iFollow

[DangerousSausage]

The Football League has launched a new streaming service for overseas fans. For €130 a year, you can watch all matches not selected by Sky live using an app.

Is anyone else thinking about this? On measure I think I'll give it a try. I hope the current radio/highlights package will still be available, but it's a long time since I've been able to watch Notts regularly and radio just isn't the same.

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

I'm trying to encourage it with all my friends who live abroad, most of which are Juventus or Serbian fans. What I don't think makes sense is how Sky is protected as the 'priority' over the Football League and its teams. They pay good money but I still feel the games should be streamed, not everyone has Sky and those over sea's might not be able to get the game due to this.

Other than that it's fantastic, really revolutionary.

[DangerousSausage]

Having spent so much money on the rights Sky have probably got a clause blocking it to protect their investment. It doesn't bother me much as we're only on Sky twice a season tops anyway, and I can easily go to the Irish pub and watch it there (although this means I have to speak to "other people" and be "sociable").

Also, Waldhof's matches kick off at 2.00pm here, it takes five minutes to walk home and Notts are on from 4.00pm local time. So that's Saturdays sorted

It would be revolutionary if it works. An app that's compatible with Chromecast would be nice too. Fingers crossed!

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

I am looking forward to this, Scotland have had it for a while and it's decent. 

[liampie]

ifollow just sounds stupid but the idea is brilliant. i hope it gives us a chance to bring in extra income from the fans we have overseas.

[DangerousSausage]

Now I'm going to have a moan.

You can only watch live league matches using the app, not on the browser. Fine. The problem? There is no app. I wrote to the people responsible for iFollow and was told that the app would be ready "around the start of the season". That's not really good enough for a service they want you to pay €130 up front for. On top of that, it will not be compatible with Chromecast or Apple TV, so if the cast screen option doesn't work (it's blocked on some apps) I'll end up having to watch on my phone. Which might be a complete non-starter for me. I also have a tablet but the PlayerHD app refused to run on it.

After enquiring whether the existing package (radio and highlights) was still on offer to subscribers abroad I was told that it wasn't. So I now have a choice between paying €130 (an increase of €80 or 260%!) for a service for which there is no app and no confirmed release date and which I don't yet know even works, or nothing at all. Frankly I feel I'm being milked.

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

I'd assume this is to prevent other people from re-broadcasting the games.

Browsers would be very simple, any 16-year-old wannabe techno wiz could do it probably. The mobile app would make it harder, though it's not as impossible as they may think - really they shouldn't worry so much about the downside but it just goes to show that the service seems very rushed.

[DangerousSausage]

I understand that and it's not a problem. But an app, preferably with Chromecast functionality and before the start of the season, would be very nice. They couldn't even give me a release date!

And giving people the choice between paying €130 (for a service that may not be ready in time and that may not be any use to them) and nothing at all is not on. Especially as UK subscribers can continue with the radio for less than half the price.

Putting it into perspective, the price for iFollow is only €25 shy of my season ticket in Germany. I want to be sure it works.

[liampie]

2 hours ago, DangerousSausage said:

I understand that and it's not a problem. But an app, preferably with Chromecast functionality and before the start of the season, would be very nice. They couldn't even give me a release date!

And giving people the choice between paying €130 (for a service that may not be ready in time and that may not be any use to them) and nothing at all is not on. Especially as UK subscribers can continue with the radio for less than half the price.

Putting it into perspective, the price for iFollow is only €25 shy of my season ticket in Germany. I want to be sure it works.

cant you just get a refund? i would not bother if the service was this bad.

[upthepies]

The service is bound to have problems in the earlier days of operation. The old Football League app was plagued by issues on Android, yet was fine on IOS.