eL Moves Down in the Pecking Order

**Bald Student** · 11/01/2005, 2:30 PM

Setanta moves into schools rugby
Gavin Cummiskey

Setanta Sports chief executive Niall Cogley has confirmed the new sports channel will televise Leinster Schools Cup matches from Donnybrook this year - starting with delayed coverage of the Clongowes Wood College and St Michael's College first round tie on January 31st.

The plan is to go live for the senior semi-finals - on February 28th and March 1st - and the St Patrick's Day final at Lansdowne Road, with all other matches to be screened in evening slots of 7 p.m. and 10.30 p.m.

At least 20 games, including Junior Cup matches at Donnybrook and, it's hoped, the penultimate stages of the Munster Schools Cup will also be shown.

Representatives from the Leinster Branch meet with Cogley today and the topic will be on the agenda at tomorrow evening's Branch meeting.

"We hope a certain level of interest will be generated," said Cogley. "Considering the cost, it is being done more as a service rather than a scoop so we will be following the requests of the branch."

The move brings an even brighter spotlight on to the Leinster Schools Cup, which requires, as one rugby correspondent once described, a small forest to be cut down to accommodate the print coverage.

Now, not even the boss with no comprehension of the competitions tradition can deny the 'old boys' a chance to view the drama unfolding as delayed screening times will allow those unable to attend, due to work commitments, to see the matches.

With outside broadcast units costing anything from €15,000 to €40,000, all the transmissions will be confined to Donnybrook. The Ulster Schools Cup is not being approached as BBC traditionally screens that final on March 17th anyway.

The regular Celtic League commentators will be available, but Cogley is keen for any input from the participating schools themselves.

"It will be predominantly watched by schoolboys so we are hoping to get the schoolboys involved - whether this be the introduction of teams or whatever."

Setanta sports is officially launched next month, but their seven-day a week viewing starts in the coming days running from 5 p.m. to midnight, Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to midnight at the weekend.

Setanta will be developing a rugby slot on Tuesday nights that will include Celtic League repeats and highlights, along with action from the French championship, where Irish internationals Trevor Brennan (Toulouse) and Mick O'Driscoll (Perpignan) currently earn a crust. A live French game will be aired each weekend.

This Saturday, Premiership leaders Chelsea's match against Tottenham at White Hart Lane will be shown live (3 p.m.), as will Celtic's SPL clash against Aberdeen and Juventus' Serie A tie with Cagliari. Setanta will also broadcast live coverage of this season's Formula One action.

© The Irish Times

**dcfcsteve** · 11/01/2005, 2:45 PM

It's staggering how much media coverage/support a provincial schoolboy rugby competition can generate in this country.

Two key things I've taken out of that. First is Setanta saying that they're doing it primarily as a service (although I'm sure they'll attract some healthy ABC1-targetted advertising in the slots during and around the games). Second, is that they are in discussions/meetings with the Leinster Rugby Board about all of this.

Which leads me to ask 2 questions : Why no coverage of the EL as "a service", if they're prepared to do it for other fringe sporting activities like provincial school rugby competitions ? And more importantly - have the FAI asked to meet with Setanta to discuss maximising the channel's plans for covering the Eircom League ? I seriously doubt it. A willingness to learn from other organisation's positive ideas is rare enough down at Merrion Square, let alone showing independent initiative.

Staggering that a group of spotty provincial schoolkids get so much rugby coverage, whilst the national domestic soccer league appears to be getting little beyond the Setanta cup.

**OneRedArmy** · 11/01/2005, 2:46 PM

I don't know if this indicates that "el moves down the pecking order" as your title implies.

If Setanta, by showing EL and Setanta Cup matches, are showing more domestic soccer than the terrestrial stations currently do, then surely this is a good thing, regardless of whether or not they also show 30 well off kids egg-chasing around Dublin 4.

**dcfcsteve** · 11/01/2005, 2:46 PM

Any channel number confirmed for the Setanta free channel yet, btw ?

**jimhacker** · 11/01/2005, 2:51 PM

I would wait until after the Setanta Cup to pass judgement on this outfit.

If they want to cover the schools rugby then good luck to them - I'd say it was an opportunity well spotted by both sides. Remember the Leinster final can attract crowds of 20000+.

**patsh** · 11/01/2005, 2:59 PM

Originally Posted by jimhacker

crowds of 20000+.

20,000+ of the tax dodging, right wing, PD voting looneys of the future all in one spot?

Seems like too good an opportunity to miss.......

**Ruairi** · 11/01/2005, 3:02 PM

schools rugby? and setanta have the cheek to ask for a tenner a month on top of your existing sky bill for the "privilege"? balls to that i say

**KR's Post** · 11/01/2005, 3:03 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

Any channel number confirmed for the Setanta free channel yet, btw ?

The old nickelodeon channel i think it's on!!! open to disagreement here

**Macy** · 11/01/2005, 3:04 PM

Cogley is a well known rugger bugger, no surprise that the schools get coverage, surprised he isn't giving the AIL coverage like he did when he was head of RTE sport.

Having said that, they need to fill their midweek schedule, and they must be making money from advertisers/subscribers to pay for it (I don't buy the "service" line) I also don't buy the OB costs - the figure I've heard before is €4000 a match for football (from when TG4 were thinking of giving the eL coverage).

**Bald Student** · 11/01/2005, 3:08 PM

I think that I agree with DCFCSteve on this. It looks like the IRFU have done a deal with Setanta. I think that this puts it up to the FAI or the League to do a similar deal. The channel is going 7 days a week soon. It should have plenty of space to fill.

**eoinh** · 11/01/2005, 3:17 PM

"We hope a certain level of interest will be generated," said Cogley. "Considering the cost, it is being done more as a service rather than a scoop so we will be following the requests of the branch."

This from a commercial company. Remember its not RTE. Cogley was not involved in setting up the Setanta Cup as he was still in RTE at the time. Thankfully.
Unreal.

Between him and his father they have spend about 40 years promoting rugby at all costs. I remember when they would have live coverage of the All-Ireland league on TV every week when there was about two men and a dog at the match.

**A face** · 11/01/2005, 3:24 PM

Originally Posted by eoinh

This from a commercial company. Remember its not RTE. Cogley was not involved in setting up the Setanta Cup as he was still in RTE at the time. Thankfully.

But all this was said when he got the position .... i seem to remember that people were jumping for joy when he was from RTE and it all stopped soon afterwards when he got the Setanta one.

At least it wasn't a suprise anyway .... we always knew he would blindly follow the rugby. what is suprising is that as you said it is not RTE and why exactly are they "providing a service" when they are a commercial company ... sounds a bit fishy to me to be honest.

**Schumi** · 11/01/2005, 3:29 PM

Originally Posted by patsh

20,000+ ... PD voting

Something wrong here.

**wws** · 11/01/2005, 3:36 PM

we've got to LEARN from other sports!
I reckon we should get the captain of the winning cup team - or Barry Ferguson as he's now known - to be presented the cup by his mammy

that will spark a bit of interest from those fat cat south dubs in Setanta!

**pete** · 11/01/2005, 5:18 PM

Setanta already have the Celtic League so suppose it ties in Schools Rugby. I'd be surprsied if they paying anything for the rights to show these matches as no competition from them now.

Setanta need to fill their schedule with sport so i think we'll continue to see them snapping up all kinds of irish & foreign sports.

I'd be surprsied if Setanta don't show most of the irish teams in europe this year as they have an open schedule whereas RTE have to move some soap to accomadate.

**Slash/ED** · 11/01/2005, 5:40 PM

Have Setanta not already confirmed that A) They'll broadcast 10 setanta cup matches and B) Are hopeing to broadcast a similar amount of EL matches as well as other EL related show(s)? If that turns out to be true they can show whatever else they like.