By Robbie Butler
For the 12th time this season, I left home yesterday in search of a pub showing the live FA Cup game between Arsenal and Liverpool. In recent years, I had become somewhat spoiled. Thanks to a subscription to Sky Sports and ‘free’ access to ESPN, every Premier League and FA Cup game was available at home at the touch of a button.
I never thought I say this, but god how I miss ESPN. Kevin Keegan, Ray Stubbs, Rebecca Low, even John Barnes! That red studio setting. 5.30pm Saturday evening…the memories.
Enter BT Sport to break up this paradise.
Since the arrival of the telecom giant I have been forced to search Cork city for pubs with access to this channel. It reminds me of the early days of Sky, when literally only your ‘TV mad’ neighbours up the road, had the channel. The crazy thing about this is how irrational my behaviour appears to be.
I refused to get BT in the summer on the grounds of cost (and principle). The cost argument doesn’t stack up. The Setanta Sports Pack (where BT Sport can be found) costs €19.99 per month. That’s a cost of roughly €120 had I ordered the channel at the start of the season or €10 approx. per game. I have spent far more on food, drink, petrol, parking, etc. over the course of my twelve ‘pub’ games since August, not to mention the time it’s taken. Completely irrational behaviour it would seem.
So why don’t I subscribe? I don’t know really. Cost can’t be the issue. Maybe it’s principle. However, Sky Sports will tell you they don’t last very long. Maybe it’s the excuse to get out of the house and watch live football surrounded by others. Nothing better! Or maybe it’s just inertia and that I simply haven’t got around to making the call to Setanta yet.
Whatever the answer, I appear to be contradicting one of the key principles of the field we study….people are rational! That principle might require revision.
For the 12th time this season, I left home yesterday in search of a pub showing the live FA Cup game between Arsenal and Liverpool. In recent years, I had become somewhat spoiled. Thanks to a subscription to Sky Sports and ‘free’ access to ESPN, every Premier League and FA Cup game was available at home at the touch of a button.
I never thought I say this, but god how I miss ESPN. Kevin Keegan, Ray Stubbs, Rebecca Low, even John Barnes! That red studio setting. 5.30pm Saturday evening…the memories.
Enter BT Sport to break up this paradise.
Since the arrival of the telecom giant I have been forced to search Cork city for pubs with access to this channel. It reminds me of the early days of Sky, when literally only your ‘TV mad’ neighbours up the road, had the channel. The crazy thing about this is how irrational my behaviour appears to be.
I refused to get BT in the summer on the grounds of cost (and principle). The cost argument doesn’t stack up. The Setanta Sports Pack (where BT Sport can be found) costs €19.99 per month. That’s a cost of roughly €120 had I ordered the channel at the start of the season or €10 approx. per game. I have spent far more on food, drink, petrol, parking, etc. over the course of my twelve ‘pub’ games since August, not to mention the time it’s taken. Completely irrational behaviour it would seem.
So why don’t I subscribe? I don’t know really. Cost can’t be the issue. Maybe it’s principle. However, Sky Sports will tell you they don’t last very long. Maybe it’s the excuse to get out of the house and watch live football surrounded by others. Nothing better! Or maybe it’s just inertia and that I simply haven’t got around to making the call to Setanta yet.
Whatever the answer, I appear to be contradicting one of the key principles of the field we study….people are rational! That principle might require revision.
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