Optus' pricing for the English Premier League has Australian fans seeing red
Optus' pricing to watch the English Premier League (EPL) has really ticked off Australian fans.
The telecommunications provider released its pricing plans on Wednesday, kicking many non-Optus customers off the park.
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Fans are mad about having to become mobile or broadband customers of Optus if they want to watch the EPL, locked into 24-month contracts that are more expensive than previous Foxtel pricing. Cue the outrage on Twitter:
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If non-Optus fans want to pay the least for EPL action, the cheapest plan available is a A$40 (US$29) mobile plan, plus A$15 (US$11) on top for EPL. That's a minimum of A$55 (US$41) a month just for streaming the EPL on a phone or on a computer, costing A$1,320 (US$989) over a 24-month contract.
Want to watch it on TV? The big screen equivalent is getting a Yes TV by Fetch box, which is included on a A$90 (US$67) My Entertainment Bundle. Fans will be locked into a 24-month contract, which ends up costing A$2,160 (US$1,618).
By comparison, the Foxtel equivalent is A$51 (US$38) for a sports package on a 12-month contract, costing A$612 (US$458) over the life of the plan -- less than half of the cheapest offering on Optus.
Now you get why people are mad.
The deal is relatively sweet for Optus customers however, with EPL included on a mobile or broadband plan above A$85 (US$63), and big screen action available for A$5 (US$3.75) extra a month with a Fetch TV mini set-top box.
The reasoning for making football fans become Optus customers? Why, they'll be out of contract anyway, according to Ben White, Managing Director of Marketing and Product at Optus.
"While you’ll need to be an Optus customer to get all the EPL action, Optus research shows that close to two in three (63%) football fans, who are not already Optus customers, are out of contract for at least one of their fixed broadband or mobile services," he said in a statement.
There was a hint of trepidation amongst fans when Optus sensationally clutched the Australian EPL rights from Foxtel, who had held the rights for 20 years, reportedly paying A$63 million (US$88 million) for the privilege.
Unfortunately, their fears have rung true.
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