https://twitter.com/VMSportIE/status...95020512198656
Virgin Media will show all of Shamrock Rovers group games......
Printable View
https://twitter.com/VMSportIE/status...95020512198656
Virgin Media will show all of Shamrock Rovers group games......
Makes sense to get the info now on it all, ahead of knowing what competition they'll be in and who they could face there. 7,000 is nowehere near enough if they're in a group with anywhere near decent teams. You'd expect they would sell all their home group games out with home and away fans anyway, so Aviva crowds should be largely upside. Hopefully the FAI don't take the pish with the pricing and availability.
They'll be in Tallaght unless UEFA don't allow it.
Virgin have the rights already and Declan McBennett have little or no interest in Irish football.
it’s all about being seeded / lucky for that first draw. Really opens u- thereafter albeit no gimmes. But would expect to see more regular group stages in the coming yrs. the lads at the top table will keep throwing extra few million at the comf level which will dwarf the massive millions extra they get at the top
Will be interesting to see who ends up getting knocked out of the champions path tomorrow.
Víkingur Reykjavík Match 1 Lech Poznań 1–0 11 Aug RFS Match 2 Hibernians 1–1 11 Aug Ballkani Match 3 KÍ Klaksvík 3–2 11 Aug Zrinjski Match 4 Tobol 1–0 11 Aug Shakhtyor Soligorsk Match 5 CFR Cluj 0–0 11 Aug
I think we're hoping that the Poles, Latvian's, Kosovan's, Bosnian's and Romanian's get knocked out. These are the leagues who are going to be in and around us for the next few years so them not having group stage football will dent their score for the year massively.
If it is so handy, why haven't they utilised one of those channels so far for the League of Ireland attempt at qualification?
Sligo Rovers v Bala could have been shown on Virgin Media Three.
Sligo Rovers v Motherwell could have been shown on Virgin Media Three.
St Pat's v CSKA Sofia could be shown on Virgin Media Three this evening.
Virgin Media are only showing Shamrock group games because they are contractually obliged to. They are not doing out of national pride/goodness of their hearts etc.
There's EYG again ignoring everything that was said about the differences between European competition in the 00s and the 20s. Rather defeats the point of debate when points are simply ignored and erroneous views are still held as a result. (To reiterate - show me a season in the 00s, or even the 10s, when beating two minnows like Hibs/Shkupi got you into the groups?)
Oh well.
The ECL could be a financial boon for the LoI - though I do think it's a shame that in expanding Europe, they didn't find a way to offer one more spot per league. The EL is so small there'd surely be room. (I know that's not the point of the expansion - but it's still a shame it couldn't have been factored in)
On tonight's games though - if Pat's play as well (in Sofia heat again of course!) they have a genuine chance. Always the fear of a Legia Warsaw style performance having poked the bear though. Sligo - maybe like Rovers against Ludogorets, having lost so comfortably in the first leg might actually give them a chance of a result at home. Don't think it's unfair to suggest they have zero chance of going through.
Two things on VM is
1. They dont get a TV Licence fee and have no Public service obligation so IMO they are above criticism , if they cant make money showing LOI they shouldn't do it or their staff havr to start worrying about their jobs being safe.
2. I was listening to the LOI Central podcast this a.m and Dan McDonnell made the point that Virgin went after the Conference league rights knowing that their was a good chance of an Irish team making it so while they have to show the domestic team contractually it was something they bought into so its a but harsh to say they are only showing the games "because they have to"
I could easily be wrong here and there are a lot of games and permutations to go yet but if most games go based on seeding, then looking at Bert’s site, Rovers could end up in Pot 3 of the ECL. Long way to go but just an observation.