A friend of mine is in the Eurostar Business Premier Lounge at St Pancras right now surrounded by the England team on their way to Paris. Jammy sod.
This fiasco isn't really the fault of Setanta or, for once, Now TV. Al-Jazeera aka BeinSport has bought the rights. You can't blame Setanta for being outbid by Gulf money. The problem is, they have more money than sense. They have chosen TVB NetworkVision as their platform in Hong Kong, a platform I had no idea existed and which no one I know has access to. I have tried to subscribe (I'm a sucker, I know) and after about a dozen phone calls an engineer came round yesterday to set it up. He couldn't. No signal, they'll call me after the CNY break. Useless.
You'd think that when they sell these rights they'd consider whether anyone will actually be able to see the games or not, wouldn't you? Short-sighted, stupid decisions all round.
If anyone knows of any bars which actually have access to Beinsports, I'd be glad to hear from you. In the meantime, I'll use a VPN to watch BBC via the iPad.
I don't but I do know a couple of bars that have access to BBC One (and most other UK channels, including Sky Sports) - Trafalgar in Wanchai (where I shall be watching the games tonight) and Barn II in Causeway Bay. I think there's a place in Sai Kung has access now too.
FWIW, the dodgy Maige box I picked up in Sham Shui Po includes "Bein Sports HD" as well as a heap of other TVB channels I never knew existed.
Think I will go to watch Ireland play tonight at Trafalgar. Anyone else there?
Can't make it I'm afraid - have to be hosting a Superbowl breakfast tomorrow at 7am.
I'll probably be there for Ire v Wales (10:30pm) and Sco v Eng (1am) next Saturday night, although I see that Chelsea against Newcastle is at 11pm, so there is going to be some competition for the sound during the first game!
Chelsea Newcastle, right before my Geordie wife flies to Brazil. I always hate it when this fixture comes up.
I have confirmed with the manager who will be on duty this evening at Trafalgar that the terrace area will have the 6 Nations with sound for both games.
The inside area will be showing the soccer.
So I'll be there on the terrace.