Watchdog calls time on broadcaster complaint
The English Premier League football season is nearly over but the Commerce Commission will not be looking into complaints fans can still not watch what they paid for.
Broadcast rights holder beIN Sports has attracted criticism this year from both fans and Sky Television over beIN’s online streaming service, Connect.
One Sky customer, Wellington football fan Andrew McGoff, made a complaint to the commission alleging beIN had not delivered on its advertised online service.
Sky subscribers had been told they would get access to Connect as part of an $11.96 a month package with Sky, but even after Connect went live in October Sky customers still did not have access.
There were just nine games left in the 38-game season.
‘‘I’m confident we’re not going to get it before the end of the season … It’s more than just the fact you’re paying for something you’re not getting,’’ McGoff said. ‘‘I think they just don’t care.’’
The commission said this month the complaint did not meet its threshold for investigation at this time.
McGoff said he was disappointed there would be no investigation. He had asked for the reasons but thought the issue must be too small for the commission to consider.
Qatar-based broadcaster beIN, run by the Al-Jazeera news network, last year bought the New Zealand rights to the English Premier League, then struck a deal with Sky to televise the games.
Earlier this year, Sky claimed it had been pressuring beIN and was dissatisfied the online service had not been made available to its customers.
‘‘We are really disappointed that this service is not ready for Sky customers,’’ spokeswoman Kirsty Way said at the time.
‘‘They have acknowledged this and say it will be ready as soon as possible, but we have no date.’’
BeIN was also this year accused of overcharging its customers, after some complained they were charged in euros rather than New Zealand dollars, adding more than 50 per cent to their bills.
Subscriptions to Connect were available at $17.99 a month, or $179.99 for a year.
Last week, one subscriber complained to beIN’s Facebook page he had been charged $274.92 for an annual subscription. Another said they had been charged $27.46 last month, and said their bill showed it was in euros, or €17.99.
BeIN has not responded to repeated questions about the complaint or allegations it has overcharged customers.