to somewhere like West Ham away.
 

ThisTinpotLeague

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Be careful what you wish for, chaps. Revenue from away fans counts just as much as revenue from home fans in your budgets. Not to mention that poor away followings could really hurt the experience and atmosphere.

All we really have over the Premiership clubs (in terms of competing for your money and support) is the ability to form a personal/local connection inside the ground. Clubs should be very careful before they volunteer to give that away.
 

ThisTinpotLeague

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Isn't this how this already works though? You specify who you support and you only get to watch their games.

When I had the commentary package, I could listen to any team in the FL. That's also how the video streaming service works for American sports, and this is apparently being run by the same company (although you can pay slightly less and just get access to your own team). Be mad of them to only sell each person access to 2% of the content they had, given there's no extra cost to them.

Fair point but most of the lads who go week in week out don't do it just to watch the game, it's more about the entire experience of an away day. If anything this would be more likely to affect the bandwagon fans who all turn out for a big away day when your team is flying.

So that concedes that it'll help kill the sell-out, big match atmosphere but I also think you're too confident. I did about 10-12 away days this year and like to have a sing and a shout and it'd absolutely affect my decision. Then as attendances dwindle, the culture of going is never passed on to the younger lot, over time the attendance is eroded.
 

SMH

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Be careful what you wish for, chaps. Revenue from away fans counts just as much as revenue from home fans in your budgets. Not to mention that poor away followings could really hurt the experience and atmosphere.

All we really have over the Premiership clubs (in terms of competing for your money and support) is the ability to form a personal/local connection inside the ground. Clubs should be very careful before they volunteer to give that away.
Good point and I respect the EFL trying to make it unavailable for UK fans. But I don't think it's going to work, loads will just use VPNs to buy it and they'll be links to the games all over the shop on the usual football streaming sites.
 

Gassy

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Well this is bloody brilliant! Honestly, I couldn't be happier. Fair play to the EFL, total respect. And at £110 too? Considering I pay £40 just to listen abroad, this is nothing.

Not too sure you'll get many people putting this on Kodi as unless it's a big game, I can't imagine people caring tbh.

The only problem with this service is my misses will not too happy, there's been a few games I've missed over radio recently but now I've got this I'll have to book in some me time every Saturday 4-6pm :lol:
 

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You'd hope that the FL have considered how they're going to clamp down on these being available back in the U.K.? I remember hearing about the plan to do this five years or so ago and it was that threat of illegal streaming sites that stopped it happening, so presumably they're now confident that they'll be able to restrict it to the subscribers only.

Also, if it's the same as Player subscription you'll actually have access to every FL club. All you have to do is change your selected team in the settings. I do it occasionally if I want to watch the opposition manager's interview on a Sunday.
 

Indian Dan

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The problem with this is - when you want to protest at how shit your team are playing by leaving the ground early with a witty string of expletives, well,it just doesn't have the same effect by turning off the idiot box and going for a dump.

And think of the eyesight of all those Vale fans wanking themselves senseless on their sofas.
 

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How ridiculous is the lack of half time and post match coverage? What's the deal there? You used to get the whole package on the old "Player".. classic case of if it ain't broke
 

Bucket_

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^ Also have the same question. Though I bought the wrong package to try it myself..
 

WilsdenBantam

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Anyone tried using this in the UK via a VPN?

Just curious as to whether it works.
I'm going to try watch it Saturday against Gillingham. Remind me and I'll let you know if it worked.
 

Robert Molenaar

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Thought if you bought it with a UK debit card it would only give you the option for audio commentary?

Interested to see if it works though, would be handy to know for long distance away trips I can't make.
 

WilsdenBantam

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Thought if you bought it with a UK debit card it would only give you the option for audio commentary?

Interested to see if it works though, would be handy to know for long distance away trips I can't make.
UK Debit worked fine for me, 130 euro(£116).If you think about it they couldn't block due to Debit card location as what if someones buys it for someone else for a gift, and they probably just want the money.
 

Hedonist Puncture

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Just to share a few things . . . .

1 My 'Player' annual subscription has been honoured for 'iFollow', until it expires in 3 month's time.
2 Watched this season's opener against Wimbledon on 'iFollow'.
3 'iFollow' quality not the best (maybe my end), but watchable, even when output to a 42" TV.
4 Simple streaming of the match from usual TV camera position.
5 No commentary, no analysis, no highlights. Just sight and sound of the match.

Not sure whether there will be access to any EFL team's matches. I'll test 'iFollow' out with non Scunny matches over the next 3 months to see if it works. 'Player' allowed me to login to any team, simply using my UserID and Password. No settings adjustment required in the past. Certainly, I can logon to other team's sites using 'iFollow', but whether I can watch live matches, I don't know yet. After watching one game, it looks like a simple streaming service has been added to 'Player'. 'Player' functions are still there, eg audio commentary, but the audio and video appear to be separated and not linked. I'll look for other functions and output as time goes on.

I realise that most of you will have no interest in what I have written above, as I understand it is not available if you live in the UK. For those of us who do reside overseas though, it may be of interest. To be able to watch live coverage of Scunny's matches is fantastic for me and I am sure it will be the same for those of you who live overseas and want to watch your teams in action. I suspect that I will sign up for 'iFollow', when my "Player' subscription ends.

I wonder how many of us who use the forum actually live overseas? Not much point posting to this thread, if only a couple of us are going to read it. Maybe admin could tell us?
 
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Gassy

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Just to share a few things . . . .

1 My 'Player' annual subscription has been honoured for 'iFollow', until it expires in 3 month's time.
2 Watched this season's opener against Wimbledon on 'iFollow'.
3 'iFollow' quality not the best (maybe my end), but watchable, even when output to a 42" TV.
4 Simple streaming of the match from usual TV camera position.
5 No commentary, no analysis, no highlights. Just sight and sound of the match.

Not sure whether there will be access to any EFL team's matches. I'll test 'iFollow' out with non Scunny matches over the next 3 months to see if it works. 'Player' allowed me to login to any team, simply using my UserID and Password. No settings adjustment required in the past. Certainly, I can logon to other team's sites using 'iFollow', but whether I can watch live matches, I don't know yet. After watching one game, it looks like a simple streaming service has been added to 'Player'. 'Player' functions are still there, eg audio commentary, but the audio and video appear to be separated and not linked. I'll look for other functions and output as time goes on.

I realise that most of you will have no interest in what I have written above, as I understand it is not available if you live in the UK. For those of us who do reside overseas though, it may be of interest. To be able to watch live coverage of Scunny's matches is fantastic for me and I am sure it will be the same for those of you who live overseas and want to watch your teams in action. I suspect that I will sign up for 'iFollow', when my "Player' subscription ends.

I wonder how many of us who use the forum actually live overseas? Not much point posting to this thread, if only a couple of us are going to read it. Maybe admin could tell us?
I'm overseas mate - surprised to hear you didn't think it was good quality though, mine was excellent. I was watching it on my phone though so let's see when I put it on the tv at home.

One thing that is a bit crap though, is that now I can't follow cup games! I can't even listen to the games anymore because of the rights of it, which is frustrating. I can live with missing last night but I'll struggle to not listen to the fa cup games
 

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