Sky charges to rise 20%
This represents the third increase in eight years and reflects the “ongoing and significant cost increases to our own business” as well as the amount paid by Sky to secure broadcast rights for the new Premier League deal.
Sky has added a lot more Premier League games, states the company which also claims that the average price in Ireland is a lot lower than that in the UK.
“Sky Sports has added even more value through 43 more Premier League matches including Friday nights and Saturday 3pm games totalling 159 matches a season, SPFL and the return of Old Firm games, The Open golf, F1 and international rugby alongside GAA, the 2016 Ryder Cup and more,” Alison Dolan, Deputy Managing Director for Sky Business, told Drinks Industry Ireland, “We continually invest in the best content, products and support to ensure that Sky extends its lead as the number one entertainment choice for pubs to make more money.
“Like all businesses, we review pricing from time-to-time but we work hard to minimise the impact on customers and to ensure pubs can keep driving trade with the best entertainment product for their businesses.”
She added, “We hope that this price reflects – despite the rise – the value of our having among the range of new products the 33 games that Setanta used to show”.
In protecting its interests, Sky is also seeking €38,000 in “aggravated and exemplary damages” from a Dublin pub which, it claims, has been showing unlawful Sky Sports coverage of soccer, rugby and GAA matches without a licence from Sky which also claims that the pub has ignored Restraining Orders from the courts.
Treetop Taverns Ltd, trading as Molloy’s pub in Talbot Street in Dublin, was before the Circuit Civil Court where Barrister Elizabeth J Walsh told Judge Jacqueline Linnane that Sky had obtained a judgment and a restraining injunction against the pub restraining any further copyright breach back in 2014.
She stated that Treetop Taverns Ltd had continuously ignored demands and all communications in relation to proceedings as well as showing no regard whatever for the Court Orders. The company had not been present in court to answer the charge.
The pub had been visited on several occasions by a private investigator who’d witnessed the showing of English Premiership matches, a Munster rugby game and a Dublin-Laoise GAA match on large screens in the pub.
The judge adjourned proceedings to allow Sky to inform the pub of its intention to proceed with the case.
