Boxing and TV - Part Four - Setanta Sports by Ian McNeilly May 21st 2008

In the fourth and final chapter of his investigative series into television coverage of boxing, BBN's Editor Ian McNeilly considers the rise of the new kids on the block – Setanta Sports. Setanta Sports Boxing links with television in another way – there's also some new kid on the block ready to challenge the dominance of the establishment. Setanta Sports began showing events to pubs and clubs in Ireland in 1992 and have had an increasing presence in the United Kingdom over the last three or four years. They came to national prominence in 2006 when they broke Sky's dominance in live Premiership football coverage. More importantly for us, over the last year they have shown great commitment to boxing. They broadcasted Ricky Hatton's beating of Jose Luis Castillo from Vegas and, after ITV decided to let all but Amir Khan go from the Sports Network stable, Joe Calzaghe found a home at Setanta (live) for his unification fight against Mikkel Kessler. Setanta also got what ITV wanted – David Haye v Enzo Maccarinelli. They are a subscription channel but their strategy is rather different to Sky Sports. Setanta Sports is adamant it will not offer a ‘Box Office' model where significant fights are offered as pay-per-view events. Every fight they cover will be available on one of their main channels as part of the £9.99 monthly fee. They show big US fights as well as ones significant for British fans, including Clinton Woods v Antonio Tarver and Joe Calzaghe v Bernard Hopkins. Speaking some weeks ago, a Setanta Sports insider said: “We can't just cherry pick the big fights. We need to build fighters too. We can work with who we want but there is only a certain amount of money in the pot. We are not restricted to one promoter but it's fair to say most of our eggs are in the Sports Network basket because we believe Frank Warren is one of the best promoters in the world.” This gushing enthusiasm for Warren has been further endorsed with the news last month that Setanta have signed a deal with the Hertfordshire promoter. The announcement (see below) was rather peculiar is it clearly stated ‘exclusive' yet there was no mention of the jewel in Sports Network's crown, Amir Khan. I queried this with Setanta's PR people but got no response. One would guess that, having cut off the rest of Warren's stable, ITV will do the same with Khan when their contract is up in the summer, but who knows? Here's Setanta's release: Setanta Sports are delighted to announce a new long-term boxing deal with top promoter Frank Warren which will run until December, 2010. We will have exclusive broadcast rights to Warren's Sports Network stable, strengthening our position as the new home of boxing and a must-have channel for all fight fans. Contests involving Joe Calzaghe, Enzo Maccarinelli, Alex Arthur, Kevin Mitchell, Gavin Rees and Matt Skelton will only be available to Setanta Sports subscribers… Trevor East, director of sport for Setanta, commented: "This deal is a big coup for Setanta and proves that we are the new home of top fight boxing. "Boxing is an important part of Setanta's schedule and we're delighted to team up with Frank Warren's Sports Network to ensure our viewers have fights of the highest calibre. "Setanta Sports is now a must-have for boxing fans in the UK." Sports Network's Frank Warren said: “I'm delighted to continue our relationship with Setanta by signing an exclusive three-year broadcast deal. "They've proved their commitment to boxing over the last year by showing a fantastic range of fights from the UK and abroad. Personally, (and this is only an opinion under the protection of fair comment before I get any phone calls) I think long-term contracts between promoters and television companies are only good for the promoters. They have the security. A ‘make the fight first and we'll consider buying in an open market' is a better option for the fans and, I would argue, the broadcaster too. The latter might have to fork out more dosh on an individual basis but are guaranteed the product they want. To my knowledge, the big players in the American market such as Showtime and HBO favour this approach generally and both Sky and ITV (if they retain interest beyond this summer) now follow this business model, so it must tell you something. Facts and figures Considering they started off very recently, Setanta Sports is doing well. They have just over a million subscribers each paying out a tenner a month. They also have a deal with Virgin Media which gives them access to a further two million homes. Virgin offers Setanta Sports free to their top range subscribers. Their two biggest ratings successes in boxing as of the end of February were the Calzaghe-Kessler and Hatton-Castillo matches, for which precise figures are unavailable. Trevor East, Setanta's Director of Sport (N.B. This interview was conducted before the deal with Sports Network was made) What determines whether any sport or sporting event gets television coverage? It is whether the sport is an ‘audience driver', as simple as that really. As a pay TV channel, it is whatever drives subscriptions. All the guys who work here love sport and enjoy working with it but at the end of the day we are a commercial business and our shareholders expect a financial return. We like a range of content that adds quality to our schedule. What are the positives of boxing in comparison with other sports? Boxing delivers a level of excitement that is quite unique. It has an ability to generate adrenaline and excitement and this is partly due to its physicality and brutal nature. What are the negatives of boxing in comparison with other sports? It can deliver some awful disappointments. All sports have their highs and lows but they can be particularly noticeable in boxing. If everybody hopes for a good fight and it doesn't happen, it's a big disappointment for everyone. Ten second knockouts are no good to anyone. They are a lot worse for ITV and to some extent the BBC than they are for us though. They are trying to sustain an audience for perhaps two or three hours. A quick fight obviously affects advertising revenue in the future. Advertising is much more important for ITV than it is for us and Sky Sports. They are pretty much solely reliant on it whereas we have our subscriptions. How expensive is boxing in comparison to other sports? The fights that really deliver the big interest and audiences are expensive. It's difficult to give an answer to that really. Everything has its value and it's down to the quality of the fight itself. Really big fights are as expensive as an individual football match. Calzaghe fights are expensive but, touch wood, he has been very good for driving our subscriptions. It's good money for Joe but it's a good investment for Setanta. What has been your experience as a TV executive of dealing with boxing? (laughing) What's the phrase I'm looking for? It's ‘high maintenance'! It takes up a hell of a lot of time managing a range of boxing content whether it's working with one promoter or five. It's very tough dealing with the likes of King, Arum and Warren – and he's a mate! A lot has been said about the good personal relationship I have with Frank but when it comes to business he's as tough to deal with as anyone else. The thing some people don't realise is that promoters and managers are under a lot of pressure from their fighters and they can have a very difficult job. In my experience with boxing going back to the early 80s, boxers listen to too many people and relationships are undermined. They allow people to blow in their ear and tell them they should be getting more. I've yet to see someone who has left a successful promoter and gone on to make a lot more elsewhere. It is high maintenance…but it's worthwhile. What would you change about boxing? Very simple. Fewer titles. The old alphabet soup argument. What do you see in the future for the sport of boxing? There's absolutely no doubt about it – boxing is on the up. A year or two ago, British boxing was in a bit of a trough. Joe Calzaghe is finally getting the recognition he deserves and there are exciting young fighters coming through. The public seems to have latched on to the fact that it's on the up and a glance at the newspapers tells you that. Boxing is getting many more column inches these days. ITV and Setanta, in showcasing the sport, have helped generate the overall perception that boxing is back at the top of the agenda. Boxing and Television - In conclusion So we – and far more importantly, the promoters – need to remember that television coverage is a very fickle game. They are well aware of this already and we are now beginning to see the result of the penny finally dropping - much better matches on our screens. If the product isn't good enough, people won't watch and when people won't watch, the television companies don't want to know. Boxing is in a great position at the moment and to maintain its status near ‘the top of the agenda' for the TV decision makers, the sport needs to eradicate its tendencies to self-harm. The view that dubious world governing bodies should simply not be entertained is related consistently. Grass roots and small hall coverage is essential but, eventually, the best must fight the best. We all know that. There has been a rare, welcome spate of this simple premise being adhered to recently. Boxing needs to keep this up. It's the best reality television there is.

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