Sky and Setanta

[colins]

I read Golf Monthly and up until now have watched golf on Sky sports. They seem to have lost the USPGA to Setanta. What about the Ryder Cup? I have emailed Sky several times on this but not had the courtesy of a reply! S o the question is why should anyone who wants to watch golf pay Sky for sports anymore

 

[blindpete]

They have all of the majors and the WGC as well as the European tour. I believe the Ryder cup is shown on terestrial TV.

 

[swingstar1]

I have signed up to setanta and think its pretty good coverage this weekend

I think I'm right in saying the following

BBC have Masters, Open, BMW Championship and possibly British Masters

Sky have European Tour, US Open and USPGA, World Golf Championships

Setanta have rest of PGA Tour and Champions Tour

Setanta costs £15 a month but you get lots of other sport stuff too not just golf (footie, rugby etc)

 

[Hoppy]

I think you will find The Ryder Cup is only on Sky with a few highlights on normal tele, like last year.

 

[Hoppy]

I don't want to pay anybody, I pay a TV license I want to watch Golf on normal television.

 

[colins]

I agree, I pay a licence fee. I also pay £36 for sky sports and now will only get the European Tour Golf and have lost the weekly 'World of Golf' programme. If I want the USPGA tour it seems I will now have to pay anothe £15 per month for something I cannot judge as there is not even any freeview to assess the quality of coverage.
The Ryder cup was only on Sky so where will that go, and what about the 4 majors?
It seems that between them Sky and Setanta have screwed up an otherwise wonderful service, albeit for £36 per month, whereby one had all the tours availble on one channel. Setanta also say that from season 07/08 they will have exclusive live premiership football. Who will want a sky sports subscription then I wonder?

 

[PaulOHagan]

The Ryder Cup and the Majors will remain on the stations they were last year.

Colins- Setanta have announced that they will have a freeview channel this year where they will show some of there live coverage-it will be interesting to see what they show but its certainly a step in the right direction. £15 seems a fair deal for the channels they give you but i'd be torn between whether this is better than the Sky Sports deal.

 

[colins]

Overall you are probably right but for just golf Sky have lost it I think

 

[John_Findlay]

I have just subscibed to Setanta Sports and the golf coverage seems to be good so far, judging from the coverage of the Sony Open in Hawaii. Basically, Setanta piggy-backed onto the Golf Channel's main broadcast in the same way Sky would have. In fact, now that Setanta have employed Dominik Holyer and Ken Brown to be their anchors in the studio, there appears to be little change for those of us who were used to watching Sky. The coverage doesn't include any of the Majors but does include over 40 USPGA events including the Player's Championship and the four "playoff" tournaments which will provide the finale to the new Fedex Cup. All in all, given the added Champions Tour, football and other sports coverage, I think it is worth the £15 per month (£10 in the first 3 months) if you have to have your regular fix of golf from the States.

 

[PaulOHagan]

I think i'd probably agree with you John-just about worth it. But what about those who cant justify paying for both Sky Sports and Setanta? Which would you go for?

I think its a close run thing when you consider the price difference.

 

[John_Findlay]

Yeah. Obviously the cost isn't insubstantial over the whole year when you're subscibing to Sky Sports as well. If I had to make the choice.... it would be Sky, mainly because I want to see how the up and coming Europeans are playing, but also because I don't think you can beat their commentators and analysis. Give me Ewan Murray over Ken Brown any day. Who knows what further commentary-box migrations will take place though? Would it be too much to poach Alliss from the Beeb at some point? At least HE's free to view though

 

[Teetotal]

After reading about this I called up sky to check it out, as only reason I have sky is for the golf and the guy who answered was completely useless and knew nothing. I think they should inform their subscribers about any changes like this or at least tell their staff. Also I wouldn't reccomend getting internet and phone through sky - customer services is appaling and took so long I gave up.