0/5

SBS to broadcast all World Cup matches for another 10 days

SBS will now screen all World Cup matches until June 29.

Following further discussions with Optus today, SBS will continue simulcasting the 2018 FIFA World Cup until the end of Group Stage on Friday 29 June.

SBS managing director Michael Ebeid said, “The FIFA World Cup is the absolute pinnacle of football, a sport that Australians are deeply passionate about. SBS looks forward to continuing to simulcast the games, together with Optus over the next ten days.”

The changes follow ongoing issues with Optus streaming.

WEDNESDAY 20 JUNE
Portugal v Morocco LIVE from 9.30pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*)

THURSDAY 21 JUNE
Uruguay v Saudi Arabia LIVE from 12.30am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*) NEW
IR Iran v Spain LIVE from 3.30am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*) NEW
Denmark v Australia LIVE from 9.30pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*)

FRIDAY 22 JUNE
France v Peru LIVE from 12.30am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*) NEW
Argentina v Croatia LIVE from 3.30am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*) NEW
Brazil v Costa Rica LIVE from 9.30pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*)

SATURDAY 23 JUNE
Nigeria v Iceland LIVE from 12.30am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*) NEW
Serbia v Switzerland LIVE from 3.30am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*) NEW
Belgium v Tunisia LIVE from 9.30pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*)

SUNDAY 24 JUNE
Korea Republic v Mexico LIVE from 12.30am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*) NEW
Germany v Sweden LIVE from 3.30am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*)
England v Panama LIVE from 9.30pm* on SBS (kick-off 10pm*)

MONDAY 25 JUNE – previously unconfirmed
Japan v Senegal LIVE from 12.30am* on SBS (kick-off 1am*) NEW
Poland v Colombia LIVE from 3.30am* on SBS (kick-off 4am*) NEW
Uruguay v Russia LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am Tuesday*) Channel TBC
Saudi Arabia v Egypt LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am Tuesday*) Channel TBC

TUESDAY 26 JUNE
Spain v Morocco LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*) Channel TBC NEW
IR Iran v Portugal LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*) Channel TBC NEW
Australia v Peru LIVE from 11pm* on SBS (kick-off 12am Wed*)
Denmark v France LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am Wed*) Channel TBC NEW

WEDNESDAY 27 JUNE – previously unconfirmed
Nigeria v Argentina LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*) Channel TBC NEW
Iceland v Croatia LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*) Channel TBC NEW
Korea Republic v Germany LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am*) Channel TBC NEW
Mexico v Sweden LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am*) Channel TBC NEW

THURSDAY 28 JUNE – previously unconfirmed
Serbia v Brazil LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*) Channel TBC NEW
Switzerland v Costa Rica LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*) Channel TBC NEW
Japan v Poland LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am*) Channel TBC NEW
Senegal v Colombia LIVE from 11.30pm* (kick-off 12am*) Channel TBC NEW

FRIDAY 29 JUNE – previously unconfirmed
Panama v Tunisia LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*) Channel TBC NEW
England v Belgium LIVE from 3.30am* (kick-off 4am*) Channel TBC NEW

SBS’s existing 2018 FIFA World Cup™ programming schedule including FIFA World Cup Today highlights show at 5.30pm* daily and the SBS Match of the Day replay at 6.30am* daily will remain in place.

*All times in AEST and subject to change

19 Responses

  1. The great thing about the SBS coverage is being able to record games which are on in the middle of the night (which most are). I don’t believe you can with Optus but I may be wrong.

  2. Hopefully this is a lesson to sports organisations worldwide that streaming is no substitute for broadcast. Can’t see the knockout games being risked on Optus exclusively now – even if things go without issue until the end of the group stage SBS is taking the heavy traffic away and problems will just return when the simulcasting ends. Considering they’re not even risking the alternative group games at the final stage of the competition it doesn’t suggest they have confidence.

    1. Streaming is still developing as a technology, especially as it needs 4K to become more attractive to subscribers. There is a place for streamed sports but major events like The Olympics or the Soccer World Cup need to be given priority for both full FTA and Pay TV coverage. Fox Sports could provide genuine multi-channel coverage of numerous events and games at the same time, something FTA chooses not to do, using their on line apps instead.

    2. Broadcasting is more efficient for millions of people to watch something at the same time, but streaming can be more profitable. It has worked in many places. One of Optus’s problems seems to be that their mobile network didn’t have enough capacity for the number of people streaming to their phones and tablets. 5G will be built to do this.

      1. ‘4G’ is already capable, just not implemented to do so. 4G supports broadcasts, one stream, many listeners and Telstra has run experimental trials of file serving via broadcasts. The problem, I suspect with no basis other than that, is that Optus is using IP unicasts to deliver, ie one listener per stream. 3G would be the sticking point as as far as I know it has no high rate broadcast facility.

        Of course, this is just exchanging one broadcast system, FTA digital TV, for another but pay per view is still verboten on FTA, as far as I know.

  3. When will the Optus Sports app be free? As of Wednesday night I’m still being asked to spend $14.99 per month.
    Can’t access any videos for free on the app.

  4. Do you really think that optus will charge $15 after the 29th of June for the knock-out stage and also the finals? Not even 1/2 price would be acceptable – I suspect the whole tournament in the end will end up being screened on SBS(which it should of in the first place).

  5. “Mr Ebeid’s full statement was longer, but no-one could hear him over the champagne corks being popped in every other room of the building…”

      1. Yes but Optus are refusing to reverse all the transactions and refund the money for a service that clearly was not fit for purpose. They are hoping that people will be too lazy to pursue them for their money back. This will likely cost them more money and customers in the long run.

Leave a Reply