Publicans missing out on key football matches
Pubs are missing out on sales generated by key football matches because their Sky TV service does not include the free ITV2 channel. Some Champions League games are being broadcast live on ITV2 rather than the main ITV channel this season, including recent games featuring Manchester United and Liverpool.
Chris Brown, licensee of the Compton Inn in Plymouth, discovered the problem after she tried to show Manchester United's first Champions League game using her £362 a month Sky Digital service. "After several phone calls Sky told me it does not have the licence to show ITV 2 - but this is a free channel," she said.
A spokeswoman for Sky confirmed that its agreement with ITV2 does not allow it to show the channel in pubs. "We can only suggest that publicans contact ITV2 directly."
ITV2 said that publicans could receive the channel if they bought a terrestrial digital receiver, but that ITV's agreement with Sky did not extend to the commercial package. "It's not something we're discussing with Sky at the moment, although we may do so in the future."
Licensees have been plagued with the problems since the collapse of ITV Digital earlier this year. As reported in The Publican Newspaper last week (September 23) many licensees have been trying to find old ITV digital boxes to show the games. Although the commercial channel collapsed earlier this year, former subscribers can still receive free-to-air digital channels including ITV 2 through the boxes.
Sportspubs, which rub a website to help fans find pubs showing live games, has launched a petition calling on ITV to change the way it has scheduled live coverage of Champions League matches this season.
