Sentanta Deal equals the close of CSCs?

By: Matt | July 1st, 2008

Sorry for the silent weekend from me, as I was in the Land of Lincoln aka Illinois. Over the weekend, the big news for me was Celtic “signing James McFadden”…except that a jerk texted me a fake news story. The real story over the weekend was the SPL agreeing to a £125 million dollar contract with Sentanta to continue to broadcast the SPL until 2014. This of course means more money for all of the teams in the SPL, which can only be a good thing right? Unfortunately, while it might land a big signing and possibly increase the stature of the SPL, this move might be a continuation of pricing the average fan out of football. Perhaps the most effected might be the follower of the SPL in North America.
It has been reported that Sentanta will be increasing their subscription fee for the season. Perhaps it is to cover the now more expensive costs of the SPL or other leagues. No matter what, the bill will be much more expensive. Who is this going to hit the most? The former season book holder who could no longer afford his season ticket so he has to catch his beloved Celtic on TV or the North American supporter in the CSC who barely makes enough money to pay for the club’s subscription and now might not be able to afford it.

Listen, I’m not a class warrior and this is not an article on the proletariat or bourgeois, but it certainly seems that Celtic and the rest of the SPL are trying to maximize profits. The big clubs of ~~the Old Firm~~ Glasgow are certainly leading the way, trying to clean up their history, both the good and the bad to become a more profitable entity. In the world of modern football, where you need the big profits to sign the big players in a seeming endless cycle, this type of business practice is hardly new or unexpected. Yet, Celtic isn’t exactly in a bidding war with Real Madrid for the pretty Ronaldo, yet a “new”home kit will be released (let me give you a hint, there are still green and white hoops) for $80 American and be bought up. Celtic triumphantly announced that this year’s season book prices were frozen. ALL HAIL THE HEREOS OF THE WORKING CLASS! Or was it because people could not afford your raised prices from the previous season? No matter what, it seems that the “average” Celtic fan is being priced out of the club.

It’s a big thing to ask Seamus Workingman to spend his entire paycheck on Celtic for Half Dead crowds against Killie or extreme prices with Thomas Crook to European trips while fans who have been to every game are left out for Joe Corporate. And now, to seemingly price out the North American fan spending $15 a game to watch a small tv at 7 AM seems quite ludicrous. Sentanta has a decent product, but if no one in North America (I realize the price gauges effect all, but I am focusing on the CSCs in North America closing) sees it, you lose money. If people are not following the team, they aren’t buying replica kits, they’re not buying Celtic jewelry , and your losing your stake of the new football market that is North America.

The most disappointing of all this is Celtic’s history. If Celtic were Man U or Chel$ki well known for being a corporate entity this would be a less hard pill to swallow. The fact that the club WAS FOUNDED to help the poor Irish of Glasgow makes this more sickening. The questions we should be asking is…what would Brother Walfrid think of this? What would Willie Maley think of this? It might not be feasible to be putting soup on the tables of the poor and still be competitive, but I would like to hope that every Celtic fan regardless of occupation and class will be at least able to come to Celtic Park as a release from the troubles of his day, or at least watch it on tv but it seems like even these are becoming less and less possible.

TAL