John David Murphy, Żebbuġ
Broadcasting rights for NFL games from America
Another disgruntled NFL fan (Michael Busittil, November 20) has written and quoted a letter he received from Melita purporting to explain why NFL games aren't being shown as advertised.
Are we to believe that the billion dollar enterprise that is the National Football League has no problem with granting the rights to ESPNAmerica to show its games in virtually every country of Europe and the Middle East (check the website) but somehow balks at letting tiny Malta have the games? And that none of this has anything to do with Melita?
Why am I having flashbacks to the controversy of a few years ago when Champions' League fans, including me, were fed stories about "loss of broadcasting rights" when these games disappeared from Melita's Italian channels only to reappear on its (extra cost) sports channels.
Unlike virtually all other viewers of ESPNAmerica, we NFL fans in Malta get a watered down channel devoid of any NFL games and related programming.
What is left is "a little bit of everything, and a whole lot of nothing".
Does this smack of "bait and switch"? At best it is the Melita programming department "asleep at the switch".
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Jason Spiteri
Nov 26th 2009, 23:10
I am waiting for GO to come out with a good xmas offer, than I will remove all Melita's services!!! Melita is a total rip off, cant wait to disconnect their service once and for all.
Kevin Camilleri
Nov 26th 2009, 20:26
I cannot wait for the day when I could get reasonable sky from Italy to watch all the serie A and the Champions league! Someone watched Milan's game yesterday? The sound was disgracefull! Half the serie A games are commented in English, which I'm sorry, but I expect them to be commented in Italian.
3/4 of the people subscibed to Melita are doing this against their will since they have no other choice but to be subscribed to Melita, otherwise no melita no football. However I cannot not agree with the comments below as Malta is too small so to have Melita buying the rights for a sport which is followed by just a few people. I'm sorry for you, cause when you love a sport it is so difficult to live without it!
Chesney Hawkes
Nov 26th 2009, 15:07
The whole Melita package is good for one thing only - live soccer, at a price. They will wonder where their business has gone when streaming technology advances and EU competitor providers can legitimately offer their services cross border.
C gatt
Nov 26th 2009, 10:24
In Answer to Mr. Murphy's question. Yes Malta is too small to bother with. Get real guys.Melita is not going to buy expensive rights for such a small island. This is the same reason why Melita movie channel shows films much later then other satellite and cable broadcasters.
Joseph Sciberras
Nov 26th 2009, 09:34
Face up to it guys, there are not enough American Football fans in Malta to justify Melita spending money on getting the rights. If you want to watch these games live pay for satellite.