Prices for the package were revealed as £99 for a season ticket for SPL Live, or £12.99 per month. This averages out at around £2.60 per match. The season ticket price will rise by £20 before the start of the new season. Viewers must subscribe for at least a year.
Setanta have already shown SPL games, on a pay per game basis. Their coverage has been nothing short of appalling, and the only reason it wasn't slated in the press is due to the fact that the BBC's coverage has been worse. Jim Delahunt - Scotland's worst presenter - is the main man in the studio, which includes guests such as Pat Nevin and Tosh McKinlay. With the dire Archie MacPherson taking up the commentary position alongside the amateur Andy Walker, it hasn't really been upto much.
A massive improvement in the service will have to be made, if they are to reach anywhere near the 100,000 subscriptions they are hoping for.
Setanta have admitted that the majority of the games will be centered around Celtic and Rangers. Any other clubs' games will simply be ignored. They will show 38 live games throughout the season, at times 3pm on a Sunday, 12.30pm on a Saturday and several midweek slots. As well as this, they are talking of a highlights package, which will include "upto 10 minutes per game." Wow-wee.
The armchair fans have been getting it easy this season. Most games have been shown on the BBC, while Setanta have chipped in with a few pay per view attempts. Many folk are moaning away already, "£99 is far too expensive for a SPL package." Yes, when added onto the price of a Sky subscription, on top of a Sky Sports package, and a TV licence, it is going to cost a fair whack.
Providing Setanta get a grip of their live coverage, £99 a year isn't too bad. The chances are we will see every Celtic and Rangers away game live, and highlights, which will hopefully show you more than the ball simply hitting the net, will also be included. At the level they are operating at now, the season ticket will be a terrible throwing away of money.
But I am sure next season they will not get away with showing broadcasts that even Grampain TV would be ashamed of.