Setanta Cup Coverage

**dcfcsteve** · 27/02/2007, 6:33 PM

A few regulars on the Derry City forum have emailed Setanta to complain about the lack of highlights last night from the non-televised games. It represents a reduction in their coverage levels versus previous years.

The idea is to do it in a positive way - rather than just have a moan at them.

Here's the address for Setanta in the Republic if anyone else in interested in following suit : setanta.irl@setanta.com

And here's the text of an email I sent them earlier, if anyone is looking for suggestions on what to put in a message :

Dear Sir/Madam,

I have been a subscriber to Setanta Sports since 2005. I originally subscribed to access the Setanta Sports Cup games, and that tournament and your live Eircome League games are the only reasons that I have remained a subscriber ever since.

I was therefore disappointed to note last night that the level of coverage being given to the 2007 Setanta Sports Cup appears to have reduced versus previous years. Usually you provide coverage of one game live in each series, combined with highlights/goals of the other games. Last night, however, there was no coverage at all from the 3 games other than the live televised one.

I would be grateful if you could clarify if this represents a new approach towards covering the Cup that will continue this season. Subscription to Setanta Sports is expensive as it is, considering I am only interested in the Irish soccer, so if that element of your coverage were to be reduced I would have to reconsider the benefit to me of subscribing to your channels any more.

Keep up the good work on the games that you are televising - and I hope you will return to providing highlight coverage of the other games as well.

Thanks for your help.

Best Regards,

**Peadar** · 27/02/2007, 9:31 PM

Even their coverage of the live game was rubbish!

**pete** · 28/02/2007, 10:32 AM

I have no idea if they intend to reduce level of coverage but I can guarantee you they will mention they showing more eL games live this season in the reply...

**dcfcsteve** · 28/02/2007, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by pete

I have no idea if they intend to reduce level of coverage but I can guarantee you they will mention they showing more eL games live this season in the reply...

Good news if they are.

But no harm in pushing them a bit on Setanta Cup coverage as well, and reminding them that there's people out there who only joined them for the Irish football.

We all moan about how we never get enough media coverage or how we have no influence as fans. Well here's a quick and easy opportunity to address both in a small way.

**Poor Student** · 28/02/2007, 10:47 AM

I moaned at them last year for showing too little of the IL teams and they gave me a detailed individually written reply. Being a subscriber based service they're more likely to care about complaints and suggestions especially when as Steve did, you mention your subscription is based on Irish football.

**Mark Breen** · 28/02/2007, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

A few regulars on the Derry City forum have emailed Setanta to complain about the lack of highlights last night from the non-televised games. It represents a reduction in their coverage levels versus previous years.

The idea is to do it in a positive way - rather than just have a moan at them.

Here's the address for Setanta in the Republic if anyone else in interested in following suit : setanta.irl@setanta.com

And here's the text of an email I sent them earlier, if anyone is looking for suggestions on what to put in a message :

Can you let us know if they respond to you. As i have NTL i receive Setanta Ireland as part if my NTL package so a lot of your letter does not really work for me, I will however send an e-mail questioning why the coverage is not up to there usual standards.

Cheers

**OneRedArmy** · 28/02/2007, 12:08 PM

They advertised their 10pm programme as a separate slot to the live match, rounding up the action on all the nights Setanta Cup games.

All they did was show the scores and interview the managers and a few players from the live game.

Fairly pathetic tbh.

Its crucial that a EL v IL final is engineered again this season to keep any level of interest (ideally involving Linfield).

**Darco Ooragnak** · 28/02/2007, 12:13 PM

Sent Setanta an email a while back asking for details of the coverage of the League, i was told they will be showing ten live games. I had also asked about any potential highlights programmes or if they could show highlights on the web, they said they would pass that query on to the relevant department.

**eirebhoy** · 28/02/2007, 12:27 PM

I actually think you get much more value for money with Setanta than you would with Sky Sports if you like your football. You should probably ring them though, or even write a letter.

**bluemovie** · 28/02/2007, 12:34 PM

The highlight of Monday night's coverage was the insightful post-match interview with Paul Doolin where he raised some very interesting points. The gist of it was:

"I think, to be fair, as I say - to be fair, as I say to be fair. I think as I say to be fair. As I say, I think to be fair. I think. As I say. To be fair".

**JW.** · 28/02/2007, 8:37 PM

Originally Posted by bluemovie

The highlight of Monday night's coverage was the insightful post-match interview with Paul Doolin where he raised some very interesting points. The gist of it was:

"I think, to be fair, as I say - to be fair, as I say to be fair. I think as I say to be fair. As I say, I think to be fair. I think. As I say. To be fair".

The points here are all valid. I assume when there are two games each night, they'll have highlights from the non-live one. The lack of live updates was poor as well. And they had two painfully long breaks in the last 25 minutes or so of the programme (for all that I never get tired of the Lifeline Hangover Defence ad).
It's fashionable these days to have a presenter who used to play the game etc but I've not seen two co-presenters who came from the football side. It was like good cop/bad cop at times. Jury out I think..

**Jerry The Saint** · 28/02/2007, 8:42 PM

Originally Posted by bluemovie

"I think, to be fair, as I say - to be fair, as I say to be fair. I think as I say to be fair. As I say, I think to be fair. I think. As I say. To be fair".

Well you can't say fairer than that.

**David** · 01/03/2007, 8:49 AM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Its crucial that a EL v IL final is engineered again this season to keep any level of interest (ideally involving Linfield).

They didn't engineer it too well for us with that draw.

**londonhoop** · 01/03/2007, 1:01 PM

Unbelievable.
Some people are never happy."There is not enough EL shown on TV","Noone cares about showing EL football" and then when a forward thinking company like setanta come along,sponsor and broadcast a tournament including teams from the north and south,what happens they get stick for it.
Unbelievable.

**JC_GUFC** · 01/03/2007, 1:51 PM

Originally Posted by JW.

And they had two painfully long breaks in the last 25 minutes or so of the programme (for all that I never get tired of the Lifeline Hangover Defence ad).

That's just a blatant copy of the Alcohol Killer ad. I dunno how they didn't sued over that.

At one stage I thought the programme was over the ads were so long!

**pete** · 01/03/2007, 2:13 PM

Originally Posted by londonhoop

...when a forward thinking company like setanta come along,sponsor and broadcast a tournament including teams from the north and south,what happens they get stick for it.
Unbelievable.

I believe it was mentioned above as "constructive criticism" & why complementing previous coverage querying why its been reduced.

**dcfcsteve** · 01/03/2007, 4:37 PM

Originally Posted by londonhoop

Unbelievable.
Some people are never happy."There is not enough EL shown on TV","Noone cares about showing EL football" and then when a forward thinking company like setanta come along,sponsor and broadcast a tournament including teams from the north and south,what happens they get stick for it.
Unbelievable.

Who's talking about giving them stick ???

**londonhoop** · 02/03/2007, 7:06 AM

If they do start showing the goals from different grounds in future broadcasts people will start moaning that they didnt dedicate enough after match coverage from the live game.
All im saying is be glad that we have another broadcaster other than rte,tv3,tg4 who is showing el and the setanta cup.

**Pablo Escobar** · 02/03/2007, 7:16 AM

Originally Posted by londonhoop

If they do start showing the goals from different grounds in future broadcasts people will start moaning that they didnt dedicate enough after match coverage from the live game.
All im saying is be glad that we have another broadcaster other than rte,tv3,tg4 who is showing el and the setanta cup.

People pay an extra fee for this channel!

**londonhoop** · 02/03/2007, 7:51 AM

Not if your on ntl you dont.
besides the point anyway.RTE is not "free" still have to pay for your tv license.Anyway the point im making is that no matter what they do they will be criticised.Like slagging off doolin and everyone else thay have on like dolan etc.
Its irish football, who do people want doing the commentary and analysis?Gray,tyler and keys??Dont blame setanta for irish football not having ex pro's who can hold conversations.