RTE lose out on Premiership

It's just a nuance. But it is these nuances that matter to RT╔. The national broadcaster did not "lose" the Premiership but decided that they "weren't going to do" The Premiership.

Following the loss of the Champions League soccer, football watchers might be inclined to think that RT╔ have taken their eye off the ball. That's not the way they see it in Montrose.

At the launch in Dublin yesterday of their new season of programmes, RT╔ Director of Television, Cathal Goan was adamant that the decision not to screen any Premiership football on Saturdays for the next three years was taken because it did not make competitive sense after ITV shifted their broadcast time from 10.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.

"We didn't lose the Premiership," said Mr Goan. "We decided we were not going to do The Premiership because our understanding of doing it was that we'd an exclusive window to screen at 7.00 p.m.

"We made the decision that this (both stations screening at 7.00 p.m.) didn't make competitive sense so we decided not to do it. When the exclusivity was no longer a feature we decided to walk away from it."

The timing could not have been worse for RT╔. According to RTE's head of television sport Tim O'Connor, they only found out on Wednesday evening that ITV had struck a deal with the Premiership for the 7.00 p.m. slot.

By then the promotional material for RT╔ coverage had been printed and circulated. The lead event was their continued coverage of the Premiership.

"Saying we didn't lose it is a nuance, but it is an important nuance for RTE," O'Connor said.

Straining to put a positive spin on an obvious disappointment, O'Connor said The Premiership money would now be invested in other sporting events. He also confirmed that the estimated cost of the three-year deal for RT╔ amounted to in excess of £2 million.

O'Connor said he did not believe missing out on the Champions League and now Premiership football would have a negative impact on the image of RT╔.

"If there was a vacuum created by its (The Premiership's) departure, then I'd agree. Ironically, because we lost The Premiership we negotiated with Celtic and secured both of their games against Ajax (final Champions League qualifying round matches). It allows us invest our funds in other material."

Continuing the irony, even if Celtic beat Ajax that will be the end of RT╔ coverage as TV3 have the Champions League rights for the later stages of the competition.

In addition RT╔ are not covering the World Athletic Championships in Edmonton and this year covered only the second week of tennis at Wimbledon.

The station will screen Shelbourne's two matches against Brondby in the UEFA Cup qualifying round and the European Super Cup final between Liverpool and Bayern Munich

Bill O'Herlihy, presenter of The Premiership, also attended yesterday's Mansion House launch.

"I'm very disappointed," he said. "After three years we had established a strong credibility. It was always difficult to negotiate and was predicated on what time we could put it out.

"I'd be very sad to say we wouldn't have it for three years, especially after losing the Champions League."

Remember the nuances Bill, it wasn't lost.