Early Doors - Your morning briefing blog

Setanta bubble bursts

Wed Jun 24 09:05AM

If the demise of Setanta tells us anything, it is that the gap between the Big Four and the rest is even bigger than we thought.

We all know about the gulf in wealth between the Premier League's haves and have-mores, but in terms of interest and support, the margin is even greater.

Setanta needed 1.9 million subscribers to stay afloat, but fell well short principally because their package of live rights did not include enough matches involving elite teams.

Theirs were the third-choice games, tucked away on a Saturday or a Monday evening, while Sky continued to trumpet its Grand Slam Slam Dunk Home Run Shock 'N' Awe Sundays with full Big Four privileges.

And that was that. Because, at the end of the day, who is going to pay £10 a month to watch Middlesbrough v Fulham or Sunderland v Portsmouth?

In the mass market, people only care about the Big Four. It is the same story on this and every other website.

Interest in articles involving the top clubs vastly outstrips the rest of the division. So you only have yourselves to blame the next time you see an 'Alvaro Arbeloa breaks toenail' story on these pages.

There is a second tier comprising Tottenham, Everton, Aston Villa, West Ham, Manchester City and, er, Newcastle, but the bottom tier is ratings poison - unless, of course, they are getting six thumped past them at Old Trafford.

Go abroad and what do you see? Knock-off English football shirts being sold everywhere. But you won't find any 'Little 16' shirts on that market stall in Marrakech. Apart from the odd anomaly like Fulham's popularity in Korea, it is a solid diet of big names.

One of the more amusing consequences of the 39th game plan would have been Kuala Lumpur coming to terms with the fact that it had been assigned Stoke versus Burnley.

For all the supposed financial might of English football, the Big Four are propping everyone else.

Former culture secretary Andy Burnham has called for a more even distribution of wealth, but already the big are subsidising the smaller to the tune of tens of millions per season.

Half of TV money is split evenly, a quarter is based on performance and a quarter on the number of televised matches. In 2007/08 Manchester United received the most, £49m, and Reading the least, £30m. It is not parity, but it is a long way removed from what each club could fetch if they sold their own TV rights on the open market.

ED isn't calling for greater inequality - just for recognition that the appeal of the Premier League is reliant on a worryingly small percentage of teams.

Can things change at the top? Chelsea have shown that they can, but only if you have pots of cash and Jose Mourinho. A decade ago, nobody would have put them in the country's four biggest clubs.

Then a run of seven consecutive top four finishes, four domestic cups and a Champions League final made them hard to ignore. But Manchester City must start winning things before they can truly refer to themselves as 'massive'.

Although Setanta's demise was painfully predictable, Early Doors sympathises with the 200 people who have lost their jobs (well, most of them - that Mourinho puppet can rot in hell).

Fans never took to Setanta because they didn't care about competition. Most of them already had Sky, and now they were being asked to shell out more cash for the same football.

And they had to go to the pub to watch England games, a situation made worse by the lack of any highlights package on terrestrial TV.

You have to say the writing was on the walls when travelling England fans chanted "We hate Setanta" during the away World Cup qualifier against Andorra.

It was the most virulent attack against a TV institution since the Tartan Army unveiled their spectacular "We hate Jimmy Hill, he's a poof, he's a poof" campaign.

Finally, here's a pub quiz question that may rear its ugly head at some 'noughties' nostalgia night in the not-distant-enough future: Which player was the subject of the final top story in the setanta.com football section?

The answer: Dinamo Zagreb striker Mario Mandzukic.

- - -

Douglas watch: After mocking Brazilian wunderkind Douglas yesterday, Early Doors asked you to defend the name's honour, and you obliged with a fine selection.

British table tennis great Desmond Douglas

Fictional teen doctor Doogie Howser, M.D.

TV's most Scottish man Dougie Donnelly

Isle of Man capital Douglas

Hollywood royalty Douglas Fairbanks

Former US Army chief Douglas MacArthur

Internazionale right-back Douglas Maicon

Boxing giantkiller James 'Buster' Douglas

Punchline and man without a spade Douglas

First President of Ireland Douglas Hyde

Actor and cleft chin purveyor Kirk Douglas

All Black and car park menace Doug Howlett

- - -

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Sometimes you have to spend a little bit more. You can't compete in the top four of the Premier League unless you spend some money. We were looking for a player of quality and also somebody who is British because of the new Champions League rules. Glen Johnson fits both categories." Rafa Benitez does his best to convince himself that £17m Johnson is a bargain.

FOREIGN VIEW: Another Manchester United transfer target looks like slipping through their fingers if you believe Marca (which you probably don't). Real Madrid have apparently given up trying to sign David Villa and are instead in advanced talks with Lyon over Karim Benzema.

COMING UP: Spain v USA in the Confederations Cup, plus all the usual transfer silliness. And Early Doors hereby grants you permission to get your tennis on.

Comments31 - 60 of 332
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Maybe the fact you can now watch all the games for free live on Tinternet didnt help setanta much
From toplfcfan on Wed Jun 24 09:47AM
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DACTAR DACTAR A NOTASS MOST AV THA OWLED PAPULS U SEE DIES. WATS YAR NEEM AGEEN? DACTAR: SHAPMON.
From donneybye on Wed Jun 24 09:49AM
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DACTAR HERALD SHAPMON.
From donneybye on Wed Jun 24 09:49AM
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33-Thats very true. But the experience isnt quite the same unless you have your laptop/PC attached to your telly! ie Not Married!!!
From andy_lycett on Wed Jun 24 09:49AM
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Donney - I would have thought since Setanta are going into administration, and unable to show you the football games you signed the contract for the provision of, you will have no issues cancelling it, especially since the money is transacted monthly and is therefore not tied up in their administration.
From johnnywilkinson on Wed Jun 24 09:50AM
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Can't believe they missed off Doug! One of the best Cartoons from 90's.....
From ima_fat_tw on Wed Jun 24 09:51AM
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DACTAR DACTAR A NEED SAM MARPHEEN TAY HALP EASE ME PAIN. DACTAR: SARRAY NANE LAFT. A USED AT AL TAY MARDAR ME PATIANTS.
From donneybye on Wed Jun 24 09:52AM
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O I GUD PINT JANNAY BYE. BAT A WONNAY BE GETTAN ME FATBAL NAXT SESAN OND THONS AL OM OPPSAT ABOOT.
From donneybye on Wed Jun 24 09:54AM
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Who gets the golf more importantly
From annieh97 on Wed Jun 24 10:00AM
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Donneyu, How much money do Rangers and Celtic get from the setanta deal?
From doobie.doobiedoo on Wed Jun 24 10:01AM
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ESPN would be my guess Annie, they have got the footie that Setanta had
From andy_lycett on Wed Jun 24 10:01AM
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19.Would you like a spam FREE comments section, including Annie, Jamie and Andy. Then just click the link
'Report abuse' in your browser (below the spam) and report it.
Complete just ONE of the spam types, there are many to choose from, some are annoying and some are immoral and illegal. My favourites are the SPAM option or the INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL offer, The gillianhood17 and other spammers are only failed businessmen, you can win the comments section back and more.
I have used this site to report a spammer, an advertiser and a criminal so far. Just click 'Report abuse', select an abuse type and get a few friends to do the same, its as easy as that so act today.
From johnnywilkinson
OH YES LIKE WE HAVNT TRIED THAT BEFORE..AS LONG AS YAHOO FAIL TO HAVE
ANY FORM OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE SITE IT WILL CONTINUE
SPAM IS ONLY ONE OF MANY SEVERE ABUSES TAKING PLACE HERE DAILY AND FAR FROM THE WORSE:
SOME OF OUR MORE PSYCHOTIC READERS CLONE ACCOUNTS WITH IMPUNITY,DESPITE
NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND REPORTS OF ABUSE YAHOO PREFER TO TURN A BLIND EYE RATHER THAN APPOINT ADMINISTRATORS
SO IF YOU REALLY WANT A SPAM FREE SITE
MOVE
From toplfcfan on Wed Jun 24 10:03AM
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lol up yer hole Settwatna
From annieh97 on Wed Jun 24 10:07AM
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toplfcfan its not really that much of a problem on here and most of us know how to use the SCROLL wheel. It boosts the numbers and gives us something to talk about on slow days and its given you material for 2 posts at least. I think you might need to take a 'chill the f'cuk out pill' (Its the purple one)
From annieh97 on Wed Jun 24 10:11AM
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"Big Four" is only a recent term for the top 4 teams in England. This only came about when UEFA allocated 4 champs lge slots to the prem lge.
In the mid 90's there was only one big club winning things - man united. Later in the 90's it became 2 with Arsenal. And then it became 4. This "Big team" trend seems to have followed the champs lge allocation.
So we have a lge taht has 4 big clubs contesting each domestic trophy now yet 12-13 years ago it was 1 big club and you are complaining that we don't have enough teams being competitive!? Please check your recent prem lge history to see that teams have gotten stronger & the prem lge has become tougher because of the direct competition involved.
From shujaahmad2004 on Wed Jun 24 10:11AM
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well for me the mourinho puppet was one of the better offerings on setanta .
From kilcoolecelt on Wed Jun 24 10:11AM
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Only one way to make things more interesting in football these day: to go NFL-style and introduce salary cap. I'm so bored of these 'big' clubs crippled by debts but still paying 50m for players.
Well, it's nice dreaming, isn't it?
From geronimo_2001 on Wed Jun 24 10:12AM
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44 - is that right Andy? I thought the footy was up for re-auction with ESPN likely to get some and Sky the rest? Or have I missed something?
From danny_saks on Wed Jun 24 10:12AM
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ALREET DOOBIE BYE. A SAY A FARE WEE WOD. THOTS WAT THEY GAT. A FARE WEE WOD. ALREET WEE ANNE. A HOV BEN TELLAN THA BYES THOT U WARE TEACHAN MAY THA ROOLS A THA CRACKAT.
From donneybye on Wed Jun 24 10:14AM
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DAY YE KNOWS HOO I FEAL SARRAY FAR-OWLED STEVE MACMONAMON. WAT THA FACKS HE GOANAY DAY NAY.
From donneybye on Wed Jun 24 10:15AM
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stone cold or bret hart
From mrandmrscochrane on Wed Jun 24 10:18AM
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I think Sky got 23 and ESPN got 23, but it wouldn't be the first time I got something wrong!
From andy_lycett on Wed Jun 24 10:18AM
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Alreet Donney have you remembered them or are you like me have a mental block like I have for the rules of Tennis (which is not a sport) they seems quite keen in the Beach Tennis idea last night but wanted to tweak the rules to make it topless do you think that would work?
From annieh97 on Wed Jun 24 10:23AM
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How much does ESPN cost?
From who_are_ya_85 on Wed Jun 24 10:28AM
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ANNE JUST BECAUSE I TYPE IN CAPITALS IT DOESNT MEAN IM ANGRY
ASK DONNEY IT IS JUST PART OF MY OWN STYLE.
YOU WILL FIND THERE ARE TWO DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE HERE
THE MORNING CROWD (THATS YOU LOL)WHO ARE POLITE FRIENDLY AND ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN THE SUBJECTS( OR WHO IS FIRST LOL)
THEN THE EVENING CROWD WHO JUST COME HERE TO INSULT OTHERS AND WHO´S ONLY AIM IS TO BE AS ABUSIVE AS POSSIBLE.I WAS ONLY TRYING TO POINT OUT THAT THERE IS NO ADMIN HERE SO IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO WIPE OUT SPAM
SORRY IF I SEEMED TO RANT BUT I DO FEEL THAT YAHOO ARE NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN SITE
From toplfcfan on Wed Jun 24 10:28AM
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ASPN AS AN ANNAGRAM AF PANS... ASANT AT?
From who_are_ya_85 on Wed Jun 24 10:29AM
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I think ESPN have got all 46 games for 96 Mill
From andy_lycett on Wed Jun 24 10:31AM
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its not the content which we dont want its the cost its way to high £40 for skysports was ok but 12 x 14.99 who needs it that bad
From briarfield6370 on Wed Jun 24 10:33AM
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#57, ESPN comes with the skysports pack i think.
From saschavanpraagh on Wed Jun 24 10:34AM
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toplfcfan OK I UNDERSTAND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE SHOUTING WHEN YOU TYPE IN CAPS. I KNOW ABOUT THE EVENING CROWD AND ITS QUITE GOOD FUN TO TAKE THE PISS OUT OF THEM TOO THAT IS WHEN WE GO BLOG RAIDING AT NIGHT I WAS TAKING THE PISS OUT OF THE TENNIS BLOG LAST NIGHT THERE ARNT MANY OF MY COMMENTS LEFT THEY ARE ALL HIDDEN I TAKE IT YOU WERE ON THE SCOUSE ONE WITH SCOUSE HATER RC ALCOCK MIKE AND DAZMUNTED AND G15 NICE TO SEE YOU ON HERE
From annieh97 on Wed Jun 24 10:35AM
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