Setanta wins two Premier League packages

MisterAnarchy

Irish pay-TV operator Setanta has been successful in its bid to break Sky's monopoly on live Premiership coverage, securing two of three remaining live TV rights packages of 23 games per year for four seasons starting in 2007.

The Premier League announced at a press conference held after the close of business at the London Stock Exchange that Setanta's bid of £392m for 46 games per year was successful. Sky secured a fourth package in addition to the three it won last week, with the broadcaster paying £1.31bn for a total of 92 games per year.

The station has secured 12 matches - known as 'Package C' games - with Monday 8pm or Saturday evening (5.15pm) / Sunday lunch-time (1.30pm) kick-off times.

All remaining 34 games, which fall under the 'Package D' category, hold Saturday evening and Sunday lunch-time starts.

The rights run for three seasons, commencing August 2007 at a cost of stg£392 (€572 m).

mike65

How does this impact on cable viewers here? Is this where we loose Setanta as a free channel?

Mike.

ButcherOfNog

So this means we need to pay more to see stuff on two different networks?

Thank you European Commission, you've done a great job.

MisterAnarchy

Just saw this
PLEASE NOTE:
- The two broadcasters will be able to show games for three years, beginning in 2007.
- BSkyB will show all it's 92 live games on Sky Sports. No Prem Plus pay-per-view service!
- Sky Sports will cover all their matches in high definition too, on Sky Sports HD.
- Irish broadcasters, Setanta Sport will show their 46 games on their subscription channels. They will not be available for viewers in the Republic of Ireland! Whats going on here ????
- The auction process was "technologically neutral", allowing the possibility of games being broadcast over the internet.

PHB

Basically,
we're going to have the same as we always have.

Setanta that we have is different to their setanta.

The matches we get on at saterday at 3pm are totally indepedent to this deal, it's because we're foreign.
I think.

Not quite sure.
If you have sky digital, you can register for Setanta.

mike65

I think thats right, I was wondering as the various deals for the UK do not include any Sat 3pm games.

Mike.

Aquos76

MisterAnarchy wrote:

- Irish broadcasters, Setanta Sport will show their 46 games on their subscription channels. They will not be available for viewers in the Republic of Ireland! Whats going on here ????

Tbh, I cant really see this been the case. As these will not be sat 3pm games, (I suspect that Setanta and Rte will aquire that package when it becomes available again, so as PHB says " things will remain the same) there is no reason as to why these cant been shown here in Ireland. Well considering we are able to receive the total amount of games in which Sky have shown over the years.

The packages which setanta have actually picked up are the packages which are equivalent to the present PPV and monday night packages. They will just launch a new channel which will have these games on them.

Jonny Arson

I *think* there is a tv package specifically for Ireland. The bidding process should begin soon but I don't know whether it will include live games or just be highlights.

Drag00n79

MisterAnarchy wrote:

Irish broadcasters, Setanta Sport will show their 46 games on their subscription channels. They will not be available for viewers in the Republic of Ireland! Whats going on here ????

The new Irish live rights will be announced over the summer. I would imagine this means that Setanta Ireland will get to simulcast the live matches Setanta UK have. It's just that they cannot announce that yet.

eirebhoy

ButcherOfNog wrote:

So this means we need to pay more to see stuff on two different networks?

Thank you European Commission, you've done a great job.

There'll be 4 more premiership matches on Sky in 07/08 than any of the previous years. Prem+ is being scrapped but you're still getting you're usual football fix on Sky.

For €150 a year on Sky Digital you get Setanta Ireland, Setanta Sports 1, Setanta Sports 2, Celtic TV, Rangers TV, NASN. For €70 a year you get Prem+. I think you're getting a lot more for your money with Setanta and the matches will be of better quality (I can't say I've ever thought about ordering a match on Prem+).

SteM

mike65 wrote:

I think thats right, I was wondering as the various deals for the UK do not include any Sat 3pm games.

Mike.

This is the deal for UK broadcst rights. IIRC, Premiership clubs do not want Saturday 3pm games broadcast in the UK as it can effect live attedences.