RoversTV Returns

[Guest]

Worthy of its own thread. New site and streaming service replacing iFollow launching on June 1st 2021.

Rovers will come away from the iFollow/EFL template website and adopt it's own new site & streaming production service. Following in Derby & Leeds United's footsteps, Rovers will make significantly more money from digital viewership. Control over content, advertising, quality of service & of course pricing is an all round bonus for me.

Would have to assume the Under 23's games will be likely be moved here too which would be good, linking everything together.

[Guest]

Just now, Meesh said:

Do you know anything about the subscription costs at all?

I'm not sure how it all works, but I suspect the EFL offers a website and iFollow platform to all clubs, the majority of which take up that offer, hence why most club websites look the same. Are we abandoning that package entirely and the club is back to sorting its own out? If so, I quite like that. I suspect it'll be more expensive, though. And it'll be interesting to see if they will still live stream games (at least to overseas supporters).

I doubt cost would increase. Rovers will be making more money from doing it themselves without the need of increasing price to fans. iFollow streaming service only gives clubs a certain % of profits from sales. Rovers will have full domain over their own digital income here - so even if prices remained the same, they'd be better off.

[Mattyblue]

Of course, a good move, daft that a club should outsource their media output to their league - especially a club that was once so innovative with Radio Rovers, RoverVision etc.

However, considering we were selling less streams than some non league clubs last season, how lucrative it will be whilst the club is at such a low ebb is debatable.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Meesh said:

Edit: Maybe it's still with EFL Digital. That's where the email came from...

No. EFL Digital sent out the email as its duty for communications with its customers before the switch over. This new site & service is completely Rovers based and customised.

[Guest]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Of course, a good move, daft that a club should outsource their media output to their league - especially a club that was once so innovative with Radio Rovers, RoverVision etc.

However, considering we were selling less streams than some non league clubs last season, how lucrative it will be whilst the club is at such a low ebb is debatable.

I suppose with the power to control prices in-house, much like ticketing, the club has the power to offer incentives and discounts at will. They can improve quality which will improve sales. They can tailor advertising to make more from digital production via a commercial route.

[only2garners]

Whilst I would agree that this would seem to be a sensible move and it should give the club more freedom, my understanding regarding match streams was that they already got 100% of the fee for any streams they sold? We were told that the club gets £8.33 for every stream sold I.e. £10 less VAT.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, only2garners said:

Whilst I would agree that this would seem to be a sensible move and it should give the club more freedom, my understanding regarding match streams was that they already got 100% of the fee for any streams they sold? We were told that the club gets £8.33 for every stream sold I.e. £10 less VAT.

This wasn’t my understanding but perhaps you are right. 

[roversfan99]

I suppose the demand for such a service will massively nosedive anyway assuming that fans are allowed back in from the start of the new season, for those in the UK it seemingly was mainly the best possible substitute. I do wonder if full live streams will remain indefinitely as they could affect attendances going forward. Things like under 23 coverage and extensive interviews I personally have no interest in so wouldnt pay just for that but of course if theres a market for that by all means we need to provide for it.

For what its worth, I have never had any issues with ifollow in terms of functionality, my main issue was with the really poor choice of commentators who I would presume will remain on the new platform, I think they seem to be unpopular across the board.

Not sure that the new flexibility of the potential service is something to be happy about because we know about the club and specifically Waggotts' repeated failure to understand the target market so im sure it will see a sharp price rise.

[sparky12]

For the international viewers, the early iFollow days truely were awful (one camera, no replays or commentary, terrible buffering). I haven't personally had any issues with iFollow in recent times so really hope there will be few to no teething issues with the new system. 

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

4 hours ago, Meesh said:

I was reading this article last year, although it looks as though it only applies to match passes as opposed to annual subscriptions.

For match passes, the home team takes all revenue from all home match passes sold, as well as all of the revenue from the first 500 away passes sold. Beyond those 500 away passes, the away team takes all of the revenue.

Let's say a match pass costs £10 with the home team selling 1,000 match passes, and the away team selling 500 matches passes. The home team gets £15,000. The away team gets £0.

Let's say the home team sells 1,000 match passes, and the away team sells 20,000 match passes. The home team would receive £15,000, and the away team would receive £195,000.

With season passes, I swear I read somewhere that the club receives 70% of the revenue from it.

So will Rovers now get the money for all the away fans because RoversTV is the only place the away fans can buy a match pass to watch their team at Ewood? 

 

Edited May 28, 2021 by Hoochie Bloochie Mama

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

So, regardless of Covid and the ground being open, Rovers can now sell digital match passes to a million Leeds fans (for example) for a game at Ewood and get all the money?

Edited May 28, 2021 by Hoochie Bloochie Mama

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

6 hours ago, JoeH said:

I doubt cost would increase. Rovers will be making more money from doing it themselves without the need of increasing price to fans. iFollow streaming service only gives clubs a certain % of profits from sales. Rovers will have full domain over their own digital income here - so even if prices remained the same, they'd be better off.

Incorrect. The home team kept all the money from passes sold via it's own website, and all the money from the first 500 tickets sold on the away teams website. 

My guess is the the reason for doing this is that by opting out of the EFL ifollow scheme that Rovers can now keep all the money from  match streams at Ewood, no matter where they are bought and by which team. But it's only a guess. 

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

Just now, Meesh said:

Hmm, not sure. I got the impression from the EFL email that the website and the streaming service might still be operated by EFL, just with all branding more personalised to the club than just "iFollow". JoeH suggested otherwise.

Blackburn Rovers to launch new club website and streaming service with iFollow replaced - LancsLive

Blackburn Rovers are to unveil an updated digital service that will include a new official website and streaming service.  Rovers are to move away from the traditional EFL Digital website and introduce a new design that is to be more accessible and engaging with supporters.

As part of the new digital service Rovers will also be navigating away from the iFollow system, with the club's video service now changing to RoversTV, with supporters encouraged to register with the new system once the website starts up on Tuesday 1st June.

[rigger]

I wonder if Waggot is going down this route because he realises that season ticket sales will be so low and there will be more people wanting to purchase the games.  

[RoversClitheroe]

Wonder what the pricing will be like for this? When will that be unveiled?

I had an international Ifollow account for the past 3 seasons and it was good pricing.

Edited May 31, 2021 by RoversClitheroe

[rog of the rovers]

New website?

 

[Mattyblue]

Bit odd that we received an email from the EFL, about what is to them another organisation’s platform, but Rovers haven’t accounted anything themselves?

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Bit odd that we received an email from the EFL, about what is to them another organisation’s platform, but Rovers haven’t accounted anything themselves?

The launch is later today.

[Mattyblue]

Good.

So who’s running it, The Yardley’s CREATV?

[Guest]

No, it's being done through quite a well known firm who've done other clubs'.

[Mattyblue]

Interesting, that’ll be the first time they aren’t running the club’s media output since before Radio Rovers, so nearly 30 years.

[chaddyrovers]

I am hoping for a much improve website and hopefully this RoversTV will be good. I wouldn't mind a match preview show on Friday night before match days and Review show on a Monday night on Weekend. Maybe have a couple of ex Rovers players in a studio for it. Just an idea

[RoversClitheroe]

6 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I am hoping for a much improve website and hopefully this RoversTV will be good. I wouldn't mind a match preview show on Friday night before match days and Review show on a Monday night on Weekend. Maybe have a couple of ex Rovers players in a studio for it. Just an idea

Nah that would absolutely awful.

It'd literally be Yardley and Lucy chatting pro Mowbray stuff which I struggled to cope with a month into the season.

[roversfan99]

31 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I am hoping for a much improve website and hopefully this RoversTV will be good. I wouldn't mind a match preview show on Friday night before match days and Review show on a Monday night on Weekend. Maybe have a couple of ex Rovers players in a studio for it. Just an idea

On the assumption that we can attend so you hadnt needed to purchase the game itself. Would you pay just to watch a preview/review?

23 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Nah that would absolutely awful.

It'd literally be Yardley and Lucy chatting pro Mowbray stuff which I struggled to cope with a month into the season.

At the end of the day, whoever the club gets will naturally have to have a pair of blue and white tinted glasses. Never going to have them being overly critical, I sort of get that as long as they arent too biased.

They do need to change the commentators though in general, they dont seem to be popular with anyone. For me, its (especially Warren Lucy) the constant agenda towards the referees gives me constant earache. Transfixed from the very first minute, every decision that goes against us no matter how minor they are berated for, whereas ones in our favour are ignored. I also find the nickname stuff irritating, Arma, Breo, TK, JRC, Benno, dont have to pretend that they are 2 of the lads in the dressing room, again Warren Lucy is particularly bad for that.

Mind you, assuming that fans are allowed to attend again, will match links be a thing of the past again? And if so, will this risk of moving away from ifollow backfire?

[chaddyrovers]

28 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Nah that would absolutely awful.

It'd literally be Yardley and Lucy chatting pro Mowbray stuff which I struggled to cope with a month into the season.

Why would a preview show and review show with a couple of ex Rovers players be so awful? 

Same when it comes for the commentators for games change one of them for a former players here