Friday, June 19, 2009

Quick Throw: Setanta misses payment

News is hitting the wires that beleaguered Setanta Sports is unable to come up with the required cash for the Premier League today, which means its TV contract has been canceled. What will happen to the Special One?

Update: Confirmed by the BBC.


The league added: "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.

The rights to show the 46 match package for next year will now be put up for auction.

15 comments:

Whizalen said...

so...FSC has their deal through setanta, right? We can't get Sky in the US and ESPN doesn't seem like they want to pick-up these packages. Meaning, we completely lose the EPL in the states, right (obv. outside of internet streaming)? Is that really in the interest of the EPL and/or American club owners?

I'm just wondering how this all shakes out for the US

Spectator said...

@Whizalen: No impact really. FSC has a completely separate deal directly from the EPL (that's where their feeds come from). As far as Setanta US goes, it is a distinct entity from Setanta UK and will most likely be sold off when Setanta UK goes bankrupt (which should happen any day now). At the end of the day, nothing will likely change in the U.S. - at most Setanta US may be called something else (like maybe ESPN8).

MoonshineMike said...

ESPN8 aka The Ocho is not the best name for the channel. But I was under the impression that US rights and UK rights are bought/sold/traded differently

Whizalen said...

ok..can you explain that a little further? So, FSC gets its games from the EPL so there will be EPL games on FSC next year, hooray! There will be no impact of Setanta US showing EPL games because they're separate entities....or they're separate entities, but US gets its programming from Setanta UK, so there won't be EPL on Setanta US (I'm upgrading to directv this summer, so I'm very interested in all this)?

I'm excited to learn FSC won't be affected; I can get the sports pack instead of setanta (with fox showing champions league + EPL, works out for me) which will also give me Goltv (hooray!) as well as the local chicago sportsnet channel for all my Cubs' needs (wife is psyched about that factoid)

Whizalen said...

wanted to add: The Ocho would be the PERFECT name for that channel in the US

Jacob said...

EPL rights for American broadcast are a separate package. FSC has some, Setanta has the others. FSC will not be affected (trust me, we would have heard otherwise by now).

Something else to watch out for are internet rights in the US. Setanta has some currently (FSC has others), but I'm sure those could be bought on the cheap. Meaning those that get ESPN360 could be in for a treat.

Spectator said...

@MM: Right, I might not have been clear (won't be the first or last time) but US/UK rights are apples and oranges.

@Whizalen: Everything you wrote seems correct to me. Setanta US is likely up in the air but, again, I think it'll find a buyer because it's profitable. Only question is whether its feeds will be affected since most likely it was just rebroadcasting Setanta UK feeds. But, important part is no impact at at all on FSC.

The other really interesting thing will be to see who buys up the Setanta UK package. Sky can't because of the EU laws. That basically leaves ESPN... or maybe ITV??

jape said...

Funny - when ever I would go to the pub and watch a game broadcast by Setanta, I could never figure out how, during the half, they would show a close up of the Prem League ball and some really shitty, really loud music. It seemed that would be the time to air ads that would generate revenue to pay bills so they could "meet their obligations."

Seems to work with FSC and Pro-Active and International calling cards.

Precious Roy said...

The rights to show the 46 match package for next year will now be put up for auction

Someone check my math, but I don't think that's the case. It's the rights for the following season, correct?

The 2009-2010 season will not be impacted and, as long as Setanta is still on the air will be broadcasting matches to which they secured rights.

Spectator said...

@PR: Nope, it actually is the 09-10 season. Crazy, huh?

Precious Roy said...

Maybe I should have clicked the link and read. That is crazy. Or I just thought all of this ado was about the next rights package.

Email us at said...

Asked for comment, a Setanta spokesperson could only say "a-WELL. . ."

BackBergtt said...

Setanta has its matches cut from 46 to 23 in 2010-2011, so if ESPN gets their rights they get one season of a full schedule and then three fifths of a season the next.

Goat said...

If ESPN had a sense of humor, they'd call it The Ocho. Therefore, it won't happen.

BackBergtt said...

And as far as the auction goes, if Setanta is taken over, they can bid right? Happy Gilmore style?