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- Aug 6, 2008
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There has been much huffing and puffing over SingTel and StarHub’s World Cup television packages. Depending on when you sign up it will cost you $70.62 before Monday and $94.16 after that. A bunch of guys from a Facebook website, “Mass Boycott Starhub/Singtel Overpriced World Cup Package”, are planning a protest at the Speakers Corner, another group are printing T-Shirts.
That website started with a bang after the telcos announced they had clinched the deal to broadcast World Cup matches, as well as their TV packages, in early May. Five days ago they had over 21,000 members and that increased to about 4,000 more since then. They hope to generate 100,000 members by the time the first ball is kicked in South Africa two weeks from now. This is four times more than the number who joined them at the very beginning.
The objective, I presumed, is to have every member on the Facebook boycott the packages offered by StarHub and SingTel in order to hurt them. They’ve come up with alternatives to watch the games elsewhere — at the 16 community centres, pubs, friends’ homes, even hooking up to receive free signals from neighbouring countries … take your pick.
But presumably, they also are aware their efforts are unlikely to hurt the two service providers much, except to send a strong signal of their displeasure. I can buy that because I, too, am unhappy at the way they brought the World Cup to us after keeping Singapore on edge as a result of the hefty bidding war for the Premiership.
But let’s look at the numbers again. If our estimates are on the mark that StarHub and SingTel paid a total of US$15 million, or about S$21.3 million, to Fifa to earn the broadcast rights, then what they need to do to break even is to sign up at least 300,000 subscribers in total.
That is about slightly less than 30 per cent of the total number of homes in Singapore. And that is not taking into consideration pubs, restaurants and coffeeshops who will pay between $2,888 and $4,888 for the first television set, and 1,888 to $2,888 for each additional one.
How many of these outlets are out there and how many will sign up to boost their businesses?
Add in last-minute sponsorship deals like those of Singapore Pools, and the telcos, even if they don’t break even, are not going to sweat much over any losses.
This is reality in Singapore.
I’ve been ask, no told, more than once that I should join the boycott.
It is a noble quest, but how many of us can afford to? I’ve sign up for the TV package because not everyone in my home has the luxury or the health of going out every day to watch the games. I am not going to let them lose out on this once-in-four-years opportunity to watch top-class football.
My question is how many among the Facebook boycott group — if they ever reach 100,000 — will actually not sign up for the TV packages? Or are they just doing the very Singaporean thing in bitching on anything and everything and just having fun doing so … and then sign up before match day?
By Ian De Cotta
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I do agree with him with some points, haiizzzzz :(:(:(:(:(
That website started with a bang after the telcos announced they had clinched the deal to broadcast World Cup matches, as well as their TV packages, in early May. Five days ago they had over 21,000 members and that increased to about 4,000 more since then. They hope to generate 100,000 members by the time the first ball is kicked in South Africa two weeks from now. This is four times more than the number who joined them at the very beginning.
The objective, I presumed, is to have every member on the Facebook boycott the packages offered by StarHub and SingTel in order to hurt them. They’ve come up with alternatives to watch the games elsewhere — at the 16 community centres, pubs, friends’ homes, even hooking up to receive free signals from neighbouring countries … take your pick.
But presumably, they also are aware their efforts are unlikely to hurt the two service providers much, except to send a strong signal of their displeasure. I can buy that because I, too, am unhappy at the way they brought the World Cup to us after keeping Singapore on edge as a result of the hefty bidding war for the Premiership.
But let’s look at the numbers again. If our estimates are on the mark that StarHub and SingTel paid a total of US$15 million, or about S$21.3 million, to Fifa to earn the broadcast rights, then what they need to do to break even is to sign up at least 300,000 subscribers in total.
That is about slightly less than 30 per cent of the total number of homes in Singapore. And that is not taking into consideration pubs, restaurants and coffeeshops who will pay between $2,888 and $4,888 for the first television set, and 1,888 to $2,888 for each additional one.
How many of these outlets are out there and how many will sign up to boost their businesses?
Add in last-minute sponsorship deals like those of Singapore Pools, and the telcos, even if they don’t break even, are not going to sweat much over any losses.
This is reality in Singapore.
I’ve been ask, no told, more than once that I should join the boycott.
It is a noble quest, but how many of us can afford to? I’ve sign up for the TV package because not everyone in my home has the luxury or the health of going out every day to watch the games. I am not going to let them lose out on this once-in-four-years opportunity to watch top-class football.
My question is how many among the Facebook boycott group — if they ever reach 100,000 — will actually not sign up for the TV packages? Or are they just doing the very Singaporean thing in bitching on anything and everything and just having fun doing so … and then sign up before match day?
By Ian De Cotta
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I do agree with him with some points, haiizzzzz :(:(:(:(:(
