This so-call competition between
Starhub & Singtel is never benefitting football fanatics
especially those supporting BPL teams.
When Singtel won the rights to
broadcast Champions League matches, I have since stopped
subscribing to Starhub Sports Channel. I also refuse to subscribe
to Singtel MIO TV.
I made this decision to join a
couple of my friends who are also avid BPL fans like me as we feel
that if we continue to give in to these pay-TV providers, the issue
of increasing price would be a never ending story.
As of currently (based on news
articles), 530,000 subscribers of Starhub TV also subscribes to
Sports Channel. If all had initially subscribed to Starhub TV
Sports Channel because of BPL or Champions League matches,
this would have yield Starhub a 3 years subscription of S$477
million (based on Sports Group subscription
of about S$25/- per month per subscriber - 530,000 x
S$25 x 36 mths). This does not include the fees for the
compulsory 3 Basic group that a Starhub TV subscriber has to fork
out.
Although Singtel has indicated that they will not be pricing the
Sports channels higher than Starhub's, but that does not necessary
mean that there will be no other conditions added like Starhub's
compulsory 3 Basic group plan.
In addition, what will happen in 3 years time when the bidding
starts again?
So my conclusion is, consumers like us, should all stand
together and let these pay-TV providers be aware that we depict the
prices and not them. If the price keeps increasing, then we will
all stop subscribing till the price is brought down.
This would prevent them from making exorbitant bids and then
passing it to consumers just because we have no other options.
