With so many first-rate, live sporting events disappearing from free-to-view channels, sports fans are subscribing in their thousands in order to get their fix of the action. What exactly does digital television offer to the sports fans, and what is the best and cheapest way to take advantage of it?

SKY

Sky has the biggest, brightest reputation as THE provider of sports coverage. They claim to have the most coverage and the best punditry. But is their price way over the bar?

Sky's Freesat package offers little for the sporting fan. Admittedly there is a golf channel. Sky sneakily list Xleague under their sporting channels, but if you look closely you see that Xleague is a channel dedicated to competitive gaming, as in "computer gaming". Not really a sport in most people's books.

So, if you want real action you will have to pay for it, joining up to their See subscription channels. You have to take a basic package of normal entertainment channels and then add what they call their "Sport Mix" as an additional extra. That is, three Sky Sports channels, plus the Sky Sport Extra. The total cost for this is 30 for activation charges, and then 34 a month in subscriptions. You'd better be getting the equivalent of John Motson in your living room for that cost...

What you do actually receive is pretty good, and depending on your sporting passion's pretty worth the cash. Amongst other advantages, Sky is the home of live, international Cricket.  As long as the rain doesn't call off play, you'll be able to enjoy the glorious Test-series from the comfort of your own home.

BT VISION

If you have been swayed by the BT Vision package, then you can easily subscribe to their sporting offering, available from August 2007. This gives you access to most (to be specific, 75%) of the Season's Premiership football matches. Scottish footie is shown too, with highlights from other European Leagues. And it's not only football, there is PGA golf, and other major sporting events, except the notable lack of Cricket matches. All events and matches can be viewed "live", or over the broadband connection at a time of your own convenience. The Standard Sports Package is 4 a month, which comes with its own library of classic sport. The only disadvantage is that matches are not entirely "live" on this plan. They are shown from 10pm of the same evening, i.e. a couple of hours after real-time kick-off. If you couldn't bear the delay, then you need to look into the Total Sports option, which is 10 or 12 a month, depending on the range of events which you want to access.

There is also a pay-per view option with BT, so that if you want to host a one-off footie afternoon, you can do so for the price of the beers plus 1.99 for the live game.

TOP-UP TV

Top-Up TV are unable to be crystal clear about what sporting events they offer. They have selected events from British EuroSport, but obviously due to the nature of the service, none of it will be live.  As an additional extra, you can get Setanta Sports... See below for details!

SETANTA

All BT's sporting content comes courtesy of the other big player in televised sports, Setanta Sports. Setanta have links with many digital television suppliers, but could also supply you directly, cutting out the middle man. If you are a loyal freeviewer, with nothing more than your set-top box (which must have a viewing card slot to be compatible), then you could subscribe to Setanta for 9.99 extra a month.  That's 3 less than the previous price of 12.99 a month.  In addition to the Barclays premier League (including 46 matches which they have exclusive rights to show) and the SPL League, you'll enjoy the PGA Golf Tour, Live Australian and Magners League rugby games.  You can subscribe over the phone, or even online, and your Setanta viewing card (to be inserted into the set-top box) should be ready and waiting on your doorstep within 7 days.

HOW DO I CHOOSE?

If you are making the switch over to Digital Television purely in order to get better access to sporting events, then it seems like you have two choices.  The best deals come from Sky and from Setanta (specifically direct, not paying for the extras that you don't want or need). If you are of the Cricket persuasion, then Sky will be the one for you, but if you like your sports a little more energetic (and particularly if you can't bear to miss Premiership League action) then plump for Setanta. Don't spend the money on extra subscriptions; just go for the basic Freeview service, with a decent set-top-box, order your Setanta viewing card and you're good and ready for the new season to begin!