Setanta Sports in trouble

[Ipswich_Seagull]

Get it 'free' as I'm tied in to Virgin cable. Couldn't care less what happens to them. Long live MOTD, and the BBC and ITV covering matches that matter!

The sooner SKY lose their grip on football the better. Old debate, but, the big clubs are getting richer and the smaller clubs are getting poorer.

It is great to see so much talent in the Premier League but what sort of world are we living in when a club is prepared to pay £30M for Berbatov?

I have to add that this greed is killing the game.

Do sky really need the football league as well as the premiership? It's a monopoly that should be looked at.

 

[METALMICKY]

Hmmm Sounds like i may have to keep an eye on this situation. The extra football on Setanta is not the issue for me as there is quite enough on SKY to keep me happy. However, the only reason i subscribe is because its the only place i can watch the UFC which moved from BRAVO.

 

[Austrian Gull]

I understand where you're coming from - but the demise of Setanta is bad news in the long run.

One of the reasons that Sky can charge an absolute fortune in the first place is because they have no realistic competition - a situation that's been achieved in part through their programming, but every bit as much through very aggressive protection of their market dominance to destroy potential rivals.

Setanta's purchase of football rights was meant to be good for all of us by making the market more competitive. As a cut price alternative to Sky for those who can make do with one match a week, it appears to offer some choice but, in reality, not many people who are prepared to pay for football coverage will fancy the Saturday early evening games alone.

So it looks like we're back to square one, with Sky able to dictate TV prices almost unchallenged and, by extension, pretty much run the English game.

Hopefully, at some point a global company with real financial clout (such as ESPN) will get involved and fight for the rights on a more equal basis. Then, they might even get a couple of decent packages - rather than the 2 cast-offs (Sat eve/Mon eve) that Sky don't really want anyway, and are prepared to relinquish to keep the EC happy.

Hoorah, at last someone is talking sense on this!

 

[hitony]

Hoorah, at last someone is talking sense on this!

It is not just a case of talking sense, I think you will find most people who are against Setanta, are so because of very bad and costly experiences with them, my comments about them are definatly because of that.

There customer service department is just about non existant, maybe if they got there act together, everyone would be more positve towards them.

 

[The Oldman]

Cannot understand why Setanta did not have Pay per view for the England away games or FA Cup. I would have happily paid the odd few pounds to watch but do not want a monthly commitment or pay for sports I don't want to watch.

 

[Knotty]

Cannot understand why Setanta did not have Pay per view for the England away games or FA Cup. I would have happily paid the odd few pounds to watch but do not want a monthly commitment or pay for sports I don't want to watch.

A very sensible comment, although I think all England World Cup games should be free-to-air.

 

[Herne Hill Seagull]

Doubtless when they started Sky had exactly the same complaints from their (at the time) limited customer base as Setanta are attracting now, but for some reason Sky seem to escape the dislike that Setanta endure. Sky have become such a fixture that people seem to accept them and the football landscape which they have created, without too much complaint, and while I accept that they do what they do extremely well, they're a far bigger 'baddie' in that football landscape than Setanta are.

 

[Mileoakman]

It is not just a case of talking sense, I think you will find most people who are against Setanta, are so because of very bad and costly experiences with them, my comments about them are definatly because of that.

There customer service department is just about non existant, maybe if they got there act together, everyone would be more positve towards them.

Too true. I had a phone call a week ago from someone pleading with me to resubscribe. I took great delight in informing him that as I had wasted about 6 months of my life trying to get out of the last contract with them, rejoining Shitanta was unlikely to happen. They are a total waste of space, changing contract conditions without telling you and making it as difficult as possible to leave them when you want to. I sent dozens of e-mails and in the end had to send 3 recorded letters before they cancelled my contract. Even then they overcharged me by a month but by then I had lost the will to fight anymore. I hope they disappear without trace!!

 

[getreal1]

Good to see SHITANTA in trouble after the grief they caused me when trying to cancel thier pathetic channel

I thought they were a bit sharp with me too - never again.

 

[Austrian Gull]

It is not just a case of talking sense, I think you will find most people who are against Setanta, are so because of very bad and costly experiences with them, my comments about them are definatly because of that.

There customer service department is just about non existant, maybe if they got there act together, everyone would be more positve towards them.

From the comments on here it does sound like their customer services department is terrible but that was also the case with NTL, Nynex etc. This would be no reason for me to celebrate other competent people who work for Setanta potentially losing their jobs.

My comments were more aimed at Sky reclaiming their monopoly on sports - this will undoubtedly lead to less being available for the viewer and prices may well go up.

What little I've seen on Setanta wasn't all bad - Conference football, French & German leagues.

Although Sky's camerawork is the best, I loathe some of their presenters (Richard Keys mainly) and summarisers (Andy Gray).

 

[england2003]

Setanta

People don't seem to realise that the premier league is the strongest in europe pureley down to the relationship with sky

In Spain/Italy the individual teams go to the broadcasters and say 'how much'....obviously Barcelona/Real Madrid et al are paid considerabley more than getafe/almeira etc.......thus meaning the less popular clubs receive less funding...

In Prem league, the league go to sky and say how much as a total, this results as a situation where WBA are paid same amount as Man Utd!!!

Look at football rich lists and see how although there are continental clubs in top few positions (BArce/REal) the rest is made up of prem league due to TV deals....

Lesson of the tale is don't bite the hand that feeds!!!!

 

[trueblue]

People don't seem to realise that the premier league is the strongest in europe pureley down to the relationship with sky

In Spain/Italy the individual teams go to the broadcasters and say 'how much'....obviously Barcelona/Real Madrid et al are paid considerabley more than getafe/almeira etc.......thus meaning the less popular clubs receive less funding...

In Prem league, the league go to sky and say how much as a total, this results as a situation where WBA are paid same amount as Man Utd!!!

So what's that got to do with Sky? As you say yourself, it's the PREMIER LEAGUE that upholds 'collective bargaining', not Sky. Sky, I'm sure, would be delighted not to have to ever spend money showing a mid-table PL game again, let alone anything from the two lower divisions.

Incidentally, I think the EC would be very interested in your view that the PL goes to Sky and names the price! In fact, blind bids are made by the broadcasters and - assuming the highest bidder is considered able to fulfil the coverage criteria - the most money wins. For Sky to know the figures that would be acceptable in advance would be seriously anti-competitive.

 

[surrey jim]

Put football back onto normal TV, why should you have to pay to watch the nations game on TV

someone has to pay for Ronaldo's new Ferrari (and Betnley and Lambourghini and .....!!

 

[Fatboy Quim]

i have recently subscribed with the view of cancelling in a couple of months time. I'm worried now after hearing some of the stories on here.

Can anyone give me any tips on how to cancel without all the hassle. ta

 

[surrey jim]

i have recently subscribed with the view of cancelling in a couple of months time. I'm worried now after hearing some of the stories on here.

Can anyone give me any tips on how to cancel without all the hassle. ta

just cancel the direct debit with your bank

 

[Gritt23]

I love the Blue square premier coverage

It's only that package that would tempt me to Setanta.

 

[Mellotron]

It is great to see so much talent in the Premier League but what sort of world are we living in when a club is prepared to pay £30M for Berbatov?

Bizarre person to centre on. Guessing you didn't see his bring down and pass to Tevez for the second goal this week?

Guessing you didn't know he was leading assist maker in the PL for the first half of the season?

He's the closest we have to Bergkamp now he's retired. Berbatov is a class, class act.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

The latest rumour is that Setanta want to set up a deal with Sky similar to the one they have with Virgin. Could be that you will be able to add it to the sports pack at £x per month extra.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

I'll certainly miss the French and German football. I'm fed up with the IPL on Setanta when you've got two presenters who know absolutely nothing about the game of cricket, what happens to the coverage of NRL and AFL if Setanta go under? And Arsenal, Liverpool, Celtic and Rangers TV becaucse these do extremely well I'm told?

 

[NF9]

I'll certainly miss the French and German football. I'm fed up with the IPL on Setanta when you've got two presenters who know absolutely nothing about the game of cricket, what happens to the coverage of NRL and AFL if Setanta go under? And Arsenal, Liverpool, Celtic and Rangers TV becaucse these do extremely well I'm told?

I Agree the IPL Coverage is terrible at best
People like Darren gough just are not cut out for being on the big screen and also he actually wanted a certain team to win rather than being impartial as they are supposed to be
Sky should take IPL Off them IMO.