Rovers iPlayer / Rovers+

[Canadian Rover]

Before the season started, I voiced my concerns multiple times about the Rovers+ service and what product exiles would be offered. My biggest worry was that we wouldn’t be able to watch the Rovers at all, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case.

However, it was disappointing that just two weeks before the season kicked off, nothing was in place, and the product/technology hadn’t been tested with the fan base during pre-season.

I’ve thought long and hard about posting this publicly, but in the end, I felt it was necessary. Liam (I know you read this forum), as the media manager for the club, I assume Rovers+ falls under your remit. From my perspective, it seems like there’s little to no effort being made for those of us who are paying for this service, and it feels as though exiles are an afterthought for the club.

I understand that our numbers might be low and that we might not seem worth the hassle. But at £180 per season—comparable to the price of a season ticket—we have the right to expect a decent product. I’m not asking for Sky Sports quality, but the current standard is just not good enough.

I also need to mention (and I don’t say this lightly) that Mickey Walker is a very poor commentator. In the past, having squad players provide insight as co-commentators made a massive difference (Tommy Rowe was especially brilliant). I urge you to consider this option again.

It also seems clear that more training on the platform is needed. The cut-and-paste apologies mean nothing if no action follows. Please take the time to improve the service, as it always feels like there’s “something” wrong. To me, the root of the issue seems to be a lack of effort and a disregard for the paying subscribers.

Please, for the sake of the loyal fans who can’t attend in person, make the necessary improvements.

Martin Byrne
St. John's NL, Canada

[silent majority]

It's difficult for those of us who are not exiles and do not utilise this service to understand how poor the service is, but reading report after report its obvious something is wrong.

I'm more than happy to follow up on this for you.

[philsky]

Before the season started, I voiced my concerns multiple times about the Rovers+ service and what product exiles would be offered. My biggest worry was that we wouldn’t be able to watch the Rovers at all, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case.

However, it was disappointing that just two weeks before the season kicked off, nothing was in place, and the product/technology hadn’t been tested with the fan base during pre-season.

I’ve thought long and hard about posting this publicly, but in the end, I felt it was necessary. Liam (I know you read this forum), as the media manager for the club, I assume Rovers+ falls under your remit. From my perspective, it seems like there’s little to no effort being made for those of us who are paying for this service, and it feels as though exiles are an afterthought for the club.

I understand that our numbers might be low and that we might not seem worth the hassle. But at £180 per season—comparable to the price of a season ticket—we have the right to expect a decent product. I’m not asking for Sky Sports quality, but the current standard is just not good enough.

I also need to mention (and I don’t say this lightly) that Mickey Walker is a very poor commentator. In the past, having squad players provide insight as co-commentators made a massive difference (Tommy Rowe was especially brilliant). I urge you to consider this option again.

It also seems clear that more training on the platform is needed. The cut-and-paste apologies mean nothing if no action follows. Please take the time to improve the service, as it always feels like there’s “something” wrong. To me, the root of the issue seems to be a lack of effort and a disregard for the paying subscribers.

Please, for the sake of the loyal fans who can’t attend in person, make the necessary improvements.

Martin Byrne
St. John's NL, Canada

I have watched lots of matches from overseas of late and it must be really frustrating for proper exiles.

I watched Morecambe and Acrington from overseas and it all seems such a rush; no prematch pre-amble, a last minute arrival to the mike and we even had the Chesterfield commentary for a while.

What's with Micky's boring stuff and his "30 metres away from the ball ?" aren't we still in yards ? Mind you, the other co-commentator is worse tbh

Robbie and his sidekick (Barrow last season was a very good example) have something that's hard to quantify but bring the matches to life.

[ForsolongaRover]

Whilst I cannot complain about the courtesy of club officials I do wonder whether policy fully reflects the interests of exiles, especially those of us who cannot attend matches because we live hundreds of miles away yet cannot stream them live because we are in the UK.

Liam’s sound commentaries left a good deal to be desired to begin with, but I think he is probably better than Radio Sheffield’s offerings now which include too much from Mickey Walker. I wouldn’t say that he is unintelligent, but he does talk over the action and some of what he says is unnecessarily obvious. Yesterday when the broadcast came through it was the Accrington commentators and when the Radio Sheffield people took over there was no apology.

The associated problem is access and in navigating in the App. Once logged on, there is no easy route to the sound commentary. You log on and then you should be presented with a direct link to the match coverage to click on to “listen live”. There was with iFollow. This ought to be a clear option from more or less anywhere on the App once you’ve logged on.

Today I accessed the App and was “welcomed” back, so I was still logged on from yesterday and whilst I could get to the highlights, there was no link to the extended highlights of yesterday’s match or of last Tuesday’s either, let alone the full match replay which are all part of the Rovers+ package.

In fact, to get them, you have to go to the club website, but surely, passage should be seamless. I note that whilst space can be found to feature any number of news stories which have only tenuous connections with the football team, no one has been assigned to populate the player biographies with even the most basic facts. As I’ve said before, the football team is the flagship of the operation and I wonder whether the balance towards the other activities is disproportionate.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

But isn't Mickey Walker a guest Co commentator engaged by Radio Sheffield rather than the club?

I'm guessing the commentators of our game yesterday had no idea their commentary wasn't being overlaid onto the TV broadcast as it was being heard on the Radio successfully. Clearly there was a ' plug in the wrong hole' somewhere.

[ForsolongaRover]

But isn't Mickey Walker a guest Co commentator engaged by Radio Sheffield rather than the club?

I'm guessing the commentators of our game yesterday had no idea their commentary wasn't being overlaid onto the TV broadcast as it was being heard on the Radio successfully. Clearly there was a ' plug in the wrong hole' somewhere.

Yes, his contractual relationship is almost certainly with Radio Sheffield, but the primary audience of Rovers supporters should matter as much to them as to the club.

Fundamentally, the interests of the exiles is not obviously measurable in financial terms beyond our annual subscriptions and I wonder whether the VSC and Shadow Board regard their interests (particularly UK exiles) as important enough to encourage beneficial change. Judging by the reactions I’ve often had from SM when I have been even mildly critical in the past it seems to be a sensitive subject.

[Canadian Rover]

The commentary with Rob and Lee is great, much better watching with that team on Rovers+

[i_ateallthepies]

Agree, Canadian Rover.

[RoversInSpain]

The commentary with Rob and Lee is great, much better watching with that team on Rovers+

Yes! I vote for these 2, Rovers media listening to us do you think??