Programme: Premier League football
For the first time since the Premier League was launched in 1993, Sky cannot boast a monopoly on the live broadcasting of matches. Setanta has paid £400m to show 46 live matches a season for the next three years - a hefty £2.9m a match.
But is Setanta a quality alternative, or is it just a poor man's Sky? There's no doubt that Sky has always provided a magnificent viewing experience for the football fan, and if Setanta is to drive subscriptions, it cannot be perceived as an inferior service.
Fortunately, the high production values are obvious right from the opening credits. The assured Angus Scott is the anchorman, with help from studio experts Tim Sherwood and Steve McManaman (of whom Setanta clearly has high hopes - although I personally think that McManaman's overt favouritism for Liverpool will annoy viewers as the season continues). Ian Crocker provides polished commentary on the match that equals that of the Sky team, with the exception of the peerless Martin Tyler. The match experience itself is good, with numerous camera angles ensuring every controversial incident can be comprehensively dissected.
Commercially, it looks right. The entertaining stings from broadcast sponsor Bet365 take us into ad breaks, and it's clear that IDS is doing a good job, with Magners, PC World, Suzuki, The Daily Star and other male-focused advertisers featuring.
One gripe - the interactivity. The red button is there in the corner, begging to be pressed. But all you get is an invitation to subscribe to Setanta Sports - not very appropriate given that everyone watching is already a subscriber.
Viewing figures for the first couple of weeks have been respectable, peaking at around 400,000 adults. However, Setanta will be relying on lots more punters being enticed to subscribe if it is to succeed in its aim of becoming a viable, long-term competitor to Sky.
- Review by Jim McDonald, head of broadcast, MPG.
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