Bad News For The Setanta Cup

**el punter** · 05/05/2006, 5:03 PM

SETANTA BREAK SKY MONOPOLY

By Martyn Ziegler, PA Chief Sports Reporter

BSkyB's monopoly on screening live Premier League football has been broken with Setanta winning two of the six packages available.

The Irish pay TV operator had been expected to win one package of 23 matches but has pulled off a shock by winning two.

It means from 2007 to 2010, BSkyB will show 92 of the live matches and Setanta 46 live games.

Under a deal struck by the league with the European Commission, Sky had been limited to a maximum of five packages and after being awarded the first three a week ago, and been widely expected to win two more today.

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Not really a good sign to see Setanta's attention shifting to the Premiership. Hopefully it's part of a strategy that won't hamper the budgets for Eircom League and Setanta Cup coverage...but I doubt it

**BohDiddley** · 05/05/2006, 5:25 PM

Originally Posted by BohsBohsBohs

Maybe this is a good, if not a great thing for the EL.

Agreed. It's not as if there's going to be any more promotion of the EPL or if there were it would make any difference. I reckon it's at saturation as it is, and this is a carve-up of existing spoils rather than expansion.
Almost by doing nothing, EL increasingly is being positioned as a credible and tangible alternative to Sky-hype, and this could add to that trend.

**el punter** · 05/05/2006, 5:25 PM

Setanta's entire raison d'etre was about promoting Irish sports (originally to ex-pats). The drift to the predictable mainstreamism of the Premiership reminds of how FM104 nobly started out as Rock 104 before they discovered that there's not enough lucre in niche markets.

But filling up the remainder of the glass...I hope to ClassicHits98FM I'm wrong

It's alright for you Bohs lads on the gravy train - I'm alright Jack

**Poor Student** · 05/05/2006, 6:03 PM

I meant to post this before. Setanta also extended and expanded their SPL deal. They want to show two matches a week. One Edinburgh side and one Old Firm side. I think the plan is to keep the usual Sunday slot and add in a Friday slot. That above all could have added implications for the eL.

**Speranza** · 05/05/2006, 6:14 PM

Listen to the latest edition of DCFConlines webcast for Setanta's outlook on Eircom League and Setanta Cup. The representative (Tim Toumey) seemed very upbeat and talked about ways to increase the crowds at domestic games through Setanta's publicity.

**anto eile** · 05/05/2006, 6:52 PM

what a hysterical title
this isnt bad news for the setanta cup
relax

**el punter** · 05/05/2006, 6:58 PM

Originally Posted by anto eile

what a hysterical title
this isnt bad news for the setanta cup
relax

There was supposed to be a question mark in it, but I couldn't go back to edit the title

....yeah it's a bit heavy handed like that. But probably no more so than calling it hysterical

Hysterical is.....OH MY GOD IRISH FOOTBALL IS DESTROYED FOREVER BECAUSE SETANTA ARE SHOWING PREMIERSHIP GAMES!!!!!

**pete** · 05/05/2006, 7:57 PM

SETANTA PREMIERSHIP PACKAGES (23 per package)
Package C: minimum of 12 matches at 2000 on Monday, the rest either at 1330 on Sunday or 1715 on Saturday or other times
Package D: minimum of 18 matches at 1715 on Saturday, the rest either at 1330 on Sunday, 2000 on Monday or other times

Sky are largely keeping their Sunday afternoon & saturday lunchtime games. Will be huge dent to Sky Sports as they will now have only total of 92 games when they currently have 88 non pay per view.

Setanta are paying �2.8m per game so will need some retrun on investment. Will be interesting to see how they price themselves against Sky to convince people to drop Sky Sports & just have Setanta.

It really depends on what nights the games are to be played as would appear Mondays not an option now. Would Setanta move Celtic Rugby away from fridays to accomodate the eL?

**A face** · 05/05/2006, 8:29 PM

There is no way around it ... the league have to take the bull by the horns and control of what they can command. They need to put their own package together and sell it all or nothing.

It is the FAI who are not using their leverage to change this situation ... and all the while they dont do this, they are failing Irish football. We are replying on this organisation to work in our interests, we shouldn't even be debating this like ... these guys should be on top of this situation ages ago.

When are they going to take the finger out ??

**pineapple stu** · 05/05/2006, 11:41 PM

Don't forget Setanta already show live Premiership football anyway. OK, they're showing more now, but it's not a new development and they've still kept the eL focus as well.

**el punter** · 05/05/2006, 11:47 PM

Does anyone know how much they are paying for EL coverage?

**pineapple stu** · 05/05/2006, 11:49 PM

E5,000 per match to the home team anyway. Prize money for the league went up from E80,000 (I think) to E400,000 when the deal with RT�, TG4 and Setanta was reached, which all came from TV money, I think.

**el punter** · 06/05/2006, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

E5,000 per match to the home team anyway. Prize money for the league went up from E80,000 (I think) to E400,000 when the deal with RT�, TG4 and Setanta was reached, which all came from TV money, I think.

Cheers Stu, nearly makes the Kevin Doyle deal look good

**A face** · 06/05/2006, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by el punter

Cheers Stu, nearly makes the Kevin Doyle deal look good

Aint that the truth !!

**CollegeTillIDie** · 06/05/2006, 9:58 AM

€ 5,000 a game! How many punters on the gate does that add up to? and would it cover the lost punters who decide to become couch potatoes and watch an EL game at home instead?

**R�iteoir** · 06/05/2006, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

� 5,000 a game! How many punters on the gate does that add up to? and would it cover the lost punters who decide to become couch potatoes and watch an EL game at home instead?

Equates to just over 330 people paying in �15 to a game

**pete** · 06/05/2006, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

E5,000 per match to the home team anyway. Prize money for the league went up from E80,000 (I think) to E400,000 when the deal with RT�, TG4 and Setanta was reached, which all came from TV money, I think.

But approx 23 FAI Cup & League games are shown live which equates to around 17k per game. I think the 5k is possibly in addition to that as isn't part of the leagues prize money. The away team gets a few quid too so i'd say 25k per game.

Setanta pay 333k euro per SPL game in new deal & 5.6m euro for the english Premiership.

**higgins** · 06/05/2006, 12:41 PM

You all know the deal struck by Setanta is only for the UK ?

It has no effect on what we see here in Ireland.

**A face** · 06/05/2006, 1:35 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Setanta pay 333k euro per SPL game in new deal & 5.6m euro for the english Premiership.

And with the league shooting itself in the foot on this one, we are really up against it. Am i wrong here ..... i would have thought this is what the leagues administration should be doing first seeing as it is a source of cash flow.

Man ... they are seriously getting away with murder !!