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Best for sports fanatics
If you’re an avid sports fan then you’re going to want a digital TV package that meets your needs and offers the best coverage without costing the earth. And with the start of the football season upon us, what better time to get yourself some shiny new sports channels?
For 13 years, Sky (www.Sky.com) has had exclusive rights to air Premiership matches, but those rights were taken away this year and now Setanta Sports (www.Setanta.com) is also showing a selection of live matches, although Sky still gets first pick, and BT Vision (www.BTVision.bt.com) is showing “near live” games. While this is good news for consumers as it injects some much-needed competition into the market, it has also made things a little confusing too, with a range of subscriptions and add-ons available showing live and delayed matches and sporting events.
The package that you choose all depends on the type of viewer you are, and how much you want to spend.
Super supporters
For those of you who don’t want to miss a minute of the action and want to be able to follow every game and sporting event, this year’s split of Premiership rights could mean that you have to pay out more than in previous years. Because Sky will no longer be allowed to show every match live - Setanta Sports has the rights to 46 games - you would have to buy both Sky Sports and Setanta Sports if you want to watch every single one.
Surprisingly, the cheapest way of getting either Sky Sports or both Sky Sports and Setanta Sports, is with Virgin Media (www.VirginMedia.com). Taking their size M digital TV and phone line (from £11) and adding Sky Sports, will cost customers £26 a month, whereas Sky customers taking two mixes plus Sky Sports will pay £35 a month.
Those wanting to add Setanta Sports will pay a total £34 a month with Virgin Media, while Sky customers will pay a total of £44.99, although Sky customers will get all eight Setanta channels, while Virgin Media customers will get their “best of channel” including the 46 live matches.
Intermediate interest
If you’re willing to watch a selection of matches as “near live” then customers have the option of going for a far cheaper package from BT Vision - at only £4 a month on a month-by-month basis - and then get a special deal on Setanta Sports bringing their monthly cost to only £12 a month for the Total Sports package.
This package gives fans access to Setanta Sports’ “best of channel” 46 live Premier League matches at Saturday teatime and Monday evening, they also get BT Vision’s 242 delayed matches in full.
Fickle fans
Those wanting to get a little more than the free coverage offered by the BBC and ITV - showing Match of the Day and Live Champions League and Football League highlights - but not willing to part with excessive amounts of money, can opt to add only the BT Vision Sports package for £4 a month. There is no minimum term on the subscription so customers can cancel whenever they want. For this, customers get 242 Premier League matches available to watch after a delay.
For those who think they will only watch one match a month, BT Vision also offers “near live” matches on a pay-per-view basis at £1.99 a game. However, any more than one and you’ll be paying enough to access all 242 games.
14 live Uefa Champions League matches, Coca-Cola Football League, Spanish La Liga, FA Cup, Carling Cup and international football coverage. Cricket, golf, rugby and more
Richard Keys, Jeff Stelling presenting.
Andy Gray, Jamie Redknapp, Ruud Gullit commentating
£35 a month for two Sky mixes plus Sky Sports. £44.99 including all eight Setanta Sports channels
14 live Uefa Champions League matches, Coca-Cola Football League, Spanish La Liga, FA Cup, Carling Cup and international football coverage. Cricket, golf, rugby and more
Richard Keys, Jeff Stelling presenting. Andy Gray, Jamie Redknapp, Ruud Gullit commentating
£26 a month for the M digital TV package with phone line and Sky Sports. £34 a month including Setanta Sports “best of channel”
60 live Scottish Premier League matches; 79 live Blue Square Premier matches; games in Holland, Germany, France, Portugal. Golf, rugby, horse racing and more
Angus Scott, James Richardson presenting. Steve McManaman, Emmanuel Petit, Tim Sherwood, Les Ferdinand, Neil Warnock commentating
£9.95 a month for eight channels on Sky. £9.95 for “best of channel” on Freeview. £8 for “best of channel” on Virgin Media. £8 for “best of channel” for BT Vision customers
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