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Setanta Sports

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Setanta Sports
CountryIreland
Ownership
OwnerSetanta Sport Holdings Ltd

Setanta Sports (IPA: [sɛˈtantə]) is a sports broadcaster based in Ireland. Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events to Irish expatriates. More recently the network has expanded and it now broadcasts various live sporting events aimed at international English-speaking audiences. Setanta now has the rights to a share of FA Cup and England matches in the UK.

Joint Group CEOs Michael O'Rourke and Leonard Ryan are based in Dublin. The channel takes its name from the legendary Irish warrior Setanta, who reputedly played the oldest known field sport, hurling, and who was later given the name Cúchulainn as described in the ancient Irish texts of the Annals of Ulster.

Availability

Setanta Sports offers commercial venues in several countries around the world programming of sports such as Association football, Gaelic football, hurling, golf, cricket, Australian rules football, Basketball, rugby union and rugby league, darts and boxing. Setanta Sports has paid an undisclosed sum to secure the UK rights to the Indian Premier League cricket.

Ireland

Main article: Setanta Ireland

In Ireland, Setanta Sports' channels are available on a number of different platforms. Its flagship channel Setanta Ireland is available as part of UPC Ireland's basic cable package and as a subscription service on Sky Digital. Sky Digital subscribers receive the full array of Setanta Sports channels – Setanta Sports Ireland, Setanta Sports 1 & 2, Setanta Golf, Setanta Sports News, Liverpool FC TV, Celtic TV, Rangers TV, ESPN America, Racing UK and Arsenal TV.

Setanta also offers a commercial service for business premises comprising Setanta Ireland, Setanta Golf, Setanta Sports 1, Setanta Sports 2, Celtic TV, Rangers TV, Arsenal TV, Liverpool FC TV and Setanta Sports News.

The commercial package is available to all non residential premises in Ireland.

OneVision Irish DTT License application

On 1 May 2009, Fintan Drury, chairperson of the OneVision consortium made up of TV3 Group, Arqiva, Eircom and Setanta Sports, announced that OneVision is to enter negotiations with the BCI with the view to takeover operations of the the pay DTT service [1]. If negotiations are deemed successful it may see the launch of DTT in late 2009/early 2010 at a proposed operation cost of €40 million. OneVision aspires to offer 23 channels coinciding with the free-to-air channels [2]. For more one OneVision see article One Vision (DTT).

United Kingdom

Main articles: Setanta Sports 1 & 2 and Setanta Golf

Setanta's acquisition of rights to some matches of England's highest-profile domestic sporting competition, the Premier League, with effect from the 2007-08 season, indicated its ambition to challenge Sky Sports, which had been the dominant pay-TV sports broadcaster in the UK since pay-TV was introduced in the UK in the 1980s.

Setanta Sports is available on several platforms in the UK, including the two largest pay-TV operators, BSkyB and Virgin Media. Monthly subscriptions are available, and Virgin includes most of Setanta's channels at no separate charage in its more expensive packages. [3] Racing World and Setanta Ireland are currently not carried by Virgin Media and ESPN America is not available as part of the XL pack. Setanta Sports 1 is available via Digital Terrestrial Television and BT Vision. Three channels (Setanta Sports 1, Setanta Sports 2 and Setanta Golf) are available direct from Setanta via broadband internet. Those same three channels are available on Tiscali TV and Setanta Ireland is available only via Sky Digital and NTL cable in Ireland. Some programming is restricted for rights reasons.

Setanta had hoped to have a high-definition channel launched by August 2008, in time for the new Premier League season. However, as yet, no HD channel from Setanta is forthcoming.[4]

On 6 February 2009 it was announced Setanta had lost one of its 2 Premier League match packages (out of 6 total) to BSkyB for 2010-2013, with Sky taking 5 of the 6 packages on offer and Setanta the last, consisting of 23 matches[5]. This has led to commentators questioning the financial health and viability of Setanta and its football broadcast business[6][7] On 19 June 2009 Setanta lost all their Premier League TV rights due to not being able to pay the £30m owed to the English Premier League. [8]

North America

Main article: Setanta Sports North America

Setanta Sports North America, was launched in March 2005. To accommodate the fast growing content portfolio unique to both the US and Canada markets, Setanta Sports North America became two separate channels: - Setanta Sports (US) and Setanta Sports (Canada)[9]

USA

Main article: Setanta Sports (USA)

Setanta Sports (US) 24/7 linear channel carries competitions such as the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, The FA Cup, Scottish Cup, Scottish Premier League, 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification, Russian Premier League, Le Championnat, Coca Cola Championship, Carling Cup and exclusive MUTV and ChelseaTV. International rugby matches carried include Tri Nations, British & Irish Lions Tour, Currie Cup, Heineken Cup, Guinness Premiership, Magners League, Super 14, IRB Sevens World Series, Six Nations plus live broadcasts of the Australian NRL and European Super League in league. The network also carries the Australian Football League, the principal competition in Australian rules football, and Irish GAA sporting Gaelic Football and Hurling. Setanta Sports is available on DIRECTV, Dish Network, select areas on Comcast and Cox, RCN, Verizon FiOS TV and AT&T U-verse.

Canada

Main article: Setanta Sports (Canada)

On 10 August 2007, a Canadian version of Setanta Sports was launched in partnership with Rogers Media. Setanta Sports Canada is currently available on most major television service providers in Canada including Bell TV and Shaw Direct.

Australia

Main article: Setanta Sports Australia

On 1 November 2007, Setanta Sports Australia, the Australian version of Setanta Sports, was launched into homes across Australia. The channel was initially made available in commercial venues such as pubs and clubs in November 2005.

Currently the Setanta Sports Australia channel is available on all the major pay-TV home platforms in Australia; Foxtel, Austar, UBI World TV, TransACT and also to direct satellite customers direct satellite (Optus D2). Setanta Sports Australia is available to homes via broadband and available commercially to clubs, pubs and businesses via direct satellite (Optus D2) or Austar.

Setanta Sports Australia offers a wide range of international sport including association football, rugby union, boxing, GAA, darts and cricket. Current Setanta Sports Australia sporting right holdings include the FA Cup, England National Football Team, World Cup 2010 Qualifiers, Scottish Premier League, Six Nations Championship and England national rugby union team.

Known costs

File:Premier League Football Setanta Sports.jpg
An English Premier League football match live on Setanta Sports

Criticism

Just as when Sky, in the 1990s, first obtained the exclusive rights to screen live coverage of England's away qualifiers, so Setanta have attracted similar criticism as a result of it having now obtained the same contract. However, whereas Sky often sold on a highlights package to a terrestrial broadcaster (BBC), Setanta indicated that the sums offered by terrestrial broadcasters, reported to be £100,000-£200,000, were 5-10 times lower than their perceived market value; Setanta paid £5m to screen England's away qualifier with Croatia on 10 September 2008 and believed a sensible highlights package should attract a fee of £1m.[15] Thus, no highlights package was agreed, and Setanta themselves showed highlights of both England and Scotland qualifiers free-to-air after the live games had concluded. This was announced at 6pm on the day the matches took place, and received 220,000 viewers.[16] Setanta then accepted "a low six-figure deal" with ITV to show delayed "extended highlights" a few days later.

Setanta's subscriber numbers were lower than those of Sky Sports, and the number of households watching the match live was estimated at around 1.5m. However, due to the availability of Setanta on both digital satellite and digital terrestrial television, the possible subscriber base actually surpasses that of Sky Sports (not presently available via DTT) but fans who were unwilling to subscribe could not see the match live. Prime Minister Gordon Brown indicated he felt it "unfortunate" more fans could not see the match live (i.e. without paying a subscription fee).


Cancellation issues

Setanta has also received significant criticism of its cancellation policy, with the issue investigated by the BBC's Watchdog programme and Radio Five Live.[17][18] Whilst customers were able to subscribe either online or over the telephone, many customers found it "nigh-on impossible to cancel" the service, with the only means of a cancellation being to inform the company in writing.[19]

Due to the amount of negative feedback received Setanta has recently changed this to allow for cancellations to be done through email. Furthermore, whilst customers were originally entered into a 30 day notice period once their cancellation letter was received this time was recently put up to 60 days without any information being sent to customers, again due to the negative feedback this was quickly reduced back down to 30 days.[20] These customer service issues have been compounded by the fact that customers have to phone a premium rate number should they have any issues to resolve, with calls costing at least 10p per minute.[21]

Financial situation

According to the official Registre de Commerce et des Sociétés of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the most recent annual accounts lodged by Setanta Sports S.a.r.l. indicated losses of 173 million euro.[22][23]

Reports on 7 June 2009 suggested Setanta could be forced into administration that week[24] after failing to make payments due on TV rights. The Sunday Times and the Sunday Telegraph reported[citation needed] Deloitte is on standby to administrator if the firm does not agree a rescue with its investors. The Irish firm, which showed England's 4-0 World Cup win away to Kazakhstan the previous Saturday, is struggling to pay cash owed to football associations including the Scottish Premier League under its rights deals. [24]

Due to late payment and renegotiation over fees by Setanta to football clubs, several UK football clubs were put into financial difficullties as money promised had been spent in annual budgets. On 4 June 2009, the Scottish Premier League announced they would be paying the sums in lieu that some of the clubs were owed to avoid causing them financial problems. [25]

On 19 June 2009, Setanta Sports failed to pay the latest installment of £30 million it owes the English Premier League. The Premier League will now sell the rights to the 46 live matches Setanta had for the 2009/10 season. A Premier League spokesman said, "It is with considerable regret that we announce that Setanta has been unable to meet their obligations. As such the existing licence agreement between us has been terminated with immediate effect." [8] The rights are expected to be taken up by the BBC who have a budget surplus following the loss of the FA Cup and England matches.

Advertising

Former BBC and ITV Sport presenter Des Lynam, together with actress Thaila Zucchi starred in the advertising launch of Setanta's coverage of the Premier League from August 2007. The slogan used in this advert is "Setanta Sports - £9.99 a month, no annual contract."[26]

Recent contracts

On 5 May 2006, [27] Setanta broke Sky Sports' three-year monopoly on showing the Barclay's Premier League in the UK, successfully bidding £392 million for the rights to show 46 matches per season on its subscription channels.

On 7 April 2008, Setanta Sports announced they had signed an exclusive 3-year broadcast deal with Frank Warren's Sports Network to make Setanta the new home of televised boxing with fights involving Joe Calzaghe, Enzo Maccarinelli, Kevin Mitchell, Gavin Rees, Alex Arthur and Matt Skelton exclusive to Setanta Sports subscribers.[28].

On 22 May 2008, Setanta Sports announced that they will be showing live coverage of the Vodacom Challenge Cup in South Africa, featuring Manchester United. They will be showing action from The Red Devils' games against Orlando Pirates and the Kaizer Chiefs. The tournament took place between the 19th and 26th of July.

In June 2008, it was confirmed that Setanta had gained rights to all England home friendlies and away qualifiers until 2012. ITV have picked up home qualifiers and away friendlies.

On 21 May 2008, Setanta Sports announced that they will be following up their Indian Premier League coverage with the Asia Cup featuring the international sides from the Sub-Continent going head-to-head from 26 June 2008 through to the final on 6 July 2008.[29]

On 30 June 2008, [30] Setanta agreed a new £125 million contract to show the Scottish Premier League until the end of the 2013-14 season.

From 16 August 2008, Setanta Sports and ITV Sport share coverage of the FA Cup, both showing equal amounts of games and even some games shown live on one channel, shown on the other at a later time in full. This is different from previous seasons of the FA Cup, when primarily BBC Sport and to a lesser extent Sky Sports, covered the competition.

On 11 December 2008 Setanta Sports announced a deal which will see it becoming the primary rights holder to rugby union's Guinness Premiership from the start of the 2010/11 season. It will broadcast 43 matches per season, including exclusive coverage of the Premiership Final. Sky Sports will show 26 matches per season.

Presenters, Pundits, Commentators & Reporters

See also

  • Special 1 TV - parody program on Setanta Sports that featuring puppet caricatures of football personalities.

References

  1. ^ http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/onevision-sets-sights-on-paidfor-tv-project-1726759.html
  2. ^ http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2009/0501/1224245754008.html
  3. ^ Virgin Central
  4. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a81234/setanta-sky-spar-over-high-def-channel.html. Digital Spy, Thursday 6 December 2007.
  5. ^ http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/879442/Setanta-loses-football-rights-package-latest-Premier-League-auction/
  6. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/feb/13/setanta-premier-league-television-deal
  7. ^ http://www.scenta.co.uk/sport/news/cit/1743019/setanta-denies-it-faces-a-crisis-but-sports-braced-for-decline-in-rights-value.htm
  8. ^ a b "Setanta loses Premier TV rights". BBC News. 19 June 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ in August 2007/page?open&systemtitle=faqs#when_canada Setanta Sports North America FAQs, retrieved 19 February 2007.
  10. ^ English Premier League TV Broadcast Rights - 2007-2010 Football Economy.
  11. ^ Record TV deal could result in Monday night matches for SPL. The Scotsman, 28 April 2006].
  12. ^ Broadcaster is seeking £200m for TV soccer. The Sunday Times, 1 July 2006.
  13. ^ ITV to pay £275m for FA Cup | Media | MediaGuardian. Media Guardian, 30 March 2007].
  14. ^ ITV scores in FA Cup rights fight. BBC News, 30 March 2007.
  15. ^ Interview, Victoria Derbyshire (programme), BBC Radio Five Live, 10-11 September 2008
  16. ^ ITV to show England-Croatia highlights after striking Setanta deal, The Guardian, accessed 12 September 2008
  17. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/victoriaderbyshire/2008/09/ive_fallen_out_of_love_with_th.html
  18. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2008/12/setanta_users_experience_viewi.html
  19. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/victoriaderbyshire/2009/01/the_setanta_situation.html
  20. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/victoriaderbyshire/2009/01/the_setanta_situation.html
  21. ^ http://www.setanta.com/uk/Contact-Us/
  22. ^ http://www.ziddu.com/download/5057139/SetantaSportsSarlAccounts.pdf.html
  23. ^ https://www.rcsl.lu/mjrcs/displayConsultDocuments.do?removeList=true&isFromIndex=true&time=1241771956624
  24. ^ a b http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gRVgH-HLhF-FMkm1d9xD0MJ0lHJg,
  25. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8085447.stm
  26. ^ "Lynam fronts Setanta campaign". The Guardian. 2007-07-27. Retrieved 2007-07-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ BBC NEWS | Business | Setanta joins Premiership action
  28. ^ Setanta Boxing
  29. ^ Setanta boosts Cricket coverage with Asia Cup
  30. ^ | Setanta Sports agree Record TV Deal for SPL Coverage
  31. ^ http://tvnewsroom.co.uk/blog/?p=77
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