Calling overseas fans - iFollow

[DangerousSausage]

I haven't seen the club put out anything about this, so I thought I'd bang the drum a bit. As Notts are back in the Proper Leagues, iFollow video passes are back too. UK-based fans can buy video match passes for matches not kicking off at 3pm on a Saturday. For exiles like me, the service is a godsend - we can buy match passes for all games, or a full season pass for €166. That's slightly cheaper than the National League stream, which cost €80 for half a season and turned out to be pretty good value.

So if you're based abroad like me, it might be a good idea to have a look:

https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/ifollow/subscribe/

[JIMBO]

Or those with a good VPN.  

[menzinho]

Great for all the overseas followers, works out a €3.60 per game which is good value.

Just out of interest why do the club have an audio pass? Is this just a cheaper option because BBC radio is not available abroad? I’m assuming I’ll be able to listen to the match day commentary on BBC Sounds/internet stream...

[DangerousSausage]

It also motivated me to cancel a couple of things I wasn't using @menzinho, so I'll actually save money

The audio pass is just commentary plus match highlights. I think full match replays are on there sometimes too. BBC radio is available abroad, but the commentary on BBC Sounds cuts out for "licensing reasons" at kick off time. Apparently there's a way to listen via the website though. Or the usual way if you're in the UK, of course. 

[Blake]

The offer is fantastic. With so many overseas fan groups, it is likely that a decent number will take it up. This is a positive development as it will bring in extra money for the club.

[allardyces tash]

It’s a great deal for fans overseas; the coverage and quality are good too. One of the positive things of the COVID period was the ability to still see streamed games.

[liampie]

very good offer, the club's media could be a very good asset. even the video service for us who attend games could be much more than it is. 

[Fan of Big Tone]

This’ll be a godsend for our overseas supporters, I hope @AmericanPie has seen it.

[TheSkipper]

It’s a good deal, iFollow. Regarding the audio subscription, I don’t think the club should charge for the match coverage as it’s already part of your TV licence and rebroadcasting it shouldn’t come at a cost to the fans. There’s no reason for a fan who can get to games to subscribe to any of the services, so overseas fans do have the luxury of getting games. I am not suggesting people in the UK should, I just think the packages for UK-based fans are quite poor in comparison.

[CliftonMagpie]

The club should treat the iFollow service for overseas fans as if it were their season ticket. Finding ways to generate more sales would be beneficial, as the service is good value.

[Chris]

It's a cracking deal for those overseas wanting to feel less like an exile.

@CliftonMagpie I have always said the same thing, but when YouTube and social media has it, nobody would pay. Last time I subscribed, I felt the service was undervalued by the best bits being on YouTube and the extended interviews were ramblings or uninteresting parts.

[DangerousSausage]

@TheSkipper, the audio subscription was available on it last season, as there wasn't any iFollow video option. It was probably a bit pointless for fans living in the UK.

10 hours ago, CliftonMagpie said:

The club should treat the iFollow service for overseas fans as if it were their season ticket. Finding ways to generate more sales would be beneficial, as the service is good value.

I agree! Along with exiles like me, there are a number of Juve fans who are interested in our fortunes. I can imagine a few of them would be up for it too, or at least individual games. 

[Countyman]

It’s good value for overseas fans and it’s also nice that UK fans can catch games outside of the usual kick-off times. This is a fair way to allow fans to watch without affecting their ability to travel to games.

[Joshua]

The offer for fans to catch night time games is a very good one, and it’s great that UK fans have this opportunity. It can be difficult to always make it to games in person, so having this option is a real bonus. It would be especially nice to be able to see more away games.

[NottsLoyal]

The offer for overseas fans is definitely a good one, but it seems like the club could do more to promote it. It’s important to make sure that fans are aware of the package and its benefits.

[menzinho]

So the club have now released the news about the subscriptions they are offering, I’ve no issue paying for streams, but charging for commentary that is free on BBC Radio Nottingham is scandalous. I can listen to BBC Radio Notts all week on BBC sounds but suddenly during a match I’m not allowed. I’ve moved too far away from Notts so I can no longer pick up the radio frequency.

I’ll probably have to subscribe to the audio package as I’m not able to get to as many games as I like.

Edited August 3, 2023 by menzinho

[NottsCountyKev]

It’s good value, and it would be interesting to know how many the club sells. It seems that the club only promotes this through their emails. I’m not sure how effective that is, but I would imagine that social media would be more useful.

[TheSkipper]

On 02/08/2023 at 09:32, DangerousSausage said:

I agree! Along with exiles like me, there are a number of Juve fans who are interested in our fortunes. I can imagine a few of them would be up for it too, or at least individual games. 

There is a lot of potential in the market, with many fans from overseas groups already purchasing shirts and showing them off. This is a prime area for Notts County to generate additional revenue while making these fans feel like a real part of the community.

[Nocturnal-Magpie]

Good price. I don't mind paying for the audio pass if the quality is guaranteed. If it cuts out, as I have experienced in the past, then I wouldn't be a happy fan paying for something twice.

[AmericanPie]

The subscription service is truly a godsend. I have already subscribed, and I would even be willing to pay more for multi-camera views. However, I'm content with a single point of view as it still brings me closer to the action than I've been in a while. It feels like having my season ticket, and I believe any exiled fan would share the same sentiment.

[DangerousSausage]

I got in slightly later yesterday so I only tuned it at the end of the first half. It does what it says on the tin, there didn't seem to be any technical problems, there were replays, there was commentary and the updates when goals had been scored elsewhere were a nice touch. Oh, and there were six goals, woo hoo.

I've got a gripe though - why does iFollow STILL not work with Chromecast? National League TV (which I hope I'll never have to use again) offered this from day one, and it worked perfectly. Why is this not possible in iFollow's seventh season of streaming? I'm happy to be able to watch the matches and it's good value for that alone, but squinting at your laptop screen is very 2017.