The dispute between Tata Sky and Sony Pictures Network India will cost the direct to home (DTH) network subscribers the excitement of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League live action.
Tata Sky has not been carrying Sony Network Channels since Monday (October 1) over a commercial dispute. The DTH network, after having failed to conclude commercial negotiation with broadcaster Sony Pictures Network India, has dropped 27 channels (including the India Today Network channels distributed by the SPNI).
This has resulted in the Tata Sky subscribers missing out the WWE RAW action on Tuesday and the UEFA Champions League Hoffenheim versus Manchester City as well as Juventus versus Young Boys games. Sony Sports Network is the exclusive broadcaster for the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League games in the Indian sub-continent.
With the DTH Network and the broadcaster engaged in a blame game, there seems no early solution in sight. The prevailing impasse may result in more frustration for sports lovers.
Real Madrid versus CSKA Moskva, Manchester United and Valencia, AS Roma-Plzeň, Bayern Munich versus Ajax, Lokomotiv Moskv-Schalke and Paris St Germain against Crvena Zvezda In the UEFA Champions League matches are scheduled for Wednesday (today).
The Thursday UEFA games schedule will have Tottenham-Barcelona, Napoli versus Liverpool, Dortmund-Monaco and Atlético de Madrid versus Club Brugge Champions League matches; whereas Astana-Rennes, Salzburg-Celtic, Milan-Olympiacos, Vorskla-Sporting CP, Anderlecht-Dinamo Zagreb and Qarabağ-Arsenal action is scheduled in UEFA Europa League.
Friday is packed with more UEFA action, the weekend includes WWE Special Super Showdown, live tennis and golf action on Saturday. Sunday marks the first day of the Pakistan and Australia Test.
The absence of crucial sports action has been frustrating the Tata Sky subscribers.
Well done @TataSky. You collect annual subscription and then block channels. And then ask us to give missed calls to activate those channels knowing well it will be Herculean task to get through to you. You end giving a missed call which turns out a waste of time.
The DTH network is flashing a message to give a missed call on the numbers displayed on “blacked out channel” screens. However, there was no response as this reporter made several attempts to call on the numbers.
Meanwhile, SPNI blaming Tata Sky has stated that it has not asked for increasing channel prices. “We at SPN have not increased our channel rates over the last few years. Therefore, we are surprised at TATA SKY’s unilateral decision to drop 22 of our channels,” the broadcaster has claimed.
SPNI has also issued and an official media statement, claiming that “we would like to reassure Tata sky subscribers that the SPN channels are available under the TRAI mandated Reference Interconnect Offer (ROI). All they have to do is call Tata Sky and demand that the channels be provided to them.”
Tata Sky CEO and MD Harit Nagpal in a statement had mentioned that “commercial negotiations with the broadcasters broke down as what they were seeking would have forced us to hike our prices. Hence we have had to drop a few channels while keeping the popular ones on. We request our subscribers to bear with us, as we are doing this in their best interest.”
“Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) and Tata Sky have over the years developed an excellent working relationship. It is therefore unfortunate that Tata Sky has unilaterally chosen to drop 22 SPN channels from its subscription, even though SPN has not increased the rates of its channels,” the broadcaster said in its statement.
“SPN channels are leaders in their genres and the network is one of the most popular in the country. By unilaterally dropping the channels, Tata Sky is depriving its viewers of the opportunity to watch world-class entertainment and live sporting action. Further, by compelling existing subscribers to give separate “missed” calls even to continue watching the SPN channels they have already paid for, Tata Sky is not acting in consumer interest,” SPNI added.
Meanwhile, Tata Sky is also engaged in negotiations with ZEEL and IndiaCast Media Distribution to renew the content deal. Tata Sky has issued disconnection notices against both the companies while the two companies had also issued disconnection notices against the DTH operator.
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