almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Setanta
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Guardian/Matt Scott

Setanta and its deals could be wiped out in a debt disaster� 'It looks like there is no more in the cupboard'
� Premiership rugby and SPL deals may have tipped the balance

Setanta is verging on collapse, which could leave several sports organisations out of pocket. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

Sports organisations are poised to call in the lawyers to pick over their contracts with Setanta as it stands on the brink of collapse.

While the enhanced competition brought about by the Irish broadcaster's entry into the British pay-TV market has fuelled record deals for sports including football, boxing, golf and rugby union, it has now become clear that Setanta is unlikely to be able to honour its commitments. "It looks like there is no more in the cupboard," one source familiar with its predicament said last night.

Now, having planned their budgets on the basis of the revenues arising from Setanta's pledges, sports organisations and clubs will be forced into an uncomfortable recalibration of their expenditure. Some, including the FA with its �175m four-year deal and the Premier League (whose contract with Setanta is worth �130m for the broadcast of 46 matches a year) benefit from shareholder guarantees ensuring they will be paid even if the company fails.

It was the absence of those guarantees that caused such financial pain to Football League clubs with the collapse of ITV ­Digital in 2002. Several clubs were forced into insolvency after planning their budgets on forward revenues, indeed often borrowing against them.

Yet despite that experience several sports bodies who sold to Setanta are believed not to have such watertight arrangements with the broadcaster's shareholders, the venture capitalists I want to be bannedrton Capital and Doughty Hanson and the investment bank Goldman Sachs.

Setanta's failure would have far-reaching consequences. The Guinness Premiership rugby clubs were set to benefit from a �54m three-year deal from the 2010-11 season, with the Scottish Premier League's contract worth �125m running until 2014. It is arguably those deals, both signed last year, that have apparently tipped the company over the edge, since they reduced the available cash to spend on what has always been its core offering: Premier League football. League negotiators, who must sell their rights to the highest bidder under the agreement with the European Commission competitions authority, are said to have reacted with disbelief when they opened Setanta's tender.

With Deloitte expected to be appointed administrator before the month is out, sports bodies now have two hopes. The first relies on the largesse of Sky, since sports would be returning to a monopoly market with their content. Insiders at the Murdoch broadcaster point to their �70m bid for Football League rights after the ITV Digital collapse, a sum that looked positively philanthropic at the time.

Sport's better hope is that a white-knight buyer takes on the company in short order with an offer to guarantee its losses, currently estimated to be �100m a year. Paradoxically, after balking at the �1bn it was quoted when previously inquiring about a takeover of Setanta, the Disney subsidiary ESPN might consider even that a good deal.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/....t-debt-disaster <!-- google_ad_section_end -->
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Papers reckon up to 3 SPL clubs will fold if Setanta goes bust.

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
ForteanTimes wrote:
Papers reckon up to 3 SPL clubs will fold if Setanta goes bust.


Surely the government will step in.

OR

Is this just what football needs to start to work on the overinflation of a massive industry that pumps horrific levels of money into peoples pockets for our entertainment? I mean how the hell does a club justify purchasing a $50million dollar investment in an assett that has a peak usefull life of 5 years, of what about paying these assets over $100,000 per week? It's just madness!

I hate to see business fail, or SPL clubs fail because of this, but maybe its the wakeup call that the football community needs...
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
brumbys wrote:
ForteanTimes wrote:
Papers reckon up to 3 SPL clubs will fold if Setanta goes bust.


Surely the government will step in.

OR

Is this just what football needs to start to work on the overinflation of a massive industry that pumps horrific levels of money into peoples pockets for our entertainment? I mean how the hell does a club justify purchasing a $50million dollar investment in an assett that has a peak usefull life of 5 years, of what about paying these assets over $100,000 per week? It's just madness!

I hate to see business fail, or SPL clubs fail because of this, but maybe its the wakeup call that the football community needs...
 
Problem is that it's not the big spenders like Celtics or Rangers who will go tits up, it's the little clubs like Hamilton who've struggled their way up the SPL.
Jag2009-06-11 10:04:31

Apparently I'm apathetic, but I couldn't care less.

"Being a Partick Thistle fan sets you apart. It means youre a free thinker. It also means your team has no money." Tim Luckhurst, The Independent, 4th December 2003

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
brumbys wrote:
ForteanTimes wrote:
Papers reckon up to 3 SPL clubs will fold if Setanta goes bust.


Surely the government will step in.




Unfortunately they probably will, everything seems worth "saving" in the current environment.

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

i hate to say it but if espn comes to the rescue it might be good for us in nz. if they get the broadcasting rights we might get better coverage here.

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
UberGunner wrote:

i hate to say it but if espn comes to the rescue it might be good for us in nz. if they get the broadcasting rights we might get better coverage here.



Fixed

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Malky wrote:
UberGunner wrote:

i hate to say it but if espn comes to the rescue it might be good for us in nz. if they get the broadcasting rights we might get better Tommy Smyth - with a Y,  coverage here.



Fixed

Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
The Times

Setanta switch-off may cost clubs �500m Dan Sabbagh and Oliver Kay

Executives of Setanta spent yesterday frantically trying to raise money to safeguard the future of the troubled broadcaster.

The Irish pay-television firm said that it was not in administration but that it had suspended all new customer subscriptions as it tried to organise a �100 million rescue package.

Setanta�s collapse would leave British sport needing to plug a �500 million-plus black hole, with football and rugby union clubs at risk of having their incomes cut.

Setanta has television contracts with the Barclays Premier League, the FA and the Scottish Premier League (SPL), but also to screen Guinness Premiership rugby union (from 2010), the Professional Golfers� Association (PGA) Tour in the United States and Indian Premier League cricket.

Although this is owed the most money � �130 million for next season and �158 million for the three seasons combined thereafter � the Premier League is probably in the strongest position because it is confident it will find a rival broadcaster willing to take on other games.

Richard Scudamore, the League�s chief executive, has been playing particularly tough with Setanta in recent weeks, arguing that the Premier League could not allow Setanta to cut its payments because that would expose it to similar demands from Sky � in which News Corporation, parent company of The Times, has a 39.1 per cent stake � the BBC, which holds radio rights, or a range of overseas broadcasters.

Setanta�s Premier League games would, if the company went bankrupt, revert to the top-flight body. For next season it could sell half of Setanta�s 46 games directly to Sky, if the satellite broadcaster was keen, but to meet competition requirements would still have to find a rival broadcaster for the remaining fixtures.

It is hardly the ideal time to look for new buyers, with the credit crunch leaving ITV and Five with limited funds to pick up events. But ESPN, from the United States, has long wanted to break into football and bid unsuccessfully this year.

However, with Sky already providing the lion�s share of television income, even if the Premier League could raise only �100 million it would mean an average drop of a little more than �1 million per club. Even for a club with modest finances such as Portsmouth, who turn over �70 million, the loss of �1 million is not close to catastrophic.

The FA

The governing body�s newly arrived chief executive, Ian Watmore, also proved reluctant to agree to Setanta�s demands for its �150 million four-year deal to be renegotiated last week. Like Scudamore, he believes that the FA Cup and England matches will be picked up for the same money or even more, especially as England are making confident progress to World Cup qualification under Fabio Capello.

Watmore�s predecessor, Brian Barwick, a former head of ITV Sport, also put two safety measures in place.The FA has already received about half the �150 million due, even though it is only a quarter of the way through its television deal. Plus, any England competitive matches held by Setanta at present would revert to ITV for a cut price of about �2 million a game.

The FA Cup

Income remains relatively modest for clubs, with most of the FA�s money going to the grass roots of the game. Portsmouth�s FA Cup triumph in 2008 helped the club to generate �2 million of television income. Their Premier League broadcast revenues were much larger at �49 million.

Clydesdale Bank Premier League

If English football feels confident, Scottish football faces a crisis. Setanta is the sole broadcaster of live matches north of the border, with five years to run on a �125 million deal. Scottish clubs, who shared �20 million in the season just completed, were expecting a significant step up in their income next season under the terms of the agreement.

As England�s sporting bodies played tough, representatives from the Scottish Premier League clubs met last month and agreed that they would negotiate with Setanta about a cut-price contract. Even now, with Setanta owing �3 million, the SPL has little desire to take the broadcaster to court for the cash, a claim that could push Setanta over the edge.

Sky has shown little obvious interest in taking on the SPL if Setanta fails and there is no obvious broadcast partner. Even if BBC Scotland � the only other broadcaster with a stable income � could be persuaded to stump up licence fee-payers� money, schedule commitments mean that it could not show anything like the existing level of matches.

That helps to explain why chairmen of Scottish clubs have dominated the air waves in recent days, voicing concern about Setanta�s finances, while leading English clubs have barely uttered a word.

Rugby union

The sport faces similar problems. Setanta is scheduled to share coverage of next season�s Guinness Premiership with Sky in a �54 million, three-year deal that represented a 45 per cent increase. Two thirds of the matches, and therefore the cash, will come from the ailing broadcaster. Sky, with no obvious competition, can pick up the games at a far lower rate, leaving the 12 top-tier teams short on cash in a sport whose commercial prospects are not so different from Scottish football.

Other sports

Setanta�s collapse would mean less, at least financially. Setanta has already fallen out with Frank Warren, the boxing promoter, claiming that he broke an exclusive contract by doing a deal with Sky.

Meanwhile, the IPL, in which Setanta has just begun a ten-year deal, and the PGA Tour in the US generate the lion�s share of their television income in their home countries. The question for both bodies is not any financial damage they suffer but whether, if Setanta switches off, they will be on air at all.
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Blavatnik offers Setanta �20m

Friday, June 12 2009, 14:14 BST

By James Welsh

Len Blavatnik has offered to take a 51% stake in Setanta for �20m, reports indicate.

The Russian-born American billionaire's Access Industries already holds a 3% stake in the sports broadcaster, and has a controlling stake in terrestrial pay TV company Top Up TV.

According to BBC News, it is hoped that Blavatnik's offer - which arrived at Setanta within the last 48 hours - will buy the company time to avoid going into administration.

Setanta has defaulted on a �3m payment to the SPL and must make a �30m payment to the Premier League by Monday. It is not currently accepting new subscribers. <!-- google_ad_section_end -->
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
The EPL have now terminated Setanta's contract to show 46 live games this season. The rights will be put up for sale again with ESPN favourites.
Great - Tommy Smyth commentating on the EPL.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I got this today
 
BBC

Setanta loses Premier TV rights

Setanta will lose its two packages of games for 2009/10 season
Troubled pay-TV sports broadcaster Setanta has failed to pay the latest chunk of the �30m it owes the English Premier League - losing the rights.

A potential rescue deal, led by a US investor who had proposed buying 51% of Setanta, had fallen through.

The league will now put the rights to the 46 live matches for the 2009/2010 season out to auction, after Setanta missed Friday's payment deadline.

Offers to buy the rights need to be made by Monday.

'Regret'

The Premier League said it had been working with Setanta "for some time to help them continue as the broadcaster" .


SETANTA'S SPORTS DEALS
English Premier League
Scottish Premier League
Blue Square Premier
IPL cricket
US PGA Tour golf
Guinness Premiership rugby union (from 2010)
Magners rugby
Boxing


Why is Setanta in trouble
The Premier League, in agreement with Setanta, stipulated that certain contractual requirements had to be met on or before Friday "to allow the preparations for the 2009/10 season to continue unaffected".

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 Premier League will now go ahead and auction the 46 UK live matches for the 2009/10 season.

'Issues'

Late last week, Access Industries, controlled by the US investor Len Blavatnik, tabled a �20m bid for a 51% share in Setanta.

It had been hoped Access could lead a consortium of investors to provide fresh funding for Setanta.



Mr Blavatnik had been studying Setanta's books
However Access has now said it was unable to proceed with a deal with Setanta.

There had been concerns over how much tax Access could be liable for if it acquired Setanta.

"Access believed that this proposal could potentially have secured the future of the broadcaster for its customers, employees and for football, provided certain conditions required to put the business on a long-term viable footing were met," it said.

"Regrettably, despite intensive efforts on all sides over the past few days, and despite significant progress in a number of areas, there remain a number of issues which we have been unable to resolve within the time available.

"We are disappointed not to have been able to make this deal happen. Access remains committed to sports programming and will continue to explore opportunities in this area."

One of those which may be interest in acquiring Setanta's 46 games is Disney-owned sports channel ESPN.

'Bad news'

ESPN would not comment directly on the new situation but said it continued "to be interested in rights where they are available and where they make business sense".

Meanwhile James Pickles, editor of industry newsletter TV Sports Markets, said that until Thursday there were expectations that Setanta would pull though.

"It's bad news for everyone - no one is a winner," he said, adding: "It's a disaster for rights holders."

He said it was bad news for Sky because having a competitor such as Setanta was beneficial to it from an EU regulatory perspective, which prevents one broadcaster owning all Premier League rights.

However Sky would be legally free to bid for one of Setanta's two packages of 23 games.

Subscriber targets

Last week Setanta reopened its website to new subscribers - having closed it for several days.

Setanta is running at an estimated loss of �100m a year, after missing subscriber targets.

The broadcaster has 1.2 million subscribers, 700,000 short of the 1.9million that industry experts believe they need to break even.

Attention will now shift onto Setanta's other contracts - such as those with the FA for England and FA Cup matches, the Scottish Premier League (SPL), and the Blue Square Premier, the top division of English non-league football.

It recently missed a �3m payment due to the SPL - part of a four-year deal worth �54m over four years from 2006 to 2010.

Following Friday's news, Lex Gold, executive chairman of the SPL said: "We are still locked in discussions with Setanta."

"Understandably, these discussions are complex and must remain confidential at this stage. We expect these to conclude early next week."

Setanta also owns rights to the PGA golf tour, as well as cricket and rugby union deals.


http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8109954.stm <!-- google_ad_section_end -->
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Good for me, we only have ESPN at school
You know we belong together...

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Except I think it will only apply to the domestic uk rights. Setanta has rights in Britain but Setanta Australia doesn't as Fox Sports play all the EPL over there.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago

The EPL rights that Setanta had have now been awarded to ESPN.

Setanta have also defaulted on the rights to the Scottish League and these rights are up for resale.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
So with us getting the EPL from IMG Sports on Sky Sports, does this mean that we'll get more games happening? I.E. games running on SS3 and SS2 and ESPN?
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
brumbys wrote:
So with us getting the EPL from IMG Sports on Sky Sports, does this mean that we'll get more games happening? I.E. games running on SS3 and SS2 and ESPN?
 
I'm pretty sure this only relates to UK domestic rights so the answer would be no. The international rights are totally seperate.
 
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Now might be the time for Sky to establish a football channel that comes under their "sports" package. Wish it would include Championship and other Nationwide games as well.
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Just off Soccernet...
 

ESPN has won the rights to broadcast 46 live Premier League matches in the United Kingdom for the 2009-10 season, and has also been awarded a contract for the 2010-13 seasons.

The sports broadcaster, parent company of Soccernet, picked up both 23-match packages on offer in Monday's auction. ESPN's 46 live games will be split between Saturday evenings and Monday nights in the coming season. For the three seasons from 2010-11 to 2012-13 ESPN has the rights to a single package of 23 matches previously awarded to Setanta.

The Premier League ended its association with Setanta on Friday after it failed to meet a final deadline over a �30m payment which had been due this month. Setanta was also stripped of its Scottish Premier League contract on Monday.

"We are clearly delighted that our bid for exclusive media rights to the Barclays Premier League matches in the UK has been successful," said Lynne Frank, ESPN Managing Director in Europe, Middle East and Africa. "This is a huge step for our business, and we look forward to working with the Premier League, football clubs and distributors to bring UK sports fans all the excitement they expect in Premier League football."

"Premier League football is one of the world's most sought after sports properties, and we are very excited to be expanding our business in the UK with England's top football product," said Russell Wolff, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, ESPN International. "This move demonstrates our commitment to British sports fans and our ongoing commitment to delivering football to fans around the world across a variety of media."

Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Scudamore, said: "The Premier League is extremely pleased to have added ESPN as a UK rights holder. They have a formidable worldwide reputation and experience in sports and I am sure we will enjoy a long and fruitful relationship with them."

ESPN plans to make its Barclays Premier League coverage widely available across multiple pay-TV platforms. As a first step to this distribution strategy, ESPN has reached an agreement for its coverage to be retailed by Sky to residential and commercial customers.

Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
bun1 wrote:
brumbys wrote:
So with us getting the EPL from IMG Sports on Sky Sports, does this mean that we'll get more games happening? I.E. games running on SS3 and SS2 and ESPN?
 
I'm pretty sure this only relates to UK domestic rights so the answer would be no. The international rights are totally seperate.
 
Setanta shared the US rights for CL football with Fox sports so there will be room to move for ESPN otherwise we wont be seeing it this year (acording to uefa no one has the oceania rights)
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
If it meant that I could get my Avator to move as fast as Lonegunmen's  then I'll listen to Tommy with a Y every week.
Seriously though, we get pretty good EPL coverage when you think about what else we get from the NZ Media. Sure we dont have a National team that is ranked in the top five like most of our other sports but  at least we do get 6 out of 10 EPL games every weekend. That's an improvement on five years ago.
uiron2009-06-23 20:09:33

We're Forever Causing Trouble

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Yes I love the coverage we get here in NZ.  Please don't change it! Please!
 
If I have to listen to Tommy in the studio I don't think it could take it...

I let my guitar speak for me

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8115360.stm

Oh fk, that could be Tommy Smuff here in the UK. I've tried to warn my Brit workmates up here what this will mean...alas they can't comprehend. The first minute of coverage will vindicate my arguments!

Time to leave the UK and return home?

Does Sky EnZed have 'fan commentary'? It's hilarious and also avoids having to listen to Andy Gray mastabate over Stevie Gerrard and Ronaldo (thankfully the latter will be toned down next season!).

How old is Leggy?  Is he 12 or 72?

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I know that if that tossa is commentating on the EPL games out here my MUTE button will get a hell of a work out!
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Fever fanzone anybody?



E + R + O

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Guardian/Owen Gibson
Football's minnows braced to take full force of Setanta collapse� FA puts on brave face after being hit by rights blow
� Blue Square clubs set for �80,000-a-year losses

The collapse of Setanta could spell trouble for Blue Square Premier clubs, who may lose up to �80,000 a season. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

When Brian Barwick sat in the FA's well appointed briefing room in Soho Square in March 2007 and announced that ITV and Setanta were its new broadcast partners, he looked like the cat that got the cream.

The controversial �425m deal, which left the former rights holders Sky and the BBC furious with the way the auction had been conducted, was a 42% increase on the last one and hailed as a major coup by Barwick.

Setanta executives said it marked the point at which the ambitious Irish broadcaster could begin to compete with rather than complement Sky, and ITV's chief Michael Grade said it was the cornerstone of its content led strategy.

Now, Barwick has left Soho Square, Grade has stepped down at ITV having written down the value of the rights by �50m and Setanta yesterday entered administration after teetering on the brink for months.

The Football Association, along with Premier Rugby, the PGA Tour and Blue Square Premier were yesterday left to count the cost of Setanta's failure to bring in enough subscribers in the teeth of a recession to meet its ambitious business plan.

While employees, consumers and creditors were all trying to digest what the collapse meant for them, a host of sports were also counting the cost.

Last night all were trying to put a brave face on the situation and talking up the value of the rights that will revert to them now that Setanta's UK business has been placed into administration at a cost of 200 jobs.

Their optimism is largely motivated by the fact that they cannot afford to show any weakness that might allow an existing broadcaster to come in and pick up the rights at a knock-down price.

Most exposed are those that sold their rights for hugely inflated values thanks to the competition that Setanta brought into the market � the Scottish Premier League and Premier Rugby � and those such as the Blue Square Premier clubs for whom even a minor cashflow hiccup could spell danger. The SPL is believed to be close to signing a �90m deal with Sky that will represent a reduction of �35m on its current deal.

The FA has a clause in its contract that obliges ITV to pick up the rights to ­England's home friendlies at a little over �2m apiece. The network said yesterday it would be "very pleased" to take up the option, with insiders arguing that they would represent a bargain at that price. Re-selling Setanta's portion of the FA Cup deal may be more difficult, as ITV has first pick of the matches.

FA insiders point out that talk of a "black hole" is erroneous, bearing in mind the large increase that the current deal represented, and say that any reduction in the overall take would be absorbed by reductions in prize money and would not impact on investment in the grass-roots game. The current positive vibes surrounding England under Fabio Capello will also help.

Nevertheless it is a thorny problem for the new chief executive, Ian Watmore, who will be hoping the new entrant ESPN, which has shelled out an estimated �90m for the rights to 46 Premier League games next season, will solve it for him.

Even if some miscalculated in hitching their wagons to a business that has long had problems that have been speculated on in the industry and the City, the new entrant from across the Atlantic could yet save their skin.

Privately, some of the other affected rights holders have been scornful of the Premier League's stance, believing it pushed Setanta into administration when a way forward for the company could still have been found if a rescue bid had been allowed more time to complete.

But the Premier League's decision, while typically self motivated, is supported by others who believe the Setanta business model was fundamentally flawed and it was only a matter of time before it unravelled.

ESPN is known to be looking at other sports to complement its acquisition of Premier League rights in the hope of building its own subscription channel.

While the effects of Setanta's collapse will not prove catastrophic for the FA, it is difficult to see how it will match the �150m overall that it was due to bank from the broadcaster. And, at a time when Watmore faces a raft of other issues, it is one more he could do without.

Mark McCafferty, chief executive of Premier Rugby who had five-year deal with Setanta to show two-thirds of its live matches worth around �54m, said that it still had time to find a replacement because the contract was not due to start until next year. "Our deal was effectively done when the rights market had already turned. Our deal was done when the market was on its way down, unlike some of the football deals that were done at the top of the market."

He argues that clubs had not started spending the money due to come in from Setanta, so will not be adversely affected. "We don't need to rush into anything," he said and rejected criticism that Premier Rugby should have spotted the warning signs earlier.

Among sports executives the passing of Setanta was much mourned yesterday, as they praised its production values and the competition it brought to the market. Most of all, though, they will miss the huge paydays that some achieved as a result of an unsustainable explosion in rights values for properties that simply weren't worth what was paid.

McCafferty will also be looking to ESPN to drive value and prevent Sky, which has driven the growth of rugby in recent years but retained only a third of the rights under the new deal, winning them with a rock bottom bid. Sports rights experts nevertheless expect it to struggle to match the value of the mooted deal with Setanta.

Most exposed may be the Blue Square ­Premier clubs that were two years into a five-year deal and relied on Setanta for around �80,000 a season. That figure might be a long way from the �2.8m Setanta paid per Premier League game, but for many of those clubs it could lead to severe cash-flow problems. As with the collapse of ITV Digital the last time the sports broadcasting market overheated, it is those at the bottom of the pile that may end up suffering most.

The Football Conference said it would be working hard to make sure the top tier of non-league football gets television exposure. "We are deeply saddened by the news. Although the financial implications of this action will have an enormous impact on the competition, our clubs, partners and supporters must not forget their contribution to us over the last two years. Setanta pioneered many new initiatives during their association, some of which are now copied by other broadcasters.

"We did everything in our power to support Setanta in their time of financial crisis."

And as with the demise of ITV Digital and the retreat of the cable giant Virgin Media from the sports market, it looks as if it is Sky that will emerge the victor. Those companies claim bitterly that they never stood a chance, such is Sky's dominance. The pay TV giant responds that those companies simply paid the price for their business mistakes. Setanta failed to clarify its offer, overspent on rights and never solved customer service and technology issues, they say. With half on eye on the fate of those that have gone before it, even a giant like ESPN will tread carefully.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jun/24/setanta-demise-fa-spl
<!-- google_ad_section_end -->
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

Permalink Permalink
almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
BBC

FA faces Setanta cash shortfall

Chelsea won the FA Cup last season, beating Everton in the final
Sports broadcaster Setanta's entry into administration has left the Football Association seeking new rights deals for matches valued at �100m.

Setanta was due to show England's home friendlies and the Community Shield, as well as some England Under-21 and FA Cup games over the next three years.

"We remain confident in the strength of these fixtures," said FA chief executive Ian Watmore.

The FA were 12 months into a four-year deal worth �150m with the channel.

The agreement, in partnership with terrestrial channel ITV, also gave Setanta exclusive rights to Fabio Capello's side's away World Cup qualifiers, the next of which is against Ukraine on 10 October.

Setanta went off air just before 1800 BST on Tuesday, with the channel displaying a message that the firm had "ceased trading in Great Britain".

MIHIR BOSE BLOG
Chill winds will blow between Soho Square and the Premier League as the implications of Setanta's collapse unfold

Mihir Bose
"We expect significant interest from broadcasters wanting to pay for the rights to partner the FA and the England teams," added Watmore.

If the FA fails to secure the same price for their broadcast rights, any reduction in income will represent a drop in profits rather than a loss.

However, the organisation's National Game Strategy, which is due to deliver �200m of investment into the game's grassroots until 2012, could suffer cuts from a loss of revenue.

Disney-owned ESPN has already stepped in to buy the packages of Premier League matches owned by Setanta through to 2013.

But the value of sports rights generally has been damaged by the failure of Setanta's audacious challenge to BSkyB, which currently dominates the market.

The Scottish Premier League is in negotiations with broadcasters interested in taking on Setanta's four-year �125m deal which is due to start in 2010.

It is thought that the SPL will have to accept significantly less than Setanta had promised from any successful rescue bid.

606: DEBATE
Will we get back our incontestable right to watch our national team for free?

SimplyElectrifying Josh2103
Liverpool's official television station LFC TV, which was shown exclusively on Setanta, will continue to be broadcast online with the club "urgently investigating all possibilities available to us in returning to broadcasting in the British Isles".

Setanta also has contracts to show cricket's Indian Premier League, golf's US PGA Tour, rugby union's Guinness Premiership, Australian rugby league and Blue Square Premier football.

The Football Conference issued a statement expressing sympathy with the broadcaster.

"We are deeply saddened by the news," read the statement.

"Although the financial implications of this action will have an enormous impact on the competition, our clubs, partners and supporters must not forget their contribution to us over the last two years.

"Setanta pioneered many new initiatives during their association, some of which are now copied by other broadcasters.

"We did everything in our power to support Setanta in their time of financial crisis and we wish the very best to all those we have met along the way and who have become friends."

Boxing promoter Frank Warren signed a three-year agreement with the Irish-based company in 2008, but Setanta subsequently launched legal action against Warren after Amir Khan's September 2008 fight against Breidis Prescott was shown on BSkyB.

http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8115805.stm <!-- google_ad_section_end -->
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Would probably have to purchase Sky, provided they show SPL games here.
Would love to not have to stream celtic games :D

f**k Setanta.
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almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Well Setanta have certainly f**ked fans over, just like Premium Television (PTV) did a few years back - twice!
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!

The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!

Permalink Permalink
almost 17 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Lonegunmen wrote:
Well Setanta have certainly f**ked fans over, just like Premium Television (PTV) did a few years back - twice!
 
Setanta Australia is still running. Unfortunately they have cut off subscriptions to New Zealand due to rights issues. No more Setanta for me. .
bun12009-07-07 20:11:08
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