Watching Derry this year

[Marty]

The 2021 season will start behind closed doors but the membership scheme has shown that City supporters are determined to get behind their team, even if they cannot get to the games.

Not sure how to take this. I assume we are setting up our own streaming service.

[MariborKev]

Don't read that into it.

It was written as a line to thank people who had signed up.

[stevebradley]

News just breaking this afternoon that sounds like a new streaming service across the league is imminent. Great news if so :

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer ... n=sharebar

[marcoloco]

An unexpected surprise. Let's hope the product on the pitch is better than last time.

[rodgers]

If something is worked out, is there any chance of it being added to membership for an additional fee?

Given the way in which the product might be sold, that might add an unnecessary layer of complexity.

Last year the club gave the impression that it had paid for the service for season ticket holders. But that appears not to have been the case.

[doll]

Watchloi appears to be going ahead again.

https://twitter.com/faireland/status/13 ... 56389?s=21

broadcast deals
The new offering features:

A new deal with RTÈ Sport to cover first picks for the live transmission of Friday Night Football
The return of the innovative WATCHLOI service to keep SSE Airtricity Premier Division football live for the fans during the COVID-19 pandemic
A new FAI platform – LOITV - to stream all SSE Airtricity First Division matches for the season
LOITV will offer, for the first time ever, streaming of all SSE Airtricity Women’s National League matches free of charge on loitv.ie
Pricing for WATCHLOI Premier Division and LOITV First Division and details for season ticket holders will be announced in due course
​The new broadcast deal with RTÈ Sport will see 60+ SSE Airtricity Premier Division matches broadcast live across RTÈ TV and the WATCHLOI platform on watchloi.ie up until the mid-season break in June.

RTÈ Sport will cover all production costs for WATCHLOI with all profits from the platform set to go straight to the Premier Division clubs.

The WATCHLOI platform will return with the free to air offering of the FAI President's Cup between Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk on Friday, March 12, with kick-off at 7.45pm.

Friday Night Football coverage on RTE commences with the SSE Airtricity Premier Division game between Shamrock Rovers and St. Patrick's Athletic on Friday, March 19, followed by Waterford v Sligo Rovers on Friday, March 26 and Shamrock Rovers v Dundalk on April 2.

LOITV will stream all matches across the SSE Airtricity First Division and the SSE Airtricity Women’s National League with Pixellot cameras to be installed in every ground ahead of the 2021 season.

The Pixellot system uses artificial intelligence with HD cameras to deliver a top-quality viewing experience with the cameras used in many leagues across the world. The streaming service will also be available to the coaching and analysis staff at all clubs.

Season ticket holders will be contacted by their club in due course with more information regarding season passes for WATCHLOI and LOITV.

[johnm]

What season tickets?

[stevebradley]

If something is worked out, is there any chance of it being added to membership for an additional fee?

Given the way in which the product might be sold, that might add an unnecessary layer of complexity.

Last year the club gave the impression that it had paid for the service for season ticket holders. But that appears not to have been the case.

I'd be surprised if fthe club was just given access to WatchLOI for its season ticket holders without someone paying for it along the line. Presumably they got them for a discounted bulk-purchase price (?)

[rodgers]

If something is worked out, is there any chance of it being added to membership for an additional fee?

Given the way in which the product might be sold, that might add an unnecessary layer of complexity.

Last year the club gave the impression that it had paid for the service for season ticket holders. But that appears not to have been the case.

I'd be surprised if fthe club was just given access to WatchLOI for its season ticket holders without someone paying for it along the line. Presumably they got them for a discounted bulk-purchase price (?)

It appears to have been funded by the FAI.

https://amp.independent.ie/sport/soccer ... 68188.html

"Separate to the 11,000, season ticket holders left out of pocket by the lockdown were given the chance to use WATCHLOI for free as part of a compensation arrangement with the FAI and clubs and it’s understood that around 6,000 fans around the country availed of this option."

[brandyball]

Maybe we could watch from the stands.

https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/foot ... rn-3147572

[davy_g]

If something is worked out, is there any chance of it being added to membership for an additional fee?

Given the way in which the product might be sold, that might add an unnecessary layer of complexity.

Last year the club gave the impression that it had paid for the service for season ticket holders. But that appears not to have been the case.

I'd be surprised if fthe club was just given access to WatchLOI for its season ticket holders without someone paying for it along the line. Presumably they got them for a discounted bulk-purchase price (?)

It appears to have been funded by the FAI.

https://amp.independent.ie/sport/soccer ... 68188.html

"Separate to the 11,000, season ticket holders left out of pocket by the lockdown were given the chance to use WATCHLOI for free as part of a compensation arrangement with the FAI and clubs and it’s understood that around 6,000 fans around the country availed of this option."

See to be perfectly honest, I had no bother watching games last season on WatchLOI and I also thought the pricing was reasonable, even though at times the games that I was watching weren't brilliant but that wasn't the providers fault. I will be subscribing again this season and I can't wait until kick off. Just my humble opinion for what it is worth #RAWA .

[TenaciousDee]

I share you sentiments Davy. As much as I loved WatchLOI, it exposed just how poor a standard the football is in the league. I have been saying it for years that a large percentage of games have been contested as if both teams are defending a 2 goal lead, even though in reality it is scoreless. For all the plaudits and high praise Stephen Kenny's or Vinny Perth's Dundalk teams were receiving, they were highly cynical viewing. Last year I watched a lot of the games on WatchLOI but other than Derry, I think I watched Waterford and Sligo more than the rest. Both teams at least tried to go out, work hard and contest a game. In the end, Sligo's overall attitude ended up with a late push into Europe. Rovers were like Man City in the EPL at the minute, rarely had to step out of the low gears to win games and Bohs have been a "functional" team for the last 3 or so years.

[marcoloco]

I share you sentiments Davy. As much as I loved WatchLOI, it exposed just how poor a standard the football is in the league. I have been saying it for years that a large percentage of games have been contested as if both teams are defending a 2 goal lead, even though in reality it is scoreless. For all the plaudits and high praise Stephen Kenny's or Vinny Perth's Dundalk teams were receiving, they were highly cynical viewing. Last year I watched a lot of the games on WatchLOI but other than Derry, I think I watched Waterford and Sligo more than the rest. Both teams at least tried to go out, work hard and contest a game. In the end, Sligo's overall attitude ended up with a late push into Europe. Rovers were like Man City in the EPL at the minute, rarely had to step out of the low gears to win games and Bohs have been a "functional" team for the last 3 or so years.

This is spot on. I admit to only watching the Derry games and the away teams when they play us. I've been critical of our performances last year, even at times when we won like at home to Cork, and i sat there thinking this is so poor - almost comical at times. I think Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk deserve massive credit for what they've both achieved in Europe. It's actually astounding to think that 2 teams from Ireland made some headway in Europe. Now i know it only happened because of the 1 game knock out scenario that favoured a shock win but still, impressive nonetheless, and may explain the willingness of English teams to loan out their kids to Irish teams - that and the lack of underage leagues in England. I don't mind saying it but the structures in place at Rovers (selling youth players on for profit plus sell on) and the standards they achieve on the pitch are what others need to aim for. Football must be sustainable and if that means creating an academy that moves players on for profit whilst retaining those that don't quite make the grade then i hope we follow suit. We need a to find an edge and our local talent pool could be it if we have the structures in place to nurture it.

[brandyball]

Soccer Republic Cancelled.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2021/02 ... -feasible/

[TenaciousDee]

Soccer Republic Cancelled.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2021/02 ... -feasible/

When everything was announced on Friday I seemed to completely miss that. To be fair, I get the argument for the cancellation. It would have been a rare occasion I would have watched Soccer Republic (not once I have I watched it in the last two seasons) but that came down to the fact clubs either used RTE's coverage for instant goals/highlights on social media or club's own footage had been posted.

[brandyball]

Soccer Republic Cancelled.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2021/02 ... -feasible/

When everything was announced on Friday I seemed to completely miss that. To be fair, I get the argument for the cancellation. It would have been a rare occasion I would have watched Soccer Republic (not once I have I watched it in the last two seasons) but that came down to the fact clubs either used RTE's coverage for instant goals/highlights on social media or club's own footage had been posted.

To be honest I would sky+ it then f/f on to Derry Match and misd out on the drivel in between.

[brandyball]

With the latest round of restrictions being eased, still no fans allowed. Probably just as well.

[brandyball]

Larne are able to have allow their capacity of 3,250 in on Friday night, surely we should be soon able to follow suit.

[brandyball]

50% Capacity from 6 th September and 100 % from 22nd October. Not sure what will happen with the Brandy Though.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/derryci ... 112185572/