Miss Ann Thrope

So it's come to this:
https://www.thenational.ae/uae/bein-...d-cup-1.736454
What kind of Trumpeting negotiation nincompoopery led to this? Especially when it seems Etisalat have just cut a deal... I know the default will be to assume that it will all get worked out at the last minute but du does not serve many local homes so I wonder how acutely this will be felt. The situation with the Qatar boycott (which was also supposed to be resolved in a few days) makes this quite uncertain I think. Maybe this is one way Qatar can make a sharp point without pushing too far.

As an unfortunate du home service subscriber (not by choice) this is just the latest bit of du-doo that I'm having to deal with. It seems they have now figured out how to block my VPN and hence all use of Skype, never mind P*rnhub or the rest.... This also appears to be affecting my ability to use the VPN at my former workplace (for whom I am still doing consulting) including use of their internal Skype for business network. Any other du home subscribers facing this? Other former co-workers with du home internet have reported the same connectivity problems with work while those with Etisalat have not.


PS Is everybody dead?

co durham boy

I think they've announced that it's back on , was on the radio this morning .

scrubbedexpat141

I'm not at liberty to be able to select my home internet / TV provider either......and have Du as well.

CDB suggests what I've been sent by mates, that there's a deal been done but it's only from 'an insider' and not official until Monday apparently.

I'm going to wait until last minute and then see what's happening. Have the dodgy box as back up and can buy the package if needs be the day before it all starts.

Just typical of the region eh?

Miss Ann Thrope

This mysteriously showed up early this morning on Gulf News just before I went to bed:
https://gulfnews.com/sport/football/...-cup-1.2231121

I note KT has a scantier article, lumped on top of the previous piece about no deal, but an earlier posting time:
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/...fifa-world-cup

Nothing on The National so far: though they are often slow to update, they usually have a more definitive and coherent account.

More definitively, the BeIN channels are back on my TV this morning. I guess their statement achieved the desired effect in having du cave...

I love me a WC especially the early round matches with total immersion in footie, unusual match ups, emergence of previously unheralded players - sometimes briefly (Joel Campbell anyone?) - and teams are not playing for a particular result. Watched every WC since 1974 so I would be pained to be at a loss for this one. Even though football is a big money soap opera now, the WC is a bit closer to the old spirit, hopefully even moreso now that FIFA is effectively neutered as a public force, albeit still lining most of the same pockets as before. And maybe this one can do what Mexico '86 and Seoul Oympics '88 (and arguably even Argentina '78) did in opening up the host country to the world. See what it's doing to me already?

jam25mack

Du are awful, and like you guys I have no choice of provider.

Even if they do get it (which I also have heard) they will likely charge about 500 dibbles for the privilege... I might just go and watch them all in the pub and be drunk for a month and get fat (ter).

FYI the 'official' England supporters bar is Deck on 8 at Media 1.

Not dead, just been on leave.

Gavtek

AED 582.75 is the charge on Etisalat on top of the regular monthly charge for the beIN package which wouldn't have any other football to broadcast during these 2 months.

Millhouse

No, we are busy trying to figure out how to watch the World Cup

scrubbedexpat141

Oh man me too. I'll watch Senegal v Costa Rica if it's a world cup match. If you don't you might miss goal of the tournament or some amazing skill or fluke or foul or 'moment'.

World Cups are the only things in football left with some purity and honesty. Anything can happen, they aren't bought and time and again it will demonstrate that football is bigger than the money in the weekly game.

Personally, couldn't care less if Russia finishes this tournament more liked or not...or even more open to the world or not. If their fans repeat 10% of the violence and nastiness from the Euro's they should be banned from even dreaming of participating in the next tournaments. Anyone travelling to Russia, especially normal English fans, should be crossing their fingers and praying they're left alone.

Pongo

scrubbedexpat141

Just farted because I laughed so hard at this.

(BTW - I've done it too).

Pongo

scrubbedexpat141

My Dad is Scottish too and he's highlighted England's first game as a night out when he's over in a few weeks. He clarified this as he wants to watch the game and see us lose / draw / be shit.

He's been signing emails to me off with 'ABE' (Anyone But England).

Bless

Brains1983

For those on the board who aren't familiar with odds, for every 10 GBP you put on England to reach the final at 16/1, you lose 10 GBP..

weasel decentral

A whole tenner? Surely at those give away odds you ought to throw on a ton or even a monkey

scrubbedexpat141

Lol.