Setanta Sports make a genuine pitch for the public's attention span in 2007 with some enticing viewing and, as Bill O'Herlihy might say, it's nearly all "loive".
The big four sports - soccer, GAA, rugby and golf - are well catered for in the scheduling over the coming 12 months. A significant coup was gaining the exclusive rights to the Rugby World Cup in France next autumn. TV3 are their terrestrial partners during the tournament and will provide coverage of Ireland's games. Setanta also continue with the Magners Celtic League to its conclusion in May.
The channel provides an alternative to Sky Sports' Premiership coverage with 78 live games, starting with Charlton Athletic and Chelsea on February 3rd, followed a week later by Alan Pardew's relegation strugglers against Manchester United. Blackburn Rovers' Uefa Cup campaign will also be monitored.
GAA coverage began on Saturday with Wicklow's O'Byrne Cup win over Carlow in Aughrim, which heralded the start of Mick O'Dwyer's stint as Wicklow manager.
Having secured the rights for floodlit matches in the National Football League, the Setanta cameras will be on hand for the first game under lights at Croke Park when Dublin play hosts to Tyrone on February 3rd.
Setanta's most daring departure this year is a golf channel that will televise US PGA tournaments and magazine programmes.
Add in Cheltenham on Racing UK, which is part of the Setanta Sports pack, and the station's attraction is heightened further.
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