Q & A New Media set up.

[mutley marvel]

I emailed iFollow@efl.com regarding not wishing to renew once my audio season pass runs out on 02/09/21 & they emailed me back with this response

Thank you for contacting iFollow Support.

We have opted you out of the renewal on your season pass subscription and you will not be charged again.

I just thought i would share this with my fellow pilgrims

 

[Mark Smith]

Not that it would be a big deal to leave and rejoin, is it indeed time to stop the iFollow subscription? How far along the road to completion is this new service?

Maybe it’s a combination of my job and decades of supporting Argyle, but I tend to be a little sceptical about plans and promises until I see something real.

The only statement so far actually reads that the service “is *scheduled* to be up and running by the beginning of the 21/22 season.” The battle-weary and grizzled cynic in me (correction: that I am) can already hear how unfortunately “technical and contractual issues” have forced the club to delay the roll-out of the new platform.

 

[Ottawa Green]

Did the club ever respond to these questions about the switch from iFollow to Argyle TV?

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

Sorry everyone for delay in responding to these great questions.

We will quote reply to each one now.

Thanks again.

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

Very good of the club to reach out and ask PASOTI to do this, more engagement from the club :clap:

As to my question: what are the club hoping to offer in their streaming service? Is it purely a replacement for iFollow (i.e. purely stream the match) or will there be more of a build-up with guests and a host and half time talk etc... (I noticed Leyton Orient do something like this)?

ArgyleTV will be owned by the club and means we have more control over the content. We still have many rules to abide by as part of our membership with the EFL but things like Pre-Match Shows are very much on the horizon for Argyle supporters.

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

Will we be able to stream away matches ?

This will be determined by the outcome of the Article 48 decision. Non Saturday 3pm games will be streamed live via Argyle TV.

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

I currently pay for my i-follow audio pass on a yearly basis

With this new service will you combine the i-follow pass i hold with online streaming for home & away matches as i am a exile

If so will the various packages you offer be payable as either a yearly subscription or a monthly subscription

It’s very unlikely, due to regulations that domestic streaming packages will be available, or part of any subscription packages.

However audio only & exclusive content monthly and yearly memberships will be available.

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

Will the streaming service offer coverage of all competitions at first team level?

Is there an intention to stream non first team matches too? Thinking Academy and Women's team for example.

Not immediately.

However, having control of our Streaming Platform means this is something we can implement far easier than we would have within the EFL Digital Collective. Games at Home Park would be fairly easy to deliver, games away from Home Park are logistically more challenging, but it’s something we’re exploring in the next stages of Argyle TV.

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

I am a iFollow season ticket holder living in Canada, the service i now receive from iFollow is very good and i do not have any of the problems that seem to occur with UK members, so will this new service be as good or better than what i have been receiving from iFollow.
Also what roughly will be the cost of this service.
Another question this service you will be providing will be fine for home games but how will you handle away games will you just be hooking into the home teams iFollow feed.

Details on packages for overseas subscribers will be announced soon.

Away games, we will take the feed from the home club and deliver it via Argyle TV

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

Does this news indicate that the club anticipate the Saturday 3pm embargo being ended or relaxed to allow all fixtures to be streamed, even once stadia are full again?

Also, will reciprocal arrangements be in place across the whole of the League so that away games can be streamed regardless of the different providers clubs may be with?

We don’t know the answer to this question yet.

We are however in favour of this rule being relaxed and would like to see all games available for streaming for our fans.

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

I think this is a great move and I would certainly back up other calls to make the service more complete in terms of match streaming with chat pre match, half time and at full time.

My question is will the club's commentary team feel free to criticise performances, or maybe tactics, if and when appropriate?

Understandably being employed directly by the club, and having strong relations therefore with those in the club, would make anybody feel reticent to publicly question certain players/spells of games, etc, but it's really essential to the fan base, I think, that the club encourage the commentary team to say what they like at all times without it being held against them. It's just opinions at the end of the day!

Please don't take this as a dig at the comms team currently who do good job, it's just an observation really that sometimes really laboured performances aren't 'called out' as they may legitimately be, which can make watching (or listening) even more frustrating than it already is.

No specific instructions are given to be partisan or not to Argyle performances.

However, you would expect employees of Plymouth Argyle commentating on Argyle’s own TV streaming service not to want to be overly critical, and take more of a ‘tell it as it is’ approach. It’s not their role to critique, but to deliver an informative commentary for supporters.

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

Very good of the club to reach out and ask PASOTI to do this, more engagement from the club :clap:

As to my question: what are the club hoping to offer in their streaming service? Is it purely a replacement for iFollow (i.e. purely stream the match) or will there be more of a build-up with guests and a host and half time talk etc... (I noticed Leyton Orient do something like this)?

Personally , I would be more than happy to just get coverage of the game ala IFollow. No build up required as it is tough enough having to be awake for the game at 4am let alone any preamble that would invariably add to the cost.
Keen to know if a full replay would be available and when.

We expect full replays of games to be available to subscribers on the Sunday after Saturday games.

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

Will this cost us more to use ?

Will it just be a home game service or can we expect the same content for away games ?

Will there be additional content other than highlights during the week ?

Will the cheaper Audio only service remain ?

Will the whole match replay option remain ?

1 - Details are coming soon. Domestic match passes, when available, are expected to remain at the same price.
2 - Home games mainly, though providing presented 'wrap around' shows before and after away games is in the delivery plan for a little bit later in the process.
3 - Yes, we hope to have much more exclusive and fun content available for subscribers.
4- Yes
5 - Yes

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

Will users be able to "cast" the stream from their computer or devices to their television?

Unfortunately, this is not permitted under the existing TV rights deal.

We agree this would be a very useful addition and continue to lobby to make this happen.

 

[ArgyleOfficial]

Will users be able to "cast" the stream from their computer or devices to their television?

On a similar note, will there be a dedicated Apple TV app or similar.

Unfortunately No for the reasons above.

Although you will be able to stream via the new Argyle App on mobile and tablet.