Setanta aims to get sponsor on side for Liverpool series

TELEPRINTER:Setanta Sports is seeking a sponsor for the six-part documentary series Being: Liverpool which airs from next Monday.

Narrated by Clive Owen, the behind the scenes footage of Liverpool football club’s pre-season tour of North America has already been shown on Fox Soccer in the US and Channel 5 in the UK.

Setanta Sports acquired the programme only last week, resulting in the late search for a sponsor, and its price has come down from €18,000 to €10,000 for a package that includes 300 sponsorship stings and commercial break spots throughout its first run and repeats.

There have been “a few nibbles”, according to Setanta Sports’ advertising sales manager, John Devlin, but sponsorships are “a tough sell” at the moment, he says.

“Carlsberg would sponsor it, as they sponsor the team, but we’re not allowed take alcohol sponsorships.”

The Department of Health and Children’s voluntary code of practice on Alcohol Marketing, Communications and Sponsorship specifies that “no alcohol sponsorship of sports programming will be allowed, including any sports bulletins”.

The code gives rise to something of an anomaly, given that sports events and teams are – for the time being, at least – allowed to accept alcohol sponsorship.

Meanwhile, in something of a pot-kettle moment, Being: Liverpool has been deemed “cringeworthy” by former Liverpool defender turned BBC football commentator Mark Lawrenson.