Pub landlady takes on Sky TV.

[birdie1971]

A landlady who thought that Sky TV was too expensive thought she’d use a Greek satellite TV company in order to show Premiership football in her pub. She was subsequently taken to court and fined almost £8k for breaching Sky’s UK monopoly to show the footy.

Today the European Court of Justice has declared that what she did was legal in the EU free market. The official rubber stamp on the decision hasn’t been given yet but it’s likely that it will be.

A good or bad thing?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12355022

[jackthehat]

I'm sure the various 'legalities' of the situation will be challenged often enough in various courts by all the interested parties to keep the barristers in Chateauneuf du Pape for the remainder of their born natural...........

It would be nice to think that the Beautiful Game could be substantially handed back to the fans.........however, whimsical that thought may be.

[NazNomad]

Superb ...

[Davethedog]

Jack isn't this the final call? Its gone through all of our courts and isn't this where the buck stops?

[jackthehat]

<<A non-binding opinion from advocate Juliane Kokott of the European Court of Justice said a block breached EU laws.>>

<<The European Court of Justice (ECJ) will make a ruling on the matter later this year.>>

With the gazillions of £s sloshing around the game, at stake...........I can't see the broadcasters rolling over and accepting this.

It would be nice to think that this would be an end to it, however............I don't believe it for a moment.

[anotheoldgit]

I can see a comparison here,

An ABer thought that the only newspaper to report on the real issues was the Daily Mail.

He was taking to tasks by others for not using the Newspapers that fitted in with their agenda.

The verdict,

In this 'free country' he was allowed to read what he liked.

Do we hear the cries, "good well done", "Absolutely brilliant"?

Louder I can't hear you.

[Kromovaracun]

Naturally, this story directly relates back to AOG.

[jackthehat]

D'oh !
Of course, it does, Kromo............and that organ of impartiality, The Daily Wail.

[douglas9401]

But surely the revenue paid to the clubs is essential if research is going to continue into the terrifying "sniper's bullet" sydrome that afflicts so many in the game.
The sight of a fully grown man writhing in agony after real or imagined contact with another over paid big jessie until the referee waves the all healing coloured card is, if scientists are successful, soon to be consigned to history.
Stem cells from the 'nads of rugby players are to be injected into the worst afflicted and hopes are high for a cure. No longer will Cristiano Ronaldo and other sensitive souls have to wear that face that's best kept for the bedroom and humiliate themselves on TV.

[Davethedog]

AOG I don't understand the correlation, this is general news birdie could of used any site.

Jack you might be right an on going saga, I note the verdict isn't coming for "months"

[Davethedog]

Douglas when those sten cells from rugby players are used, wiil they also have false blood capsules and complicit instructions in how an entire club covers up said cheating.

[VHG]

The problem is where does something like this end.

Suppose I got broadband in my house, and bought a wi fi router.

Then I find my neighbour is connencting to my router, and "stealing" my broadband.

I take him to court, and the judge decides that as my neighbour cant afford his own broadband he is entitled to use mine.

Would I not get a bit annoyed.

If we forget it is Sky and football for the moment.

Suppose ITV for example paid millions for the right to show Friends on TV.

Then another TV station decides they fancy showing Friends, but dont want to pay for it, so they just buy the DVDs and show them.

So ITV have paid out millions and another company is showing it for nothing.

While we may argue that Sky DO charge too much for football on TV (and in pubs) surely saying it is OK to show football from another country is opening up for anarchy in this area with anybody being able to show anything without having to pay any money.

[ChuckFickens]

Good news.

Sky will whine about it but at the end of the day the ruling (if finalised) will work both ways so they are now allowed to sell their service in all EU countries so it will have massively increased their potential customer base.

it means that sky will have more competition in this country but conversely they will be able to compete with other providers in other countries where they may not have been able to before.

[Davethedog]

VHG that isnt the point. If you pay for something and someone steals it thats theft.

The landlady hasn't stolen anything:

Sky sell rights to Greek TV who then show it to Greek audiences, landlady is charged £5k+ by Sky decides to subscribe to Greek TV at a greatly reduced price. Sky say under the terms extended she cannot use the Greek service must use thiers.

Her argument under EU rules she is entitled to buy from anywhere in the EU.

You argument about friends again isn't right, because the US compant that makes them owns them, owns the intellectual rights which they sell.

So if Sky buy that for millions and Tele Eiran buy it for £10 you should have the ability to watch it. You aren't stealing you are taking advantage of the market.

[R1Geezer]

just to add some information which may effect the hysterical ramblings of some, sky do not set the prices, the government tell them what to charge based on rateable value.

[Davethedog]

RI you saying that the goverment can tell a wholy owned private company, that has paid billions for a product, what to charge?

I look forward to a reduction in petrol prices.

Sky buy all rights - they and the premier league then sell those rights, either by subscription to indivdulas, to businesses such as pubs and to foriegn TV companies.

The government has no input in this process.

[TTG]

Expect Sky to "adjust it's pricing structure" for all subscribers soon if this is rubber stamped.

[douglas9401]

Can't argue with your point as stated davethedog although one club cheating versus almost the entire football industry from the lowest to the highest all around the world cheating ain't much of an argument.