BPL TV Shock - What to do Saturday Mornings?

[Regs]

I would imagine that many TTPers are not really aware of what is currently happening in the Canadian TV footy universe, so I thought I would start this thread now considering the start of the BPL (Barclay Premier League, ie, EPL) is 2 weeks away...

The Score (channel 54 in Vancouver area) bought the TV rights for BPL for the next 3 seasons. However, they are only going to show the 1st choice match on Sundays (8AM PT). This game will also be available on their HD channel (which we don't get here in BC on Shaw - more on that in a bit).

What the Score have done is sold the rights to all the other games (Saturday, Monday, Mid-week) to Setanta who is set to launch a digital channel here in Canada in 2 weeks (in time for the start of the BPL season). This channel will be $14.99 per month.

Unfortunately for us Shaw subscribers, at this time, Shaw will not be adding the channel to their lineup.

BEV (expressvu satelite) owners however rejoice as you will have this channel as an option and I've read that there will even be a free preview period.

Added to all of this is that The Score has secured the online/mobile rights exclusively in Canada so perhaps they will stream some of the games online who knows.

The Score is also going to produce a weekly highlights show aired Sundays - I can't remember the times and dates it will be on.

I've read speculation that because The Score has exclusive rights, other channels may not be able to air same-day hilites - can you say goodbye FSWC?

Speaking of FSWC, this channel I think is about to go off air... the only thing they have left to offer is the Fox Soccer Report and that production/relationship ends in October and has not been renewed. I don't think people are going to continue to turn to that channel for Fear Factor reruns

Now, getting back to the HD stuff - Shaw is set to schedule a new whack of HD channels in September. I have read that they wish to have a total of 30 HD channels by the end of the year (currently there are 22 HD channels available in Vancouver on Shaw). I would guess that The Score HD will be one of these new channels.

Interesting times for sure, if anyone else has some info, please post away!

The Score BPL Schedule
MNU vs. READ HD Aug. 12 11:00 am ET
LIV vs. CHE HD Aug. 19 11:00 am ET
MNU vs. TOT HD Aug. 26 11:00 am ET
AV vs. CHE HD Sep. 2 11:00 am ET
MNC vs. AV HD Sep. 16 11:00 am ET
MNU vs. CHE HD Sep. 23 11:00 am ET
EVE vs. BORO HD Sep. 30 11:00 am ET
FUL vs. POR HD Oct. 7 11:00 am ET
WHAM vs. SUND HD Oct. 21 11:00 am ET
LIV vs. ARS HD Oct. 28 11:00 am ET
WHAM vs. BOL HD Nov. 4 11:00 am ET
POR vs. MNC HD Nov. 11 11:00 am ET
FUL vs. BLK HD Nov. 25 11:00 am ET

[Kippax]

I guess I better start convincing the wife we need satelite

[Kevin Hector]

Are you fcuking kidding me??? what a fcuking joke. Sportsnet did such a good job the last few years and now saturday mornings there won't be anygames??? I don't even get channel 54 in my office so working early Saturday morning will really suck. I liked it two seasons ago you had three games on saturday sportsnet the one Sunday (the score)

[bulljive]

Thats a bit earth shattering. Soccer saturday is about the only soccer I get to watch outside of the champions league. With all the new signings in the EPL I was really excited about the new seasons. $14.99 a month doesn't that sound a bit high for 1 station. Fukc I hate this money driven society. Add that to the if I could do it over again thread. I will be born at a time where money isn't everything and people don't have a me first attitude. I hate all of you.

[Sir M]

Me too.

[Captain Shamrock]

Setanta are ****ing gangsters. This is shit but I guess I'll have to watch Fox Sports Canada and Gol TV.

[kjohnsob]

Earth Shatering is right...

I agree Sportsnet had been doing a great job, Jerry Dobson aside.

[johnnybluenose]

This is unbelievable news...

We had a chat going on over at the Southsiders forum about this as a guy had found something called ITVN or something that was selling Setanta, but I argued you wouldn;t be able to get it on any sat or cable providers, and that it would only be available on-line.

I then emailed Setanta myself to find out the dirt, they mentioned two providers...Rogers and Bell. Rogers? IS that only in the east? I don't think Rogers did anything here.

I'm mad as hell now... this is an outrage...this coupled with the fact that TSN is supposedly not showing any Champions League games this year is embarrassing for Canadian Football apologists and fans. We have a hard enough time as it is, and the "establishment" is not making it any easier.

I guess I will have to switch to BEV...sad.

But at least I won't have to worry about the construction yahoos building the never ending townhouse complexes around in my neighborhood breaking the Shaw Cable line disrupting me anymore.

[Regs]

I believe Setanta will be showing the CL games if in fact TSN has bowed out.

Is Uefa.com offering online PPV access this year? I just checked and all I could see reference to is last year.

And yes, Rogers is only in the east.

Cheers,

~Regs.

[girth]

Get Star Choice. I've had all the above including Bell, Shaw and Starchoice at one point and I find the service the best along with the most HD channels for free.

[johnnybluenose]

ahhhhh....But Starchoice is not one of the groups offering Satan-Ta

[Regs]

Well, I just checked out the Setanta site and ended up purchasing their broadband service for a year... with everything you get with it (includes all Setanta PPV events), seems like an excellent deal - all things considered.

Quality so far from what I have seen is excellent. Champions League stuff is also included plus you get the added benefit of video archives.

Cost is $150 USD which is under $15 per month, plus I can watch from home or at work.

My thinking is that I will no longer pay extra for these channels unless it is in HD.

Cheers,

~Regs.

[johnnybluenose]

I would buy it...but I spend my Saturday mornings usually at the Rangers Club in New West, I'm not going to spend $20 a week at the RSC and another $10-$15 a month just to fire up the lappy to watch more on top of my already out of this world cable bill...

Being a footy fan is expensive, especially when you support a team that only has televised games at RSC's and CSC's in Canada (legally )

[Kevin Hector]

I have fcuking waited since 2001 when Derby was relegated for them to come back up and now I can't even watch them.

[Regs]

Too funny that the Province would be reporting on this issue today... come to TTP for news first on big issues important to you

[Dapotayto]

Unbelievable news. Good thing I'm about to buy a new computer so I can at least subscribe to Setanta. What's with TSN not taking up the CL games though? Curling too successful?

[Sir M]

No the TSN "Pins" game is huge this year.

[djones]

Apparently, there will be soccer on Saturday... but not a first choice game.

New channel goes big on Premier League
WILLIAM HOUSTON From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

July 30, 2007 at 9:10 PM EDT

A new soccer channel with extensive rights to live English Premier League games is set to begin operation in Canada in a matter of days.

Setanta Sports, an international content provider, will launch a Canadian channel in partnership with Rogers Communications.

Roger Hall, chief executive officer of Setanta's international operation, confirmed Monday that the channel will start in “the very short term.”

Shane O'Rourke, president of Setanta's North American operations, was even more explicit. He said it will be on the air in time for the start of the EPL season on Aug. 11.

“We'll be up and running by the 11th,” he said.

Neither Hall nor O'Rourke would comment on the licensing agreement, but based on Setanta's operations in Britain, Australia and the United States, the Canadian channel will operate as a premium pay service. To subscribe, consumers will pay about $15 a month.

Score Media acquired EPL rights last year. It then flipped the package to Setanta but kept the Sunday 11 a.m. (Eastern) game, which often showcases the best matchup of the week.

The Score has built additional programming around the Sunday morning telecast, including a Friday evening show that will preview the weekend games, a Saturday evening recap of the day's games, and a Sunday morning pregame show.

As well, the Score has retained broadband highlights rights and will stream its Sunday morning telecast.

The third carrier of EPL games will be Rogers Sportsnet. It has bought a Saturday 10 a.m. game from Setanta, but probably won't get first pick from the 10 a.m. slate of matchups.

It didn't hurt Sportsnet in its bid to acquire one game a week that it is owned by Setanta's partner, Rogers.

The bulk of EPL content – a full Saturday schedule, additional telecasts on Sunday and midweek telecasts – will air on Setanta.

O'Rourke says Setanta will provide the most comprehensive EPL Canadian package ever.

Rogers Cable, Cogeco Cable and Bell ExpressVu will carry the channel immediately. Carriage on Shaw Cable, Star Choice and Videotron is expected to take longer.

[Regs]

Nice find Jonesy!

The Setanta Broadband option is looking better and better - I tested a 'stream recorder' last night that can be scheduled which worked fine and means I can 'tape' games and watch at a more Godly hour, just like my TV PVR.

Cheers,

~Regs.

[johnnybluenose]

nice.

I'm going to have to get a PVR now...

and with the S-Pac broadcasting second tier games from the BPL Kevin Hector can watch his Rams all the time!