Irish TV and english football

nacho66 · 16-09-2009 10:23AM #1

Hi guys

I just needed to steam a bit of my frustration off. As all football fans (should) know, today is an Inter - Barca clash in the Champions League. Everyone should agree that no matter who you support, this is the most interesting game of the first week

I can understand that SkySports is an UK channel and they always gonna show 'english' games on open channels (yes, you can borwse through games on their digital box, a feature that NTL Ireland never wanted to bring over).
But what I don't understand is what the f*** is so interesting about Liege v Arsenal that Setanta Ireland shows, or (even worse) Liverpool v Debrecen that RTE chose to show.

Even taking into consideration the popularity of english teams here in Ireland, it doesn't mean that a non-english TV station should push broadcasts towards 'english' matches, which is almost always the case (same with TVe which showed Chelsea yesterday). In the end, everyone who want to see Liverpool will switch to SkySports as RTE commentary and analysis are poor (all of these old men, including Souness, have 'so good' tactics knowledge they should be coaching top european teams for a long time already xD ).

I'm living in Ireland over 3 years now, and it's really staggering how strongly irish press look towards UK football completely forgetting about (and very often even dishonoring ) other leagues in the world. (again, Souness is a top man in glorifying UK teams)

Champions league consists of 32 teams, but you can hardly find any information in newspaper about any other game except 'english' games. I can even remember how much text was used to cover England's preparations to the last World Cup... WTF? All irish football fans are always supporting against England... but it seems, if it comes to football, Ireland just belongs to UK

mike65 · 16-09-2009 10:28AM

Ooh ingratiating yourself early doors I see!

I agree that Inter/Barca is probably the game of the round and that it would indeed get a decent viewership and with ITV showing Liverpool game as well it makes little sense to replicate however most of the time its the ELP teams people want to see and thats just a facht.

Ed_ · 16-09-2009 10:34AM

It is all about ratings. Why would RTÉ or TV3 not show a Liverpool game? They may aswell start burning money.

If you are a big fan of European clubs then I am sure that you will probably have Sky and ESPN already. Problem solved.

nacho66 wrote: »

switch to SkySports as RTE commentary and analysis are poor

I have to disagree with you there. I musch prefer to watch RTÉ's analysis as it beats watching the watered down rubbish provided by UK pundits.

BaZmO* · 16-09-2009 10:38AM

Advertising Dear, Advertising.

RTE/Setanta make more money from Advertising when they show a match featuring one of the Big 4 English teams.

ANTIFA! · 16-09-2009 10:38AM

Nacho my friend RTE reflects the mindset of people in the country. Irish people aren't football fans, they are brainwashed by the English media, and RTE does well to ensure that the brainwashing ensues. Many of these are big thickos with no mind of their own.

Its the same every ****ing year. They show the same ****e matches no matter who is playing. An English club could be winning 16-0 from the first leg and RTE will talk the same ****e about same English club in second leg even though another tie is much more closely contested.

Dunphy, Souness etc... their punditry is boring. Its the same every year.
Giles brings up the same clichés every Champions League and is a crap pundit.
Dunphy will prob watch the Barca vs Inter game in fairness to him.

RTE you are a joke!!!!!

Mr. Presentable · 16-09-2009 10:40AM

Sorry OP, you get the broadcast you (not you personally, as obviously you have the quality to want better) deserve. Such is the bias of the general football "fan" in Ireland that more people would watch Liversea United play with themselves than acknowledge the existence of a club in mainland Europe, or indeed elsewhere.

Read the soccer forum OP, and you will find there are few football fans there, but many, many "club" fans.

RTE etc are bound to pander to this for revenue reasons. Sadly.

kayashi · 16-09-2009 10:49AM

Ed_ wrote: »

It is all about ratings. Why would RTÉ or TV3 not show a Liverpool game? They may aswell start burning money.

If you are a big fan of English clubs then I am sure that you will probably have Sky and ESPN already. Problem solved.

I have to disagree with you there. I musch prefer to watch RTÉ's analysis as it beats watching the watered down rubbish provided by UK pundits.

edited. likewise op RTE has managed to turn me off champions league, particulary early stages. i pray at least 2 english teams get knocked out in group stages now.

the cl is a great tournament but rte have ruined it as a spectacle.

irish have simply an obsession with english football, u only have to see the attendances at our domestic league and see all the english jerseys kids wear around the place. tbh many would prefer to watch some rubbish english teams rather than el grande classico. shocking???? but the truth

Dozen Wicked Words · 16-09-2009 10:57AM

Its not English clubs, its Manchester United and Liverpool week in week out. If you follow any team other than these (or Celtic) you will very rarely see your team other than in highlights.

There are so many "supporters" of these 3 teams that no one, not even other English teams, get a look in. RTE show the games the majority of their viewing public want.

Liverpool

Celtic

Manchester United

Ed_ · 16-09-2009 10:59AM

kayashi wrote: »

edited.

Edit your own posts :rolleyes:. ESPN and Sky show the European leagues hence why anyone who watches them regularly can watch them in the Champions Leage.

kayashi · 16-09-2009 11:01AM

true actually. but i wonder if arsenal were playing inter and liverpool were playing debrecen which match would they actually show?

kayashi · 16-09-2009 11:02AM

Ed_ wrote: »

Edit your own posts :rolleyes:. ESPN and Sky show the European leagues hence why anyone who watches them regularly can watch them in the Champions Leage.

and how else do irish people watch english teams? thats right on sky. they hardly actually attend their teams matches.

mike65 · 16-09-2009 11:02AM

dooferoaks wrote: »

Its not English clubs, its Manchester United and Liverpool week in week out. If you follow any team other than these (or Celtic) you will very rarely see your team other than in highlights.

There are so many "supporters" of these 3 teams that no one, not even other English teams, get a look in. RTE show the games the majority of their viewing public want.

Liverpool

Celtic

Manchester United

If Champions League coverage is the issue then there are only 4 teams to show (plus Celtic most years of course

). RTE do not have rights for the Europa League.

Ed_ · 16-09-2009 11:18AM

kayashi wrote: »

true actually. but i wonder if arsenal were playing inter and liverpool were playing debrecen which match would they actually show?

Liverpool of course.

kayashi wrote: »

and how else do irish people watch english teams? thats right on sky. they hardly actually attend their teams matches.

Who said anything about attending matches? The fact of the matter is the top 4 teams get more advertising money than other teams.

Dozen Wicked Words · 16-09-2009 11:21AM

mike65 wrote: »

If Champions League coverage is the issue then there are only 4 teams to show (plus Celtic most years of course ). RTE do not have rights for the Europa League.

So do you think Arsenal or Chelsea were on as many times last year as the 3 teams I have suggested RTE favour?

mike65 · 16-09-2009 11:25AM

Arsenal and Chelsea are on fewer times its true, everyone knows the real division in Ireland is not based on national ideology its between Liverpool and Man Utd fans! If RTE had a choice for tonight they would always choose Liverpool unless the game was a dead rubber and Arsenals wasn't. Obviously that can't be the case tonight but it might be later in the group.

Irish TV and english football

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