iFollow next season

What’s the assumption on iFollow service for the 21/22 season?

The renewal email seems to suggest that the same service will be provided as last season. Will that still be the case when fans are back in stadia? Is there a chance that UK subscribers will have video at the start of the season but it later switches to audio only?

 

We’ve not been given any clear guidance as yet. We were told it hinges on government decisions. Obviously, the four week delay on reopening the country didn’t help. But it’s my belief that if fans are back in stadia, iFollow will revert to pre-COVID times. Audio only in the UK, except for midweek games or whatever it was.

 

Does a VPN solve the audio only problem for UK-based fans? I hadn't used iFollow prior to Boris' lockdowns.

 

For obvious reasons, I can’t answer that.

 

I’m readying missen for another season of it

 

Yes it does so my friend tells me.

 

Cheers YTBFC, I assumed that also. It would have been nice if the iFollow e-mail addressed it (even with heavy caveats)

 

If Fans aren't back in stadiums after the Euro Semis and final at Wembley with full capacity then I'm done with it all.

 

They're a law unto themselves.

Fingers crossed, we go our own way in 2022. Watch this space.

 

That's very good news to hear.

 

We're working on it. It will cost a fair bit, but everything in-house is the dream one day.

 

It's quite a few years back now, but the inhouse team at Wednesday were royally miffed at the website templates that the EFL had and how over time they had become restrictive but the break clause was years away. Seeing as Mandaric got rid of just about all of them and their huge financial problems, i suspect they don't have any appetite to break away.

If you go your own way, are you still bound by rules that you can't show live weekend footage to UK audiences? Or would that give you wider scope to control your own live content? I'd guess Sky would still hold the whip hand for any games they show live?

 

While you are here mate any comment on the managerial situation?

 

You can pay your way out. Like I say, it’s a huge investment initially but long-term it would be advantageous. And yes, still bound by the usual rules of the league we play in. We are always looking at ways to improve in all areas, but as you can probably tell at this moment, things in football change so often and so quickly.

 

I can't even imagine how swiftly things change at the minute for you guys, both internally and externally. Hopefully this coming season is at least more normal and far less uncertain.

And fingers crossed clubs can get to a point of having more say on its live content. As things stand, the only way I'll see my team live is on a digital platform or televised fixture.

I'll also say, even though I can be critical of some things, the efforts of the media team are always welcomed, even more so in this last 15 month period.

So thank you for all your efforts, they are appreciated.