Premiership LIVE on RTE...!

spockety

You read it here first, or I'll eat my hat.....

LIVE PREMIERSHIP SOCCER ON RTÉ FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS

RTÉ and Setanta Sport today announced the successful
conclusion of a deal with the FA Premier League, which
will see live Premiership soccer on RTÉ for the next
three seasons. After an absence of several years on
terrestrial television, RTÉ viewers will be able to see
approximately fifteen live Premiership matches each
season, beginning in 2004/05. The live games will
feature on Saturday afternoons, with a three o’clock
kick-off.

Setanta Sport have also secured the rights to screen
approximately fifteen live matches each season on pay-
per-view. These matches will feature on the Saturday
afternoons when RTÉ is not broadcasting a live game.

The deal also means that RTÉ’s highly successful The
Premiership highlights programme, presented by Bill
O’Herlihy, will continue in its current format for the
next three seasons.

Niall Cogley, RTÉ Head of Sport, said, "We’re very
pleased to be able to announce this deal which offers
our viewers a real choice and consolidates the quality
soccer programming already available on RTÉ. No other
broadcaster in these islands will be providing live
Premiership coverage on free to air television, and
we’re delighted to be able to deliver at a time when
top-level soccer has never been more popular. Along
with our coverage of the Champions League, Scottish
Premier League, international and domestic soccer, I
think this makes RTÉ Television’s service for fans of
the game second to none."

eirebhoy

No i didn't I read it here first. Only joking, thanks for the info but I wish Sky got the deal because they would have showed all the matches on Sky Sports rather than half on PPV.

Go Figure!

Well Eireboy I think the vast majority of fans will disagree with you and will be delighted to have Premiership football back on free-to-air television after an absence of twelve years. Most of us I think thought this would never happen again.

spockety

I can't for the life of me understand why you would say you wanted Sky to get those matches?
Sky already have sewn up three packages for those seasons, adding up to over 90 matches.

Did you read the thing? FREE PREMIERSHIP FOOTBALL. All you need is a TV, and an aerial.
Tell me where you can get that with Sky?

Go Figure!

I couldn't agree with you more Spockety!

spockety

Oh, and by the way, Sky couldn't have even got this deal because you are not allowed to broadcast soccer matches in the UK that are on at 3pm on a Saturday. It's against a law that was brought in donkeys years ago, designed to encourage the public to go to footie on a Saturday afternoon rather than sit at home watching it on TV.

Go Figure!

Well that's not strictly true Spockety. Although Sky could never have shown these games in Britain they could have shown them here if they had set up an Irish frequency which would have only been available here as they are going to do with Sky News in the New Year. Anyway thank god that's not going to happen!

Mossy Monk

Originally posted by spockety
All you need is a TV, and an aerial

lets not forget the tv license but you will need a Sky box for the other 15 (assuming Setanta isnt on cable)

Sky could have quite easily opted out of UK programming especially for Ireland so it would have been possible

Go Figure!

Mossy Monk you would have to pay the TV license anyway and at least this way you are getting fifteen premiership games that anyone can watch wherever they are for no extra cost. RTE probably couldn't afford to buy the full package of games!

Elmo

I don't think that it is appropriate use of the licence fee on British Soccer.

Why aren't we developing the National Game??

But then Soccer is all about money and greed.

spockety

The deal about soccer does not take away anything from the GAA coverage.. RTE already show shedloads of GAA..

Go Figure!

Spockety, I think Elmo was talking about Eircom League soccer. I think he has a point on that subject but I think RTE were still correct in bidding for the Premiership rights!

Elmo

Yes I was talking about Irish Soccer.

For that matter

Irish Rugby
Irish Basketball
Irish Handball
Irish sport in general

I say this I dont watch sport.:rolleyes:

Look at the coverage TG4 have for GAA league and other sports. Thats what we need on RTE and TV3, if they and the sporting orginisations in this country where interested..

But they all have it in there heads that Rupert Mudock's way is the best way forward, when we continually go futher back.

GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED €€€€€€€€€€€€€€

byte

Considering the amount of Irish sports that aren't broadcasted and probably should be, I think a dedicated Irish Sports channel would be a good idea.

There would be little to stop RTÉ having an RTÉ Sport Channel on Sky. Or possibly time-shared with current affairs/news so eg 9am to 9pm Sport and 9pm-9am News etc.

Of course, putting cameras in all these extra sports activities would probably make it too expensive to consider?

The Muppet

But they all have it in there heads that Rupert Mudock's way is the best way forward, when we continually go futher back.

This did nothe bother the FAI when they sold the rights to the National Team to Murdochs empire. Why do they not sell the rights of the Eircom League to them?

Elmo

Why do they not sell the rights of the Eircom League to them?

RTE don't really want them
TV3 don't really want them
TG4 might
SKY certainly don't

Is that reason enough

anyway Soccer and TV in this country is full of Greed and neither are making money.

5,000,000 for 15 matches ****ing ridiculus.

Do RTE plan to make 5,000,000 back with this investment?

spockety

RTE WILL make 5m back on it.. otherwise they wouldn't have bought it. Talk about premium ad space!

DMC

Um, where did you get the 5 million from, Elmo?

Gwynston

Originally posted by Elmo
I don't think that it is appropriate use of the licence fee on British Soccer. Why aren't we developing the National Game?? But then Soccer is all about money and greed.

Elmo, it is not RTE's responsibility to use license fees to promote Irish Soccer. Their responsibility is to broadcast what people want to watch. It's not just a question of greed, although undoubtedly it is in their interest to broadcast stuff that will make them money - that's no different to any business. More people are going to want to watch The Premiership than the Eircom League. It's as simple as that.

Elmo

If the eircom league was shown on the TV, people would watch.

While it is not the responsible of RTE to get viewers for The Eircom League (Or to Develope it). It is the Responsiblity of the FAI who do not show any interest in doing so.

But to waste money on a foreign game before supporting a national game is crap.

With the amount of sport on all channels (Which if everyone wants can get, if the want), RTE should support Irish Sport as they are the National Broadcaster OF IRELAND.

5,000,000 for 3 YEARS I beleive from the INDO.

It's not just a question of greed

Soccer is completely and absolutely about GREED, it is prehaps the only interesting thing about Soccer. The FAI are Greedy, that is why they have no facilities, because they are willing to take money from Sky and British Soccer Teams.

Mossy Monk

Originally posted by Elmo
Soccer is completely and absolutely about GREED, it is prehaps the only interesting thing about Soccer

there lies your problem with this deal. after reading that you obviously have no interest in soccer

there are license payers who do and welcome this deal

Elmo

there lies your problem with this deal. after reading that you obviously have no interest in soccer

Yeah have you not read my post in the soccer thread.

But you have to see that there are many, if not most people in soccer who are just greedy.

Mossy Monk

yes greed does seem to be a driving force behind the game, what with the high wages, what Sky pay for rights but RTÉ as a PSB have to provide for everyone who pays a television license