Hi all We just wanted to let you know about changes coming soon to Sky Poker TV. Following the recent news that Sky Betting & Gaming is to become an independent company, we have been reviewing the Sky Poker channel. Although we will still be part owned by Sky and will still work closely with them, effectively we will be a separate company and that affects how we can run the channel commercially and legally. Here’s a quick summary of the changes: - The first thing to say is that we will be keeping Sky Poker TV going, but it will operate under a new model - In the very near future, we will cease to operate the 24/7 channel (ch.861 on Sky) and online live stream. This will happen sooner than we anticipated, maybe even this week, but that can’t be avoided unfortunately - The shows on Sky Sports will continue on a Tuesday in a new format and we have exciting plans for them - We will be focusing more on producing pre-recorded TV content so expect to see more of this. Including things like cash games, UKPCs, educuational content, interviews, features etc. This will likely be shown on Sky Sports, Challenge TV, skypoker.com and social media, including youtube - We are also working on some new ideas which we will share at a later date It’s obviously a period of change for the channel, but Sky Poker TV is continuing. We have some exciting plans for it and the Sky Poker community will still be a big part of it. We have deliberately made this announcement here first. We’ll post more on here as and when we are able to but until then, thanks for your continued support. Thank you. Posted by Sky_Poker
my tuesdays,thursdays and sundays wont be the same again,shame
Having got into poker through watching our favourite shows, i feel that taking the fun out of the poker will have a detrimental effect on those of us who use the show. To me, and probably others, the show brought 'fun' into what is, essentialy, a relatively mundame game when online. I always looked forward to my 'fun' fix when the show was on; hopefully the changes will allow some of the 'fun' to remain!!! I do feel a bit let down on the suddenness of the change, but hey new owners = new directives. I understand that skysports will bring poker to the view of more people, and as a business idea that is the main thing (just don't lose the fun and interactivity....please).
Having been around for many years i have seen different formats and was always sceptical of them. I still remain sceptical but hope for the best.
To ALL the staff and presenters, i can only say THANK YOU for all the hours of entertainment you have given me. I also hope that the future is bright for those we will no longer see.. you WILL be missed ;(
In Response to Re: Changes to Sky Poker TV : Hi Maggiesdad We'll help Tommy out with that one. The legal changes effectively revolve around the comment in the OP where we said we'll be a separate company, part owned by Sky rather than wholly owned by Sky. Thanks Sky Poker Posted by Sky_Poker
In Response to Re: Changes to Sky Poker TV : Yep thats me. Honestly though I do think it makes sense. As a marketer the best way to get new people to see your content is to put it somewhere where your target audience already are. You kinda have to 'find' Channel 861, whereas people are already on Challenge and Sky Sports. Obviously it would be awesome if 861 could be there too but I'm all for putting all your efforts into the thing that's working the most. Barry Posted by ButtonDonk
Sounds good
but the truth is Sky Sports has had plenty of shows in the past did they work?
My personal opinion is No! Sky sports just doesn't give value for money any more. Apart from the high profile live football, cricket NFL & Rugby. Does Ten Pin bowling, Pool & Canadian show jumping etc float your boat? And would you want to pay the subscription just to watch a poker show?
I'm guessing Challenge would be a repeat show? how many viewers would make a point of watching repeats of interactive shows?
The dynamic of 861 was equivalent to a guilty pleasure.
Anna Fowler and Orford were the mouth piece, eye candy & pulling power that made the shows great! Who didn't watch the shows without expecting/hoping Anna or Rich would say or do something outrageous or bizarre?
The pouting, flirting and fashion choices. made the live shows Iconic and I'm only talking about Tikay!
I'm sure the decision to end the channel was made with good intentions
but sadly losing the TV (a big reason why so many stayed loyal to the site)
the Sky Poker Tour and being able play with £ stirling were big attractions
The SPT's went, the Tv's almost gone please don't change the currency to $ dollars.
I really hope the site remains successful but at the back of my subconcious amidst the nightmares I see Daniel Negranu bursting out of a Sky Poker birthday cake with a creepy smile and a bill of sale
This is so sad. I got into poker through seeing 861. The live shows so entertaining I watched most of them since 2014. thanks to all involved it was great.
So So sad to hear I have inproved my game dramtiscly beacuse of sky poker tv I would just want to thank you to Every Member of the crew from Presnters to Camera Opperaters Thank you so much !!
I repeat........ Thank you for your reply. So what is it about being a separate company that does not allow you to run the channel as is? In Response to Re: Changes to Sky Poker TV : Posted by Maggiesdad
Hi Maggiesdad
Because will no longer be part of Sky, things change. The goalposts have moved but we've adapted and are moving forward with new ideas and a new setup for Sky Poker.
In Response to Re: Changes to Sky Poker TV : Hi Maggiesdad Because will no longer be part of Sky, things change. The goalposts have moved but we've adapted and are moving forward with new ideas and a new setup for Sky Poker. Thanks Sky Poker Posted by Sky_Poker
I think whatever format the shows are created in for future broadcast on Sky Sports, Challenge or through other formats, the unique dedicated Sky Poker TV channel will be greatly missed. Back in 2009 I'm pretty sure I stumbled across Channel 865 by accident and watched a show with tikay and Lisa-Marie Long, probably spent the whole evening laughing and have watched ever since. As a few people have commented you really don't appreciate something truly until it's taken away and then there seems to be a huge void left. I would imagine of all the TV shows many of us have watched over the last 5+ years whether it's Eastenders, Coronation Street, 24, Formula 1 or Homes Under the Hammer, I doubt many of us have watched more hours of a show than we have spent watching Sky Poker shows. I'm sure the future format of the show will continue to drive huge numbers of new players to the site and it'll go from strength to strength. But I doubt you'll be seeing tikay in marigolds, Richard as a Christmas Elf or Lisa-Marie in that Red Dress ever again. Changes - That's just the way it is. Posted by Machka
my guess is that it is simple business decision making.
skypoker is a separate company to sky tv. skypoker does not choose to pay sky tv a lot of money for a dedicated channel, plus the costs of production.
skypoker does not attract advertising revenues. a good proposition is to produce single programmes. to start, the 2 hour live programme will run on skysports on tuesday.
if the programme produces reasonable advertising revenues it will continue. if it produces high revenues it will continue in more slots, if it produces low revenues the cost from sky tv to skypoker will increase. skypoker will monitor these costs against their own revenues and will decide to continue or not.
Unfortunately, I saw this coming too, after the "survey."
The TV channel was why I stayed with SKY for all sorts of reasons - it lifted it out of the muddy pond of "skins" that is online poker and was the most unique aspect of the site. It was fun, friendly, educational, and I have to say that the presenting team were A+.
I wish them all well, but I won't be upgrading to SKY sports to watch them in action.
Groan my favourite channel gone don't know if I will upgrade to sky sports probably not, started playing poker then found this wonderful poker show that was giving free info out about the game. It has always made me laugh I don't think sky know what a double act they have got with Richard and Tikay as well as the other presenters and guests that make the show so good. Always suspected Rich was a lot better at poker than he made out was that win the other night his parting shot for 861. Good luck to all who made the show so good including those that we don't see.
Such a shame. Really good presenters making poker easier to understand and also fun. I know Sky Poker is about making a profit but as many have said the TV programme was the USP for the company. I felt loyal to Sky because I enjoyed the TV channel and didn't want any of the presenters to think that I'd been unfaithful on other sites!
Good luck with the future and well done to Richard , Anna and the rest for doing a great job in keeping grumpy poker players happy.
my guess is that it is simple business decision making. skypoker is a separate company to sky tv. skypoker does not choose to pay sky tv a lot of money for a dedicated channel, plus the costs of production. skypoker does not attract advertising revenues. a good proposition is to produce single programmes. to start, a 2 hour live programme will be sold to sky tv to run on skysports on tuesday. if the programme produces reasonable advertising revenues it will continue. if it produces high revenues it will continue in more slots, if it produces low revenues the cost from sky tv to skypoker will increase. skypoker will monitor these costs against their own revenues and will decide to continue or not. just my guess. Posted by aussie09
I think you are probably right Rob.
But there does not appear to be any legal reason why it should not continue as has been implied.
Thanks to the team, past and present, in front and behind the camera, for the years of entertainment. I dipped in out of the channel for the last 5 years but saddened by the news.
Good luck to you all in the future and especially Richard Orford in his quest to become a pro poker player. Richard has been the backbone of the presenters imo and if I walk past him one day, I will surely throw a pound coin into his hat.
Comments
Thank you for your reply.
So what is it about being a separate company that does not allow you to run the channel as is?
In Response to Re: Changes to Sky Poker TV:
but the truth is Sky Sports has had plenty of shows in the past did they work?
My personal opinion is No! Sky sports just doesn't give value for money any more.
Apart from the high profile live football, cricket NFL & Rugby. Does Ten Pin bowling, Pool & Canadian show jumping etc
float your boat?
And would you want to pay the subscription just to watch a poker show?
I'm guessing Challenge would be a repeat show? how many viewers would make a point of watching repeats of interactive shows?
The dynamic of 861 was equivalent to a guilty pleasure.
Anna Fowler and Orford were the mouth piece, eye candy & pulling power that made the shows great!
Who didn't watch the shows without expecting/hoping Anna or Rich would say or do something outrageous or bizarre?
The pouting, flirting and fashion choices. made the live shows Iconic and I'm only talking about Tikay!
I'm sure the decision to end the channel was made with good intentions
but sadly losing the TV
(a big reason why so many stayed loyal to the site)
the Sky Poker Tour and being able play with £ stirling were big attractions
The SPT's went, the Tv's almost gone please don't change the currency to $ dollars.
I really hope the site remains successful but at the back of my subconcious amidst the nightmares I see Daniel Negranu bursting out of a Sky Poker birthday cake with a creepy smile and a bill of sale
my guess is that it is simple business decision making.
skypoker is a separate company to sky tv. skypoker does not choose to pay sky tv a lot of money for a dedicated channel, plus the costs of production.
skypoker does not attract advertising revenues. a good proposition is to produce single programmes. to start, the 2 hour live programme will run on skysports on tuesday.
if the programme produces reasonable advertising revenues it will continue. if it produces high revenues it will continue in more slots, if it produces low revenues the cost from sky tv to skypoker will increase. skypoker will monitor these costs against their own revenues and will decide to continue or not.
just my guess.
Unfortunately, I saw this coming too, after the "survey."
The TV channel was why I stayed with SKY for all sorts of reasons - it lifted it out of the muddy pond of "skins" that is online poker and was the most unique aspect of the site. It was fun, friendly, educational, and I have to say that the presenting team were A+.
I wish them all well, but I won't be upgrading to SKY sports to watch them in action.
But there does not appear to be any legal reason why it should not continue as has been implied.
Good luck to you all in the future and especially Richard Orford in his quest to become a pro poker player. Richard has been the backbone of the presenters imo and if I walk past him one day, I will surely throw a pound coin into his hat.
Ta ta
Steve