ESPN implement thick paddy tax

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04/08/2009, 7:27 PM
gspain

ESPN implement thick paddy tax

I rang up this evening to see how much ESPN would cost me for their live English football. �9 (approx €10.50) per month I was told for Sky Sports Subscribers. Despite ringing the "Irish" number I had to point out my location. Oh that will be €12 per month then.

It rankled with me a few years back when a UK businessman referred to the higher margins they can make here as opposed to at home as "thick paddy tax" although he probably had a point. IKEA opened last week with prices 22% higher than their Belfast store (at current exchange rates see Sunday Times) and are still packed. In the golden days of the Celtic Tiger here many were not price conscious.

Anyway I for one will not be paying this tax and will not be subscribing to ESPN.

This thick Paddy is very thick at ESPN.,
05/08/2009, 12:47 AM
eirebhoy

I'd say for ever �9 the average British person earns the average Irish earns �12 so it's probably about right.
05/08/2009, 8:09 AM
Sligo Hornet

Quote:

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I'd say for ever �9 the average British person earns the average Irish earns �12 so it's probably about right.

But Gary is not "average";)
05/08/2009, 8:32 AM
gspain

Quote:

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I'd say for ever �9 the average British person earns the average Irish earns �12 so it's probably about right.

I doubt it is true anymore.

Even so it costs them exactly the same to broadcast here as to the UK. They set a fee to ensure they get the max revenue in the UK and they obviously feel the market here can bear a ~15% premium.

Tesco's got away with it for years but got the message big time in recent months and acted accordingly. They at least had the argument of higher costs here. Each Irish swubscriber will be treated exactly the same as a UK one by ESPN and have the same cost base.

Maybe I'm over-reacting to one ignorant guy I met a few years ago but the worst thing is that he actually had a point.
05/08/2009, 9:57 AM
eirebhoy

Quote:

Originally Posted by gspain

I doubt it is true anymore.

I don't see why not. I'd say with the current exchange rate we probably earn more than them. Our wages don't change every month with the exchange rate so I don't see why we should pay a different cost of subscription to a channel every month. We don't know what the exchange rate will be in 9 months and I'd expect to be still paying €12 for ESPN. I feel �9 to €12 is fair enough.

ESPN have to choose a price for Irish customers the same way football clubs, concerts, etc. do. We're being charged more for absolutely everything. It's a more expensive country and I don't really have a problem with companies not going by the exchange rate. We're a different market.

�9 in Britain goes a lot further than €12 here and that goes for the cost of everything. Our people are stupid enough to be paying over €6 a pint in Fitzsimons when they can get one for €3 on the same street.
05/08/2009, 10:59 AM
endabob1

From memory in recent years the Irish average salary is higher than the uk on about a 4:3 ratio (actually I think it's last annual numbers were running at about eur32k to gbp25k). I used to work for an Irish owned & based company who did employment solutions in both countres so we looked at a lot of stats like this, the Irish statistics office http://www.cso.ie/statistics/earnings.htm do it by sector so it always needed tweaking to get a reliable average, where as the UK NSO produces reams of info on a monthly basis http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBAS....asp?vlnk=1944

Anyway all of that was to say that the 9GBP to 12Euro is probably a fair reflection of earning capacity
19/01/2010, 7:45 PM
Closed Account 2

Looks like ESPN are doing a free-viewing trial, so you'll get to see any of these games that you like if you have Sky:
Bold is live, rest are re-runs.

19:30
Live Fri 22nd January
Free View: Live: SC Freiburg v Stuttgart.

10:30 Sat 23rd January
Free View: SC Freiburg v Stuttgart

12:00 Live Sat 23rd January
Free View: Live: Motherwell v St Mirren

17:30 Live Sat 23rd January
Free View: Live: Dortmund v Hamburger SV

19:45 Live Sat 23rd January
Free View: Live: Juventus v Roma

21:45 Sat 23rd January
Free View: Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich

01:00 Live Sun 24th January
Free View: Live: Independiente v Racing Club this is the 2nd biggest derby in BA

11:30 Live Sun 24th January
Free View: Live: Ajax v AZ Alkmaar

14:00 Live Sun 24th January
Free View: Live: Palermo v Fiorentina

16:30 Live Sun 24th January
Free View: Live: Hoffenheim v Leverkusen

19:00 Live Sun 24th January
Free View: Live: Inter Milan v AC Milan

01:00 Live Mon 25th January
Free View: Live: Boca Juniors v River Plate

If you like Basketball there is:
01:00
Live Sat 23rd January
Free View: Live NBA: LA Lakers at NY Knicks
19/01/2010, 8:38 PM
Dodge

For those with ntl/upc

ESPN is now free with a lot of packages
19/01/2010, 11:35 PM
Closed Account 2

just to confirm you dont need to subscribe to espn to see the games this weekend, they are doing a free weekend. Sky ch 417, virgin 529, bt/top up/freeview 34
20/01/2010, 1:00 AM
Closed Account 2

double post
20/01/2010, 7:15 AM
Boo_Boy

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

Looks like ESPN are doing a free-viewing trial, so you'll get to see any of these games that you like if you have Sky:
Bold is live, rest are re-runs.

19:30
Live Fri 22nd January
Free View: Live: SC Freiburg v Stuttgart.

10:30 Sat 23rd January
Free View: SC Freiburg v Stuttgart

12:00 Live Sat 23rd January
Free View: Live: Motherwell v St Mirren

17:30 Live Sat 23rd January
Free View: Live: Dortmund v Hamburger SV

19:45 Live Sat 23rd January
Free View: Live: Juventus v Roma

21:45 Sat 23rd January
Free View: Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich

01:00 Live Sun 24th January
Free View: Live: Independiente v Racing Club this is the 2nd biggest derby in BA

11:30 Live Sun 24th January
Free View: Live: Ajax v AZ Alkmaar

14:00 Live Sun 24th January
Free View: Live: Palermo v Fiorentina

16:30 Live Sun 24th January
Free View: Live: Hoffenheim v Leverkusen

19:00 Live Sun 24th January
Free View: Live: Inter Milan v AC Milan

01:00 Live Mon 25th January
Free View: Live: Boca Juniors v River Plate

If you like Basketball there is:
01:00
Live Sat 23rd January
Free View: Live NBA: LA Lakers at NY Knicks

Some good stuff there to be fair to ESPN, not like previous free weekends done by NASN where there was feck all on.

Will be nice to see Hamburg with English commentary.
20/01/2010, 1:24 PM
Junior

love to watch the 2 Argentinian derbies. Jesus there is just so much football to watch these days but so little time!

ESPN have been running the official World Cup Reviews for each tournament which I've recorded, intending to watch, when I get a spare moment. Each one is over 2hrs long!!! not sure when Ill get the time. Mrs is not too chuffed with the Sky+ Box being down to 5% left:D
20/01/2010, 2:19 PM
Bluebeard

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junior

ESPN have been running the official World Cup Reviews for each tournament which I've recorded, intending to watch, when I get a spare moment. Each one is over 2hrs long!!! not sure when Ill get the time. Mrs is not too chuffed with the Sky+ Box being down to 5% left:D

The poor woman. If you have any respect or love for her at all, you will spend all day Saturday and Sunday watching them.
20/01/2010, 11:59 PM
Closed Account 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junior

love to watch the 2 Argentinian derbies. Jesus there is just so much football to watch these days but so little time!

ESPN have been running the official World Cup Reviews for each tournament which I've recorded, intending to watch, when I get a spare moment. Each one is over 2hrs long!!! not sure when Ill get the time. Mrs is not too chuffed with the Sky+ Box being down to 5% left:D

Upgrade the Mrs to a more football compatible version :D
21/01/2010, 8:22 AM
smasher

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

upgrade the mrs to a more football compatible version :d

utopia!
21/01/2010, 2:05 PM
Junior

In fairness, Ireland matches, Celtic Season Ticket and all the travelling and expense they bring coupled with TV viewing of MOTD and live SPL / Premiership matches...all accepted with goodwill (ish...) by the quare one. When it gets to watching random Serie A games or reviews of the 1958 World Cup, I have to say my bargaining position is relatively weak......

What I need is a lockup garage (complete with plasma / skybox) to do some errrr...DIY.:D
23/01/2010, 7:06 PM
culloty82

Got a letter from Chorus saying ESPN and ESPN America will be permanently free with them, good to know I've Serie A for the rest of the season.
24/01/2010, 10:53 AM
thischarmingman

Quote:

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Our people are stupid enough to be paying over �6 a pint in Fitzsimons when they can get one for �3 on the same street.

Where? :eek:
24/01/2010, 12:04 PM
NeilMcD

Quote:

Originally Posted by thischarmingman

Where? :eek:

Charmingman, Eirebhoy sadly past away after he made this post. Not sure what bar he was talking about at the time.
25/01/2010, 2:32 PM
thischarmingman

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Charmingman, Eirebhoy sadly past away after he made this post. Not sure what bar he was talking about at the time.

Sorry, my mistake, I hadn't lookd at the thread for ages and must have hit the 'last post read' button. Apologies.
25/01/2010, 2:56 PM
Noelys Guitar

An article on Tommy Smythe the ESPN commentator in todays Guardian. He of onion bag fame. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog...lsea-tottenham