Setanta aims to overtake Sky as the PL top broadcaster

It is indeed one of the most anticipated showdowns in the English Premier League. One has more to offer. The other said it's not as deep, but what it has is better.

With the league underway, the rivalry of old-hand Sky Sports versus upstart Setanta has begun.

While Sky has seasons of broadcasting Premier League matches behind it – and 92 total matches available this year – Setanta is in its first year of airing Premier League matches, and only has 79 to show.

But Setanta, which also has landed the 2008-2009 FA Cup along with ITV, is claiming it has quality over quantity.

"We are showing more of the big teams than Sky," Setanta COO Mark O'Meara told the Financial Times. "We will be showing the top four (Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal) 23 times in the first couple of months, while Sky is showing them just 19 times. This will be very important for fans of the top teams, as seeing their teams play will be their top priority."

Setanta's premium sports content is available to more than 50 million homes worldwide, and it operates more sports channels than any other broadcaster in Ireland and Britain. But they need to find more customers soon.

Setanta put out GBP 392 million to become the first broadcaster other than Sky to see the Premier League rights. While that did much for the company's prestige, it does not always pay the bill.

Setanta recently signed a deal to launch on the Dish Network in the U.S., airing the Premier League, as well as the Champions League, the Rugby World Cup, the Six Nations and the Heineken European Cup.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.