Slash/ED
07/08/2004, 9:20 PM
Read this report on the Setanta cup and I found the bit in bold very interesting...
FAI tune in for new deal with Setanta
THE FAI is hoping to further strengthen its relationship with Setanta Sports following yesterday's announcement of a four-year deal with the new Irish sports channel for a competition between teams from both sides of the border.
The association are currently negotiating an agreement which could see Setanta covering up to 10 Eircom League matches 'live' every season, and they are also hoping to develop a range of promotional programmes, like the now defunct 'Soccer Show,' for broadcast on the station.
There was much back-slapping in Dublin's Fitzwilliam Hotel when representatives of the FAI and IFA gathered for the announcement of the new tournament which will give the game on both sides of the border a massive cash injection.
Setanta will provide €1.6m in sponsorship over a four-year period, with £1.3m of it to be used as prize money and the rest for marketing.
The Setanta Cup will feature the champions and runners-up from the premier division north and south of the border, plus the respective cup winners.
The long-term plan is to extend the competition to Wales and Scotland, so that it becomes a football version of rugby's Celtic League.
The tournament will consist of two three-team groups, which will be mixed, with the winners of each group advancing to the final. Setanta will have 13 cameras at each game and have committed themselves to broadcasting 10 of the 13 games 'live'.
By the time it commences, Setanta reckon that their channel will be available in almost 750,000 homes throughout the island on the NTL, Sky and Chorus platforms.
While it will mean more games for the participating teams, Shelbourne manager Pat Fenlon believes that the Setanta Cup would be a tremendous addition to the football calendar. "It sounds like it will be a great tournament and I think everybody on both sides of the border will embrace it," he said.
The Setanta Cup will be the sixth all-Ireland football competition since the two associations went their separate ways in 1921 and the first since the demise of the Tyler Cup in 1981.
Setanta start broadcasting this weekend when they will show Aberdeen v Rangers and Celtic v Motherwell. They will show eight Scottish and English games 'live' over the next three weeks.
Gerry McDermott
Sounds like excellent news, 10 league matches a season and proper programmes covering the league beyond that. I really hope the FAI and Setanta manage to seal the deal hopefully in time for next season.
Also of interest is the long term plan for the Setanta cup is to include Welsh and Scottish teams. Presumebley the Scottish teams wouldn't include the Old Firm, but that still sounds like it could be a nice addition to the cup in the long run.
FAI tune in for new deal with Setanta
THE FAI is hoping to further strengthen its relationship with Setanta Sports following yesterday's announcement of a four-year deal with the new Irish sports channel for a competition between teams from both sides of the border.
The association are currently negotiating an agreement which could see Setanta covering up to 10 Eircom League matches 'live' every season, and they are also hoping to develop a range of promotional programmes, like the now defunct 'Soccer Show,' for broadcast on the station.
There was much back-slapping in Dublin's Fitzwilliam Hotel when representatives of the FAI and IFA gathered for the announcement of the new tournament which will give the game on both sides of the border a massive cash injection.
Setanta will provide €1.6m in sponsorship over a four-year period, with £1.3m of it to be used as prize money and the rest for marketing.
The Setanta Cup will feature the champions and runners-up from the premier division north and south of the border, plus the respective cup winners.
The long-term plan is to extend the competition to Wales and Scotland, so that it becomes a football version of rugby's Celtic League.
The tournament will consist of two three-team groups, which will be mixed, with the winners of each group advancing to the final. Setanta will have 13 cameras at each game and have committed themselves to broadcasting 10 of the 13 games 'live'.
By the time it commences, Setanta reckon that their channel will be available in almost 750,000 homes throughout the island on the NTL, Sky and Chorus platforms.
While it will mean more games for the participating teams, Shelbourne manager Pat Fenlon believes that the Setanta Cup would be a tremendous addition to the football calendar. "It sounds like it will be a great tournament and I think everybody on both sides of the border will embrace it," he said.
The Setanta Cup will be the sixth all-Ireland football competition since the two associations went their separate ways in 1921 and the first since the demise of the Tyler Cup in 1981.
Setanta start broadcasting this weekend when they will show Aberdeen v Rangers and Celtic v Motherwell. They will show eight Scottish and English games 'live' over the next three weeks.
Gerry McDermott
Sounds like excellent news, 10 league matches a season and proper programmes covering the league beyond that. I really hope the FAI and Setanta manage to seal the deal hopefully in time for next season.
Also of interest is the long term plan for the Setanta cup is to include Welsh and Scottish teams. Presumebley the Scottish teams wouldn't include the Old Firm, but that still sounds like it could be a nice addition to the cup in the long run.