iFollow - Renewal and updated terms

[Scott Blade]

Not seen this mentioned already in full

Just a heads up that anybody with a season pass last season needs to contact them by 11th July if not wanting to renew. Otherwise they will charge again automatically

Also the terms and conditions have been updated recently to explicitly forbid VPN access to hide location (2.8.11 here https://www.sufc.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/). Says they consider it a serious breach of the terms which would then give them the right to cut people off (as per 8.1.4), possibly without a refund. Suspect this has always been the case but the updated terms, along with stories of difficulties towards the end of the season, suggests they may be taking things more seriously and covering themselves so would be advised to tread carefully if considering a season pass to use with VPN

Also updated with some stuff about overlaying commentary (2.9) but suspect that is more with other sources than the commentary on iFollow itself which people have mentioned trying to overlay

 

[tomtheblade]

I cancelled my membership. It would've been much better value to simply buy match passes, which is probably what i'll do next season. I live abroad so no trouble on the VPN front.

 

[FleaPitBlade]

One for the more tech savvy but is there actually anything that they can put in place to prevent a person from accessing the service through a VPN?

Also, what are the legal implications? ie - by connecting via a VPN to a service they have paid to access, is a person breaking anything over and above the provider's T&C's?

 

[I should coco]

Also, what are the legal implications? ie - by connecting via a VPN to a service they have paid to access, is a person breaking anything over and above the provider's T&C's?

You've answered your own question .
By breaking their T&Cs you can be thrown off, as per their T&Cs.

 

[FleaPitBlade]

You've answered your own question .
By breaking their T&Cs you can be thrown off, as per their T&Cs.

For clarification, the question is: is it against the law?

 

[I should coco]

For clarification, the question is: is it against the law?

No.

You are breaking their t&cs but that's it.
Interpol will not be breaking down your door anytime soon.

 

[bladesmanluke]

And the whole point of a VPN is that they wouldn’t know you were using one.

So all in all the updated t&cs don’t mean anything

 

[SwissBlade]

Not seen this mentioned already in full

Just a heads up that anybody with a season pass last season needs to contact them by 11th July if not wanting to renew. Otherwise they will charge again automatically

Also the terms and conditions have been updated recently to explicitly forbid VPN access to hide location (2.8.11 here https://www.sufc.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/). Says they consider it a serious breach of the terms which would then give them the right to cut people off (as per 8.1.4), possibly without a refund. Suspect this has always been the case but the updated terms, along with stories of difficulties towards the end of the season, suggests they may be taking things more seriously and covering themselves so would be advised to tread carefully if considering a season pass to use with VPN

Also updated with some stuff about overlaying commentary (2.9) but suspect that is more with other sources than the commentary on iFollow itself which people have mentioned trying to overlay

Thanks for the reminder! Cancellation done, i will also do the match passes next season as they're much cheaper over the season.

 

[hangzhoublade]

Thanks for the info, I used it on and off last season. Did they ever get around to adding commentary? That would be a game changer for me

 

[SwissBlade]

Thanks for the info, I used it on and off last season. Did they ever get around to adding commentary? That would be a game changer for me

Nope. It just got more expensive with each TV game which was blacked out

 

[Pierre's PC]

Nope. It just got more expensive with each TV game which was blacked out

It'll be interesting to see if we are on sky as much this coming season. It almost made ifollow redundant with the amount of games shown live last season.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

I never knew that single match passes were available - any information as to the procedure much appreciated.

When replying , please take into account that I would be using an iPad and that using the tv remote control is in the upper limits of my technical ability .

 

[SwissBlade]

I never knew that single match passes were available - any information as to the procedure much appreciated.

When replying , please take into account that I would be using an iPad and that using the tv remote control is in the upper limits of my technical ability .

I’ll let you know once the new pricing is announced at the end of July

 

[SwissBlade]

It'll be interesting to see if we are on sky as much this coming season. It almost made ifollow redundant with the amount of games shown live last season.

Yeah and this is the issue - we just don’t know how often we’ll be on.

Do we know how many times the below average below mid-table sides like Leeds, pigs and forest were on last season?

 

[S5Blade]

I will be renewing. It's still excellent value even if we are on sky a few times, made the world of difference to be able to watch every single game.

Wish the club would pull it's finger out and get commentary sorted

 

[originaltrueblade]

There is software that can tell them if you are using a vpn (not all vpn’s because some paid for services can cloak against being detected as a vpn) They will only know your log on details. A vpn encrypts from your device to your isp all your data and even your isp does not know what your data is or indeed if it’s you. You can also choose your location(country) you want to be at.
From their updated T&C’s it is obvious they now have that detection software.
Ifollow because you logged on using email and password which is personal to just you and if a vpn is detected they will then ban that email and password from future logging on and they would not have to refund you if stated in their T&C’s.
Using a vpn is not illegal therefore that would be as far as it would go but you could be seriously out of pocket. Hope this helps

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

I’ll let you know once the new pricing is announced at the end of July

Ta.

 

[blade67]

I never knew that single match passes were available - any information as to the procedure much appreciated.

When replying , please take into account that I would be using an iPad and that using the tv remote control is in the upper limits of my technical ability .

I used the single game a few times last season when travelling with work

I set up an account about an hour before the game, and then when I went to the match day centre and was abroad I could select either listen or watch .

If you click on watch you have to buy a pass which cost about €5 or $6 depending on where you are watching from.

You could then just login and click watch now when the game came on

I had an issue with one game (burton away I think) but I just think that was the quality of the service generally.

I understand the function works just the same via a VPN if you are UK based but maybe not next year by the sounds of it

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

I used the single game a few times last season when travelling with work

I set up an account about an hour before the game, and then when I went to the match day centre and was abroad I could select either listen or watch .

If you click on watch you have to buy a pass which cost about €5 or $6 depending on where you are watching from.

You could then just login and click watch now when the game came on

I had an issue with one game (burton away I think) but I just think that was the quality of the service generally.

I understand the function works just the same via a VPN if you are UK based but maybe not next year by the sounds of it

Thanks for that.

I had an annual account just for listening - do you think that would compromise my ability to set up a separate account to watch individual games.?

I had assumed that the facility you describe can be obtained without a VPN and you seem to confirm that.

 

[Scott Blade]

I had assumed that the facility you describe can be obtained without a VPN and you seem to confirm that.

There is no live video if in the UK whether season pass or match pass. That is restricted to people connecting from an overseas connection

To add to some of the responses above, there is definitely nothing illegal about using a VPN in itself (obviously you could be doing something illegal whilst connected via a VPN but that applies with or without the VPN). In fact you could have an iFollow user who is legitimately overseas but uses a VPN for other reasons than trying to hide their location (e.g. could be that they are on an unsecure network in a hotel or other public place and wish to encrypt their traffic for security reasons). iFollow also wouldn't like that even though the user is within an allowed location and doing nothing wrong other than breaking the iFollow terms by using the VPN. So as somebody said above, nobody would end up in trouble with the law but could find themselves being banned from the service and having a hard time trying to claim a refund (although I guess if doing it match by match then less to be lost than a season pass)

There is nothing to say anything will be any different to last season but the updated terms do suggest they are covering themselves should they wish to ban anybody (whether they actually would is unknown as there is an argument for saying they may actually prefer the additional revenue of "unofficial" users to no revenue at all)

As bladesmanluke says above the idea of a VPN is that iFollow shouldn't even know one was being used. However, as with Netflix and other location locked services, they typically get to know the in use IP ranges from VPN providers and block those en masse. I've no personal experience of any of this and never even used Netflix myself but from what I read it's a constant cat and mouse game

Would be much easier if a sensible local region streaming solution could be arrived at (e.g. away match "season tickets", midweek matches, matches over a certain distance away etc or take a look at what other sports/countries are doing). Reviewing excessive ticket prices for away fans would go a long way to avoiding worries about impacts on attendances (I've never missed a game at the lane or an away I would have otherwise attended just because the match was on Sky for example). In this day and age, if people want to stream it they will find a way so may aswell embrace it and get some revenue for clubs, the EFL etc with something above board. The new Sky midweek streaming from next season suggests things will go that way anyway given time

 

[Northyorksblade]

It'll be interesting to see if we are on sky as much this coming season. It almost made ifollow redundant with the amount of games shown live last season.

Now Leeds are goung to be world beaters with their new manager, they will be on every week.

 

[Jon Bon II]

Anyone know of a VPN that can make my missus think I'm in the garden mending the fence, painting the spare room or out walking the dog while I'm actually at the match?

 

[blade67]

Thanks for that.

I had an annual account just for listening - do you think that would compromise my ability to set up a separate account to watch individual games.?

I had assumed that the facility you describe can be obtained without a VPN and you seem to confirm that.

I actually set up a new account to watch the games as well as also having an audio account. I just created a new Hotmail account and linked it to that. I seem to remember that it didn't like me upgrading my original account, but that was probably just my lack of techie knowledge and I was in a hurry.

The games I watched from outside the UK I didn't need a VPN.

I understand however that if you try to watch games from within the UK it will not let you select the watch option. I understand that you would then need a VPN and would be charged the fee in the currency of the location you select.

On this thread, it implies that next season might be more difficult to use a VPN. I hope that helps

 

[Mad Mick]

I wonder if smart DNS would work?

 

[wadblade]

if i use a relative who lives in canada to subscribe
is it possible to watch a match using a vpn that says i am in Canada

 

[Mad Mick]

Don't think that makes any difference. I subscribed in Portugal, but watched in UK with VPN. I assume one they know you are using a VPN they will block you.