Setanta wins two premiership packages

**beautifulrock** · 05/05/2006, 8:29 PM

interesting to say the least. Not sure it will mean anyone paying less indeed more likely more.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4975632.stm

**Junior** · 06/05/2006, 7:13 PM

Thats the worrying thing.

In the UK, you pay for a Sky Sports package (the cost is unlikely to go down now, despite them having less EPL games). You also pay for Setanta TV, this will more than likely increase now because of the extra EPL games they have.

Setanta coverage isn't great at present but hopefully should improve all at expense to the consumer no doubt.

**eirebhoy** · 06/05/2006, 8:52 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

despite them having less EPL games

They'll actually have 4 more games in 07/08 than any previous season. Prem+ will be scrapped.

Live Premiership matches on Sky Sports:

1992/3-96/97 60 per season
1997/8-2000/1 66 per season
2001/2-2003/4 66 per season
2004/5-2006/7 88 per season
2007/8-2009/10 92 per season

**Junior** · 06/05/2006, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

They'll actually have 4 more games in 07/08 than any previous season. Prem+ will be scrapped.

Live Premiership matches on Sky Sports:

1992/3-96/97 60 per season
1997/8-2000/1 66 per season
2001/2-2003/4 66 per season
2004/5-2006/7 88 per season
2007/8-2009/10 92 per season

So they will have less overall, but more on the subscription sky sports channels?

I thought the purpose of all this was to share the games out amongst more tv service providers? In summary is it just that the numer of games shown on prem+ are now shown on setanta? Obviously I know the criteria is more specific but in terms of numbers of games?

**pete** · 07/05/2006, 9:27 AM

I think this may lead to a decrease in the interest in the Premiership which can only be a good thing as it dominates all media far too much.

**beautifulrock** · 07/05/2006, 10:55 AM

This year Sky areshowing 88 games on Sky Sports plus 50 on Prem Plus. How it pans out is difficult to say but a splitting of the package can I imagine, as PEte says , mean a drop off in interest. Interestingly package number 7 is up for grabs this week. This includes the highlights and the games on Saturday at 3.00pm shared by RTE and Setanta. Will RTE lose out?

**eirebhoy** · 07/05/2006, 12:20 PM

According to a few on boards.ie, these are only the UK rights. The 6 packages have yet to be sold in Ireland. For all we know, Sky or Setanta (or even RTE) could win all 6. If Sky have the rights for 4pm matches in the UK but Setanta win the rights for 4pm matches in Ireland, there'll most likely be another programme shown on Sky for the Irish viewers at that time.

I could be wrong but that's what I'm getting from this:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...4851007&page=3

"actually setanta nor sky have won the irish rights yet. so as of now those matches will not be on setanta ireland. they have to bid seperately for the irish rights to all six packages. Scudamore said that yesterday and setanta say they will not be available in ireland."

"The Premier League are trying to maximise their intake. If Setanta make a good bid for all the Irish rights... who knows... all games might be on Setanta, leaving Sky with a bit of a hole in their income. Ireland is highly profitable for Sky, and it would be very foolish if Sky drop the ball over here.

Maybe Setanta paid too much for the UK rights packages they got, and maybe content with what they have, with maybe the Saturday 3pm Ireland only rights.

Saturday 3pm rights are a uniquely Irish thing, in that Premier League and UEFA rules do not allow games to be shown on TV, when the majority of fixtures in the Premiership and Football League are played, so they can maximise turnstile receipts."

**pete** · 07/05/2006, 5:40 PM

Hopefully Setanta take sole ownership of the saturday 3pm rights. Its a waste of licence fee payers money & RTE might put to better use.

**beautifulrock** · 07/05/2006, 5:44 PM

How much did RTE pay for the 3.00pm games and how much advertising revenue have they generated from this. That is the key questions, otherwise how do you know it is wasted money

**pete** · 07/05/2006, 6:06 PM

Is it fair that RTE subsidises its commercial activities with licence fee money?

RTE had some very poor figures for those games. I remember one at 115,000.

Its like the CL games. Whats the point in outbidding another irish channel as people will still get to see the games.

**beautifulrock** · 07/05/2006, 7:07 PM

I dont doubt that RTE wastes money, lets see what happens with the next package.

**R�iteoir** · 07/05/2006, 7:25 PM

Been thinking about this last night - the good thing for us in the UK is that all the pubs who will get in Setanta to show the Premiership games should also receive Setanta Sports Ireland.

Meaning that they should be able to show any eL or Setanta Cup games live on Fridays and midweek evenings - when there aren't any Prem or FL games.

Might get a few new eL fans...

**Dodge** · 07/05/2006, 7:30 PM

Originally Posted by beautifulrock

I dont doubt that RTE wastes money

Well it obviously does as until recently was loss making cocmpany...

Setanta has the UK rights only (so far) Big move for them.

**holidaysong** · 09/05/2006, 1:14 AM

Originally Posted by R�iteoir

Meaning that they should be able to show any eL or Setanta Cup games live on Fridays and midweek evenings - when there aren't any Prem or FL games.

Might get a few new eL fans...

Damn those English fans who will neglect supporting their local team and jump on the eircom League glory hunting bandwagon. I will be quite irritated when I start to hear their English accents in the streets around our grounds...

**Aberdonian Stu** · 09/05/2006, 1:24 PM

From a practical perspective a shared package makes sense for RTE and Setanta as both have Saturdays where they either want or need show something other than the Premiership.

Obviously Setanta have far fewer of these than RTE but it suits them to split.