Setanta ireland could disappear from satellite tomorrow

mike2084

Story taken from today's Sunday Times - no online link to it

Sky gets tough with Setanta over debts

Sunday Times June 28

Tom Lyons & Aine Coffey

BSKYB has written to the administrator of Setanta Sports threatening to reonve the irish sports broadcaster from it's platform unless it is repaid £4.7m (€5.5m) by noon tomorrow.

Sky is owed the money for carrying Setanta on its satellite platform in the UK and Ireland. Deloitte, Setanta's administrators, told Sky recently it woul dno onger pay for Setanta to be carried in either market.

It is understood the amount relating to the Irish operation is between £500,000 and £300,000 of the total sum. Talks about paying off the sum in instalments are continuing.

The move comes as a group including the music promoter Denis Desmond, who owns 20% of Setanta's Irish business, is finalising a takeover of it. "We are offering to do a deal with Sky", said Desmond. "We have no problem looking after Ireland but they want us to pay for the UK, and we are saying 'you've got to be kidding'."

About 110,000 Irish viewers watch Setanta on Sky's platform and 1.2m people view it on Sky in Ireland and the UK.

Also involved in the rescue bid are Michael O'Rourke and Leonard Ryan, Setanta's founders, and Mark O'Meara, the former head of thr group's British operation.

Staff were told on Friday that O'Rourke, Ryan and O'Meara had secured a deal to take over the international operation with undislcosed investors.

Desmond said he was only interested in the irish business. Liberty Global, parent of NTL and Chorus, is also interested in acquiring the Irish division.

"The short-term wish is to [keep] it out of the hands of the administrator," said Desmond. "We hope in the next four weeks to secure new investors and new rights for it."

Berty44

For anyone intereted the PGA Tour golf was carried over the weekend live on Eurosport 2 !!!!!!

Mossy Monk

Yes and they will cover the rest of this seasons PGA tour.

Widescreen

Yes,but you have to get another mix from Sky to get Eurosport. And keep your Setanta sub going until we find out what the heck is happening!!

JDxtra

Sky are right in this case to threaten action. They are owed millions from Setanta and will use any leverage they have to try and get it.

hurleronditch

Widescreen wrote: »

Yes,but you have to get another mix from Sky to get Eurosport. And keep your Setanta sub going until we find out what the heck is happening!!

Why in gods name would you keep your subscription going???

You were paying 21 euro for an average mix of channels,why would you keep paying now that it's all gone??

Get on your Internet banking and cancel your direct debit asap!!

Widescreen

hurleronditch wrote: »

Why in gods name would you keep your subscription going???

You were paying 21 euro for an average mix of channels,why would you keep paying now that it's all gone??

Get on your Internet banking and cancel your direct debit asap!!

I've only paid Setanta the full price once in nearly two years! Got a few 10.99 pm deals and now I am on a €5 per month three month deal.I'm happy to pay the 5 until we know the story. Its what you call customer loyalty:D

Widescreen

I noticed since yesterday on satellite, that Setanta Sports 2,Setanta Golf,Setanta News,Rangers Tv and Celtic TV have a test card type screen now with a buzzing tone. Maybe other channels are almost ready to take these EPG slots??

ESPN America(on a Setanta Sub) ,Setanta Ireland and Setanta Sports 1 are still broadcasting.

ScrubsfanChris

I wonder why thet don't come out with an offical statement.

Some of the Setanta channels have been removed from the Sky epg now!

Widescreen

I noticed that the Racing replay channel was back on air last night as well at 11.00 pm. My card doesn't match the box so maybe a setanta satellite sub holder with a matched card can advise if racing uk is back working again?

Mossy Monk

Did Racing UK ever go off the air? I think they stayed on.

denis1501

Racing UK never went off air, it's been working fine.

Widescreen

After the news about ESPN getting the 46 "Setanta" matches it looks like the end is nigh unfortunately. Only hope I can see of them remaining a Pay TV company in this country is to get the 33 Saturday 3pm games and Hold on to the full blown(European) version of ESPN America which we have now and many countries throughout the world have, and obviously the Magners League and maybe some French/Dutch footie. If they got those this could be a feasible channel line up

ESPN America
Setanta Ireland
Setanta Sports 1
Racing UK
Scouse TV
Gooner TV

Price would need to be no more than €7.99 per month to get any subscribers.

If they don't get the Prem games they will be more or less pole axed i'd say.
If they did keep going and just had Setanta Ireland, SS1 they would have to go FTA I reckon.

I really hope the first scenario wins.

Gonzo

id rather they become FTA and have Setanta Ireland, SS1 and ESPN America in the clear or at least part of skys entertainment package. More free tv channels can only be a good thing.

watty

SPORT
Will not be FTA and not part of ent package.

ESPN won't remain part of a Setanta sub.

Manc-Red

Wouldn't it be super if RTE were to acquire the rights for the 3pms in Ireland.

cruizer22b

Did ESPN not get all the Setanta matches in the last day or so ?

Manc-Red

3pms still to be auctioned off in a couple of weeks by the FA

cruizer22b

Manc-Red wrote: »

3pms still to be auctioned off in a couple of weeks by the FA

Ah right ok.

snaps

That term "Palarva" springs to mind. This is all becoming a bit of a joke and it looks like yet again the Irish consummer is getting screwed.

Why don't we get the government to make us vote on who we want to provide us with footie................They can always make us vote again if they don't get the result they wanted!!!!

Spiritoftheseventies

snaps wrote: »

That term "Palarva" springs to mind. This is all becoming a bit of a joke and it looks like yet again the Irish consummer is getting screwed.

Why don't we get the government to make us vote on who we want to provide us with footie................They can always make us vote again if they don't get the result they wanted!!!!

yes as a pool fan subscribed to Setanta for Liverpool FC tv and the premiership soccer. but doubt if i will keep subscription up if there is no live premiership games available on whats left of their package.

cruizer22b

I canceled mine today. Ill do without.

Manc-Red

snaps wrote: »

That term "Palarva" springs to mind. This is all becoming a bit of a joke and it looks like yet again the Irish consummer is getting screwed.

Why don't we get the government to make us vote on who we want to provide us with footie................They can always make us vote again if they don't get the result they wanted!!!!

Lisbon TV lol

Spiritoftheseventies

Manc-Red wrote: »

Lisbon TV lol

just curious. Do chorus officially look after Setanta's subscriptions. can you just remove it from your package.

Rizzo the Rat

3pm Saturday Premier Leagues games have been awarded to ESPN. So no live Premier League games left with Setanta in Ireland.
I will be cancelling this morning.

Spiritoftheseventies

Rizzo the Rat wrote: »

3pm Saturday Premier Leagues games have been awarded to ESPN. So no live Premier League games left with Setanta in Ireland.
I will be cancelling this morning.

I have ESPN on my setanta package. will check to see in a few weeks if they are showing games.

Rizzo the Rat

I emailed Requests@Setanta.com to cancel and also filled out an online contact form requesting cancellation.
I also cancelled my direct debit with my bank.
Hopefully Setanta will confim cancellation has gone through.
I know in the past in order to cancel all you had to do was send an email to requests but with only Setanta Ireland now operating how are people applying to cancel?
Thanks

Spiritoftheseventies

Rizzo the Rat wrote: »

I emailed Requests@Setanta.com to cancel and also filled out an online contact form requesting cancellation.
I also cancelled my direct debit with my bank.
Hopefully Setanta will confim cancellation has gone through.
I know in the past in order to cancel all you had to do was send an email to requests but with only Setanta Ireland now operating how are people applying to cancel?
Thanks

again i subscribed to setanta via Chorus. i assume to cancel you do the same or whomever your digital provider is

channelsurfer

Rizzo the Rat wrote: »

3pm Saturday Premier Leagues games have been awarded to ESPN. So no live Premier League games left with Setanta in Ireland.
I will be cancelling this morning.

got a link to where it says that? I though the press release from the premier league yesterday said that they were being tendered in the coming weeks????

Spiritoftheseventies

Gonzo wrote: »

id rather they become FTA and have Setanta Ireland, SS1 and ESPN America in the clear or at least part of skys entertainment package. More free tv channels can only be a good thing.

Can we nail this down. The setanta package that includes ESPN. is it the same ESPN that will be showing Premier games. has anyone rung up and checked out if Irish viewers will have access to Premier league football in august without a sky sports package.

Widescreen

channelsurfer wrote: »

got a link to where it says that? I though the press release from the premier league yesterday said that they were being tendered in the coming weeks????

If ESPN got the 3pm's in Ireland would they have to set up a separate channel? Reason I'm making this point is because if they use the same channel as the uk they would have to make it "Programme not available" in the UK and also waste 2.5 hours where they could have been showing Baseball over there!!!! I dunno...

Jungle Boy

EPL have announced the 1st set of TV matches

Sat 15 Aug	Chelsea v Hull City 		12:45	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 15 Aug	Everton v Arsenal 		17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 16 Aug	Man United v Birmingham		13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 16 Aug	Tottenham v Liverpool 		16:00	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sun 23 Aug	West Ham v Tottenham		13:30	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 23 Aug	Fulham v Chelsea 		16:00	Sky Sports[COLOR="Red"]
Mon 24 Aug     Liverpool v Villa 		20:00	ESPN
Sat 29 Aug	Chelsea v Burnley 		12:45	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sat 29 Aug	Man United v Arsenal 		17:15	Sky Sports
Sun 30 Aug	Portsmouth v Man City 		13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 30 Aug	Aston Villa v Fulham 		16:00	Sky Sports

[COLOR="Red"]Sat 12 Sept	Tottenham v Man United 		17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 13 Sept	Birmingham v Villa 		12:00	Sky Sports
Sun 13 Sept	Fulham v Everton 		13:30	Sky Sports
Sat 19 Sept	Burnley v Sunderland 		12:45	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 19 Sept	West Ham v Liverpool 		17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 20 Sept	Man United v Man City 		13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 20 Sept	Chelsea v Tottenham 		16:00	Sky Sports
Sat 26 Sept	Portsmouth v Everton 		12:45	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 26 Sept	Fulham v Arsenal 		17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 27 Sept	Sunderland v Wolves		16:00	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Mon 28 Sept	Man City v West Ham 		20:00	ESPN[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Red"]Sat 03 Oct  	Man United v Sunderland 		17:15	ESPN	[/COLOR]
Sun 04 Oct 	Arsenal v Blackburn			13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 04 Oct 	Chelsea v Liverpool       		16:00	Sky Sports	
[COLOR="Red"]Mon 05 Oct 	Villa v Man City 			20:00	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sat 17 Oct 	Villa v Chelsea                     	12:45	Sky Sports		
Sun 18 Oct 	Blackburn v Burnley       		13:00	Sky Sports	
Sun 18 Oct 	Wigan v Man City         		16:00	Sky Sports	
[COLOR="Red"]Mon 19 Oct 	Fulham v Hull City         		20:00	ESPN[/COLOR]	
Sat 24 Oct 	Wolves v Villa                      	12:45	Sky Sports		
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 24 Oct 	Chelsea v Blackburn 			17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 25 Oct 	Liverpool v Man United  		14:00	Sky Sports	
Sun 25 Oct 	West Ham v Arsenal 			16:15	Sky Sports
Sat 31 Oct	Arsenal v Tottenham			12:45	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 31 Oct	Man United v Blackburn 			17:15	ESPN[/color]

Sun 01 Nov 	Birmingham v Man City 			16:00	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 07 Nov 	Wolves v Arsenal 			17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 08 Nov 	Hull City v Stoke City 			13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 08 Nov 	Chelsea v Man United 			16:00	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Mon 09 Nov 	Liverpool v Birmingham			20:00	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sat 21 Nov 	Liverpool v Man City 			12:45	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 21 Nov 	Man United v Everton 			17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 22 Nov 	Bolton v Blackburn			13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 22 Nov 	Stoke City v Portsmouth 		16:00	Sky Sports	
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 28 Nov 	Villa v Tottenham			17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 29 Nov 	Everton v Liverpool 			13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 29 Nov 	Arsenal v Chelsea 			16:00	Sky Sports

No mention of 3pm Saturday

Rizzo the Rat

channelsurfer - check out todays papers. It even has quotes from Dickie Scudamore of the Premier League.
I saw it in the Metro.

Rizzo the Rat

channelsurfer - check http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/espn-win-ireland-rights-deal-95929.html

Eurorunner

Can someone clear this up for me please. If ESPN has irish rights now, does that mean Setanta Ireland is well and truely finished?

Spiritoftheseventies

Jungle Boy wrote: »

EPL have announced the 1st set of TV matches

Sat 15 Aug	Chelsea v Hull City 		12:45	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 15 Aug	Everton v Arsenal 		17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 16 Aug	Man United v Birmingham		13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 16 Aug	Tottenham v Liverpool 		16:00	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sun 23 Aug	West Ham v Tottenham		13:30	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 23 Aug	Fulham v Chelsea 		16:00	Sky Sports[COLOR="Red"]
Mon 24 Aug     Liverpool v Villa 		20:00	ESPN
Sat 29 Aug	Chelsea v Burnley 		12:45	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sat 29 Aug	Man United v Arsenal 		17:15	Sky Sports
Sun 30 Aug	Portsmouth v Man City 		13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 30 Aug	Aston Villa v Fulham 		16:00	Sky Sports

[COLOR="Red"]Sat 12 Sept	Tottenham v Man United 		17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 13 Sept	Birmingham v Villa 		12:00	Sky Sports
Sun 13 Sept	Fulham v Everton 		13:30	Sky Sports
Sat 19 Sept	Burnley v Sunderland 		12:45	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 19 Sept	West Ham v Liverpool 		17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 20 Sept	Man United v Man City 		13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 20 Sept	Chelsea v Tottenham 		16:00	Sky Sports
Sat 26 Sept	Portsmouth v Everton 		12:45	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 26 Sept	Fulham v Arsenal 		17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 27 Sept	Sunderland v Wolves		16:00	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Mon 28 Sept	Man City v West Ham 		20:00	ESPN[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Red"]Sat 03 Oct  	Man United v Sunderland 		17:15	ESPN	[/COLOR]
Sun 04 Oct 	Arsenal v Blackburn			13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 04 Oct 	Chelsea v Liverpool       		16:00	Sky Sports	
[COLOR="Red"]Mon 05 Oct 	Villa v Man City 			20:00	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sat 17 Oct 	Villa v Chelsea                     	12:45	Sky Sports		
Sun 18 Oct 	Blackburn v Burnley       		13:00	Sky Sports	
Sun 18 Oct 	Wigan v Man City         		16:00	Sky Sports	
[COLOR="Red"]Mon 19 Oct 	Fulham v Hull City         		20:00	ESPN[/COLOR]	
Sat 24 Oct 	Wolves v Villa                      	12:45	Sky Sports		
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 24 Oct 	Chelsea v Blackburn 			17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 25 Oct 	Liverpool v Man United  		14:00	Sky Sports	
Sun 25 Oct 	West Ham v Arsenal 			16:15	Sky Sports
Sat 31 Oct	Arsenal v Tottenham			12:45	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 31 Oct	Man United v Blackburn 			17:15	ESPN[/color]

Sun 01 Nov 	Birmingham v Man City 			16:00	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 07 Nov 	Wolves v Arsenal 			17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 08 Nov 	Hull City v Stoke City 			13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 08 Nov 	Chelsea v Man United 			16:00	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Mon 09 Nov 	Liverpool v Birmingham			20:00	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sat 21 Nov 	Liverpool v Man City 			12:45	Sky Sports
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 21 Nov 	Man United v Everton 			17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 22 Nov 	Bolton v Blackburn			13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 22 Nov 	Stoke City v Portsmouth 		16:00	Sky Sports	
[COLOR="Red"]Sat 28 Nov 	Villa v Tottenham			17:15	ESPN[/COLOR]
Sun 29 Nov 	Everton v Liverpool 			13:30	Sky Sports
Sun 29 Nov 	Arsenal v Chelsea 			16:00	Sky Sports

No mention of 3pm Saturday

think that seals it. not much on offer there at all!

channelsurfer

Rizzo the Rat wrote: »

channelsurfer - check http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/espn-win-ireland-rights-deal-95929.html

#

thanks for that but I was refering specifically to the saturday 3pm games. the article states that these are still out to tender and ESPN do not hold the rights yet.... they may get them of course.

channelsurfer

so next year 2010/11 for up to 18euro a month depending on the prices to be confirmed by espn you will only get 23 matches from espn.... all the monday games will be on sky... how on earth do espn think they will make money or fool people into paying for 23 weak matches.

afatbollix

the 33 3PM games are still up for grabs... setanta can win them...

they have allready got back UFC and golf..

Spiritoftheseventies

afatbollix wrote: »

the 33 3PM games are still up for grabs... setanta can win them...

they have allready got back UFC and golf..

yes a very weak package from ESPN. or should i say mickey mouse if you get the pun!

Mossy Monk

afatbollix wrote: »

the 33 3PM games are still up for grabs... setanta can win them...

they have allready got back UFC and golf..

Is the UFC only for one event though?

obrienmichael

As far as i know ESPN will be rebranding ESPN America which is part of the sky package at the moment. IT will be called ESPN and will show the premiere league and American sports as a stand alone channel which is going to cost uk subscribers around nine pounds a month. Now that they have won the rights to show the matches in the republic of Ireland no price has been set at the moment for anyone in the republic who wants to subscribe to the channel. It will launch on the 3rd of August. IT looks like they are going to win the rights to show the SPL matches as well.

snaps

So does stand alone mean like setanta was, you could just have setanta and nothing else or do you have to be a sky customer?

Man this is dragging on. No news of SPL yet or 3pm sat games. Its a farce.

afatbollix

obrienmichael wrote: »

As far as i know ESPN will be rebranding ESPN America which is part of the sky package at the moment. IT will be called ESPN and will show the premiere league and American sports as a stand alone channel which is going to cost uk subscribers around nine pounds a month. Now that they have won the rights to show the matches in the republic of Ireland no price has been set at the moment for anyone in the republic who wants to subscribe to the channel. It will launch on the 3rd of August. IT looks like they are going to win the rights to show the SPL matches as well.

Your wrong.

ESPN america will stay showing american sports 24 /7

ESPN will show other sports most likely rights that setanta had..

We could see a situation where if they dont have the rights to show it in Ireland and setanta ireland do that channel could go to black during them times like setanta 2 was for GAA or channel 4 for sport..

Mossy Monk

afatbollix wrote: »

Your wrong.

ESPN america will stay showing american sports 24 /7

ESPN will show other sports most likely rights that setanta had..

We could see a situation where if they dont have the rights to show it in Ireland and setanta ireland do that channel could go to black during them times like setanta 2 was for GAA or channel 4 for sport..

ESPN America is changing to ESPN no?

afatbollix

Mossy Monk wrote: »

ESPN America is changing to ESPN no?

no there not..

Jungle Boy

Quotes from the ESPN press release

1. The new channel will offer live Barclays Premier League football, international sports and a wide-range of premium U.S. sports previously provided on ESPN America, which will be integrated in the UK into the new channel. ESPN will appear in the Sky Guide at channel number 417 in SD and channel 443 in HD.
2. Sky will retail ESPN to both its residential and commercial customers. Sky will make ESPN available on a premium subscription basis to all Sky homes.
3. ESPN HD will be available at no extra cost to those who subscribe to ESPN and have Sky’s HD Pack.
4. "We will continue our discussions with all other pay-TV providers so that we can bring ESPN to as many sports fans in the UK as possible.”

I interpret it means..
1. ESPN America on ch 417 becomes ESPN
2. ESPN on satellite is a add-on channel on Sky and requires ESPN subscribers to be a Sky subscriber (atleast 1 mix @ €20.50)
3. Sky subscribers who subscribe to ESPN standard definition and pay €14.75 HD Pack will have ESPN HD included
4. ESPN is talking to Chorus

Mossy Monk

afatbollix wrote: »

no there not..

So what then happens to ESPN America when ESPN takes its place on the EPG?

byte

afatbollix wrote: »

Your wrong.

ESPN america will stay showing american sports 24 /7

ESPN will show other sports most likely rights that setanta had..

We could see a situation where if they dont have the rights to show it in Ireland and setanta ireland do that channel could go to black during them times like setanta 2 was for GAA or channel 4 for sport..

No, it's you that is wrong.

ESPN America becomes ESPN, with both EPL and American sports. They believe it'll work due to the time differences on live American sports.

ESPN America will continue to operate as is in the rest of Europe, just not in the UK and Ireland.

According to broadbandtvnews.com it could be September before their HD channel launches.

Batesy

So who will show the Saturday 3pm kick offs in Ireland? Will Setanta retain this or be stripped of that aswell?
That's the only thing that's keeping me with Setanta at the moment. They lose the 3pms and i'm off.