Football-loving licensees are scrambling to find old ITV Digital boxes so that they can show the opening games of the Champion's League tomorrow (September 17). With four Premiership teams - Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle - all in the first round draw, licensees are keen to show the matches but have come across problems because of the collapse of ITV Digital.Some matches will only be available through the box, but many pubs threw out their ITV Digital boxes when the company went bust this summer and are now living to regret their actions.Licensees are angry that because there are two games on Tuesdays and two showing on Wednesday only one match at a time can be shown on ITV's terrestrial television.As a result, some licensees are now searching high and low to find old ITV boxes so that they can watch specific teams.Rob Millar, marketing manager for website, www.sportspubs.co.uk, is amazed at the continued problems being faced by fans. "Arsenal and Liverpool both retain major followings in London, and yet, even when ITV Digital was working, only 10% of London pubs were able to show the games," Mr Millar said."Therefore, there are a large number of punters running around in frustration. Many licensees are furious at the decision. They are now asking friends and family whether they have ITV Digital boxes or phoning up pubs and offering money for a box. I have been told that one pub chain did actually tell its managers to simply throw the ITV Digital boxes away."
Related articles:Pubs hit as ITV Digital is turned off (2 May 2002)Licensees' service worries if buyer is not found for ITV Digital (25 April 2002)Decision day approaches for ITV Digital subscribers (19 April 2002)Future of troubled ITV Digital under discussion (16 April 2002)Government reassures licensees of ITV Digital's continued services (4 April 2002)