Football theft.

[Strongers]

What are the thoughts on here of illegal 3pm Saturday fooball airing. Victimless crime? disgracful behaviour? unfair on law abiding publicans? Terrible as it denies footballers of a proper wage.

When I find a pub with Saturday afternoon football I hint towards it in my review, but don't blatently mention it - is this acceptable or should I just forget I ever noticed it?

Does anyone really give a t@ss?

[Gann]

Just to clarify Strongers, what are you defining as an Illegal football airing ?

A Landlord that has piped his own private Sky feed down to the pub teles so that there's no glass sign in the bottom corner ?, which is definately illegal and I tend to try and not condone.

Or a Publican who has installed some impressive Satellite hardware so that he can pick up the Nordic transmitted games ? which seems to be a bit of a grey area (I believe)..

[Strongers]

I was refering to the Arab/Norwegian satellite channels, but either are worthy of discussion.

[Alesonly]

In my Opinion its Sky that are the thieves I was told by one landlord the reason hes stopped showing Sky sports matches Etc they wanted over £200 a week and thats in a small Pub.

[arwkrite]

I am not a football fan in the fact that I do not support any team with my physical attendance at games. Nor do I pay the large entrance fee demanded these days or pay Sky extra cash to watch it on TV. To me it is just another form of entertainment which our world is awash and backed by advertisers who wish us spend money on their products. Players and Managers paid wages beyond comprehension by Team Brands with debt problems bigger than some third world countries.
By now you may be getting the idea that if I while away sometime in a pub watching a televised match my thoughts are not concerning the legality of it all .You would be dead right.
I respect the fervor and passion of the fans for their team of whatever league or nationality. Most of all those who week after week follow little known local teams around the country with small, if any, hope of ever winning a trophy.
So watching anything on a screen with constant mention of the sponsor does not raise any guilt feelings in me . If its going into extra time I'll have another.

[Conrad]

In reality I don't give a fig, Arwkrite's opinion sums it up nicely really. Although if it is illegal we shouldn't really promote it in reviews, I'm not sure of the legality of foreign feeds though.

[Farway]

In reality I don't give a fig, Arwkrite's opinion sums it up nicely really. Although if it is illegal we shouldn't really promote it in reviews, I'm not sure of the legality of foreign feeds though.

Also with Arwkrite on his summatiom, I'm in the "Don't give a t@ss" corner

I think mentioning it in reviews would be red rags to many bulls, especially if one of the pubs get visited by Sky Gestapo and PG is mentioned in court or whatever. Plus we all have had funny looks at some time as we scribble or snap away, just think if the Licenced Trade got the idea we were just snooping on their dodgier habits, like no doubt the odd one or two buying spirits, bottled lager etc from Tesco and not his tied brewer

Just turn a blind eye IMO

[ETA]

I think our pubs and the trade of publican are under threat from so many areas these days (business rates, over-taxation, being bled by pubcos, Food Safety Act, pointless Eurocracy, health fascists, teetotalers and so on) that it would be one more nail in their collective coffin if mine honest tapster were suddenly forced to fork out several days' beer profits just because he let one or two customers watch a few minutes of the odd game in the background while stopping to re-hydrate during a particularly arduous dog-walking evening. Provided he isn't selling tickets, I really don't see an issue. People who care enough about the footie to buy Sky just for that purpose will probably be at home watching the whole match anyway, while those who don't care won't buy Sky just for that purpose.

Come on, media moguls, give our real heroes (the landlords, who play a far less glamorous yet far more vital role in keeping British society stable than the footballers) a break.

(Farway - Sky Gestapo - "Geheime SCARTs Polizei"?)

[Oggwyn Trench]

To be honest it dont bother me a lot , as long as it it doesnt get in the way of the beer .
One local landlord has the arabic station with the untranslatable commentry , so with a touch of genius he tunes the radio in (radio 5/talksport or a local station ) and plays the radio commentry along side , always reminds me of watching the cricket with me grandad , telly on , sound off ,TMS on the radio

[hopwas]

One pub near my house stopped showing Sky couple of years ago as Sky asked for £1,000 per month which is simply too much so they decided to stick two fingers at them and installed rather advanced satellite where it can pick up Arabic, Italian, Romanian channels.

All this cost is around £100 for satellite.

Oh I am in "I dont have t@ss as long there is footie on TV" group..

[trainman]

plays the radio commentry along side

I've tried that with a pocket radio when the pub had the tv commentary off during the jazz afternoon (nice...), but the satellite delay had the picture a few seconds behind the audio so I gave up in frustration.

[Dave M]

but the satellite delay had the picture a few seconds behind the audio so I gave up in frustration.
Yes, I do find that kind of frustrating, but the couple of times I've done it I think the others around me got even more frustrated when I suddenly cheered a few seconds before something happened.

[arwkrite]

Thanks for the support everyone. I hesitated to post on this subject knowing we have some fervent football fans here. In short I expected to get emasculated in a literary manner. There are far to many grasping hands when it comes to anysort of entertainment. But I believe things will change by public pressure, either officially or more likely by the back door. The Music ,Film and Software companys know it but will not admit it. How long will Football remain in its present form under the financial pressure it has largely bought upon itself. The game of football itself will endure I have no doubt. It is the big inflated balloon of super-clubs filled with super- egos that will suddenly burst. I don't give a toss about the overpaid who will suffer. As usual it will be the fan, who pays a large slice of his income, who will suffer. His beloved team disbanded, the ground sold as housing or yet another retail park . " Do you remember when...?" heard in the bar is all that is left.

I really do hope I am wrong in this crystal ball gazing lark.

[RogerB]

A Landlord that has piped his own private Sky feed down to the pub teles so that there's no glass sign in the bottom corner ?, which is definately illegal and I tend to try and not condone.

I have heard that some unscrupulous landlords were putting little plastic pint glass stickers on the corners of their TV's so it looked like they had the legitimate feed. That's why the glass now sometimes appears full, half full or empty with different matches.

[Strongers]

Ha, I didn't know that.

I must admit that I prefer watching the Arab channels as the sound is turned off and the mutterings of Andy Grey don't have to be endured. The only time I have noticed private Sky eing used in a pub was a lock in for a Naseem Hamed fight at 4 in the morning, which I think is fair enough as it was a back street boozer with a few die hard regulars in attendance and it was pay per view anyway.

[Alesonly]

I have heard that some unscrupulous landlords were putting little plastic pint glass stickers on the corners of their TV's so it looked like they had the legitimate feed. That's why the glass now sometimes appears full, half full or empty with different matches.

I think it would be better if the Pint Glass was Full at the start of the match and was gradually emptying till half time then refilling and gradually emptying too full time. With some games it might add a bit of excitement. :)

[Rex_Rattus]

I see that nobody seems to be overly concerned about Sky missing out on their fees, or the potential knock-on effect of professional footballers' paltry wages being less than they might otherwise be, but I would say that there is an unfair penalty on a pub that sticks to the rules in these circumstances compared to one that does not do so.

[gillhalfpint]

I wondered what the little glass was doing in the corner of the screen when I was watching the soundless cricket on Sunday night at the back of a sports club. Was better than watching the flashing lights round the artiste at the front of the room.

Not bothered about the screens usually, but I have learned something new.

[Evil Gazebo]

Originally Posted by trainman

but the satellite delay had the picture a few seconds behind the audio so I gave up in frustration.

Originally posted by Dave M

Yes, I do find that kind of frustrating, but the couple of times I've done it I think the others around me got even more frustrated when I suddenly cheered a few seconds before something happened.

You are both missing an opportunity here. The thing to do is to have an ear-piece discreet enough not to be obvious, then dazzle the rest of the pub with your Nostradamus-like skills. Eg when Gerrard starts his run-up to take a free-kick from 25 yards, you can shout, "He'll definitely score here," then wait for the impressed looks as the ball slams into the net three seconds later.

[Maldenman]

Or even better with a miss, " No chance, that'll hit the last defender and balloon over from that angle, obvious."

Similar situation, several years back at a Newcastle game with a mate, the Geordies got a free kick about 6 yards out (due to the old keeper steps rule... were these direct, this was?) . The visiting team, (can't recall who) filled the goal line completely, like parking a coach across it. My mate said "No chance here", immediately the ground exploded as Keegan blasted it into the roof of the net.

[oldboots]

This story (http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/87279?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ma-rss-all-news+%28Rss+news+feed+for+Morning+Advertiser%29) gives a new meaning to "Football Theft"

[Maldenman]

If the local planning authority are doing their job properly they will insist on a replacement bar/pub. The format that takes however is not controllable, ie a traditional old community pub could be replaced by some hideous spot, discharging the planning condition but not replacing the facility that existed before.

[Alesonly]

The last Time I went into the Corner Pin a few years ago it was crap anyway. It had no original fittings and was a bland sports type Pub with fizzy Lager & keg Beers so no great loss IMO. theres much better Pubs in the area.

[NickDavies]

You are both missing an opportunity here. The thing to do is to have an ear-piece discreet enough not to be obvious, then dazzle the rest of the pub with your Nostradamus-like skills. Eg when Gerrard starts his run-up to take a free-kick from 25 yards, you can shout, "He'll definitely score here," then wait for the impressed looks as the ball slams into the net three seconds later.

Fun could be had with the cricket too, someone can be given out, or hit it for six long before the bowler has started his run up on the screen, more so if he's a spinner.

[arwkrite]

I think you could be as popular as someone with one of those channel changing watches. Remember those back in the early 90s ?. One of the few times I have seen somebody thumped in a pub was pratting about with one.It "accidentally " got trod on.
Also remember...No one likes a smartarse. I wish I could get hold of Tomorrows racing papers.

[hopwas]

I remember I went to Gallant Hussar, Derby (Sadly now closed) for England Vs Scotland Euro 96.

It was rammed (it was very small pub to be fair) and from corner of my eye, there was lone Scotsman wearing orange wig, kilt, Scotland flag painted on his face and Scotland football shirt. He was well known around here and never had a problem with English fans.

Until that Gazza wonderful goal (cue... infamous "dentist celebration") :notworthy:

Scotsman just completely lost the plot and flipped the table over, sending pints flying over us. Saying "Now who want fight.. come on COME ON!!" :eek:

Lone Scotsman Vs 70 English.. he must be mad! Luckily barman who was off duty that time, grabbed him and threw him out. It wasn't the end of it and he threw punch into front window. Shattering glass into everyone. Needless to say he was banned for life.

One woman needed stitches after one of pint smashed into her face.

[trainman]

I'd like to report the theft, by the Premier League, of football from the Football Association.
We have seen the ongoing decline of interest in the FA Cup in recent years, with senior teams fielding weakened sides etc, with moan u refusing to enter one year whilst pursuing some poorly thought-out merchandising opportunity abroad, with the FA themselves flying in the face of public opinion by staging the semi-finals at Wembley (garrrgghh!!!), but I was incandescent when I learned last week that the FA Cup Final itself is scheduled, this year, to take place at the same time on Sat 14May as a full Premier League fixture list.
WTF!!!???


That said, it is heartening to hear of huge ticket allocations selling out, especially for travelling fans from lower league clubs. The radio suggests 9000 Leeds fans at Emirates yesterday, even when live on ITV - not bad, even if we do 'All hate Leeds & Leeds & Leeds...' And Leicester Man C is sold out today, despite being live on ESPN.

[ptg]

We've had Sky Germany and Sky Italia until recently. Since Murdoch raised his stake in them last summer, they've been trying to bully publicans off the air; rather than simply waiting for the results of the Murphy case (Karen Murphy, who stood up to them) which is being heard in Europe as we speak.
I have phoned Sky UK for a quote, and they've told me it will be £1050 + VAT per month for one box, but that would include 3Dtv. As a guide, we were paying £550 inc VAT for the two foreign systems. It's an industry that needs to be brought back to grass-roots in my opinion; which won't happen as long as people let Murdoch get away with upping his prices and bullying off the competition.

With regards to the 3pm games, we've never shown them as such - this is a different argument, and is more a government thing as I understand it. trying to help local and "grass roots" footy clubs survive.

[Strongers]

I see it's all kicked off (http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/03022011/58/premier-league-pub-landlady-ushers-tv-football-rights-revolution.html). Not sure where I stand anymore to be honest.... I suppose that I liked it when a few dodgy pubs had the foreign channels, but most football pubs?

[RogerB]

I always watch my football in 3D, surround sound and with intelligent commentary. It's called going to the match with a few mates. Beats TV footy every time and is far more healthy.

[Strongers]

I always watch my football in 3D, surround sound and with intelligent commentary. It's called going to the match with a few mates. Beats TV footy every time and is far more healthy.

Very true, but not everyone can make a trip to Exeter for a Monday evening game!

[Conrad]

Personally I am in with the they are all overpaid prima donna's argument, so if this means they get played a little less and get a little closer to reality I have no problem.