The Union of European Football Associations (Uefa) has turned down GMM Grammy's request to allow TrueVisions gain access to the signal of the Euro 2012 football matches, Grammy chief financial officer Premon Pinskul said on Wednesday.
In a letter to Grammy Sport managing director Kobkiat Sangwanich, Uefa's media rights manager Ian Wilson explained that the sub-licensing request had come too late since the tournament was already well underway.
Pay-television operator TrueVisions cannot transmit any Euro 2012 programmes because it is not owned by or affiliated with Grammy, the letter said.
"TrueVisions had an earlier opportunity to acquire Uefa Euro 2012 rights from Uefa directly. Furthermore GMM Grammy deliver greater free-TV exposure in Thailand through the sub-licensing of rights to free-TV (terrestrial analog-signal) channels 3, 5 and 9 and we are very happy with this free to air broadcast platform."
Uefa also did not see the rationale or merit of extending the sub-licensing rights to TrueVisions since it remains a pay-TV operator even though it broadcasts free-TV channels, the letter said.
After Uefa's decision was announced, TrueVisions immediately issued an apology to its subcribers on their website and TV channels for not being able to broadcast one of the world's most popular football tournaments.
To compensate all the subscribers, TrueVisions has upgraded its service between June 10 and July 11, 2012. Those with a Platinum package are entitled to the 9-channel A La Carte package, the Gold Package to the Platinum Package, and those with other packages can access True Sports channel.
Meanwhile, some people have figured out alternative ways to view the Euro 2012 games even though they do not own Grammy's own set-top boxes, which cost 1,590 baht each, or conventional antennae to satellite dishes.
A video clip below, uploaded to YouTube by itsadasirijinda, shows a person connecting a smart phone charger into a TV input in order to watch a football match. Wire clothes hangers or metal forks can also be used as homemade TV antennae.