Setanta Sports

Setanta Sports
Limited company
Industry Sports broadcasting
Founded Dublin, Ireland (1990 (1990))
Headquarters 1 Heuston South Quarter, St. John's Road, Dublin 8, Ireland
Area served
 Ireland
Northern Ireland
Asia
Central Asia
Russia
Baltic States
Website www.setanta.com/ Edit this on Wikidata

Setanta Sports was a sports television company based in Dublin, Ireland. The company was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events to international audiences. The company operated channels in the UK, Asia, Australia, United States and Canada.

Operations

Setanta Sports operated a number of channels which have either been sold off or closed.

Republic of Ireland

In December 2015, Eir purchased Setanta Sports Ireland Ltd.[1] On 5 July 2016 Setanta Sports was rebranded Eir Sport.[2]

Africa

Setanta operated Setanta Sports and Setanta Action until October 2013 when the channels were acquired by 21st Century Fox. In July 2014, Fox announced that from August 2014 the channels would be rebranded Fox Sports and Fox Sports 2.[3]

Asia

Setanta Sports launched a variation of the channel in Asia. In 2015, Discovery Networks International purchased the channel,[4] as of 2016 the channel is still branded as Setanta Sports under licence from Setanta Ireland. Setanta Asia currently operates Setanta Sports Plus and Setanta Sports Asia.

Australia

As of August 2014 both Setanta Sports Australia and Setanta Sports Plus were sold to Al Jazeera Media Network with approval sought from regulators in Australia.[5] The channel became BeIN Sports Australia in November 2014.

Canada

Setanta Sports previously operated a version of the channel in Canada as a joint venture with Canadian media company Rogers Communications (Setanta itself owned 20% of the network). However, its minority stake was acquired by Rogers in July 2011 and the channel was re-aligned as part of its Sportsnet networks, and become Sportsnet World on 3 October 2011.[6] The re-launch would also come alongside an overall re-branding of the Sportsnet networks.[7]

Eurasia

Great Britain

Setanta previously operated services in the UK, following a period of administration its UK services ceased operating.

Setanta GB operated Setanta Sports 1 & 2 and Setanta Golf within Great Britain. Under a joint venture with Virgin Media, it operated Setanta Sports News. Setanta GB also operated Arsenal TV, Celtic TV, LFC TV and Rangers TV with their respective clubs. Setanta GB went into administration on 22 June 2009, and at 18:00 most of its channels ceased operations within Great Britain.[8]

Arsenal TV continued until August 2009 while Arsenal explored alternative options.[9] Liverpool FC assumed responsibility for LFC TV and decided to continue broadcasting as normal.[10]

United States of America

Setanta Sports previously broadcast in the United States with Setanta Sports USA from 2005 to 2010. Fox Sports purchased the network's programming rights out of bankruptcy, adding them to Fox Soccer Channel's existing schedule and that on of a new network, Fox Soccer Plus.[11]

Other business

  • In 2009, Setanta Sports had shares in OneVision. OneVision were initially given the opportunity to develop the digital terrestrial network in the Republic of Ireland. Negotiations with RTÉ Networks fell through in May 2010
  • From March 2010, Setanta Sports have provided www.setantabet.com an online gaming service for customers within Ireland. The venture was developed in partnership with Jennings Bet
  • In October 2010, Setanta Sports launched applications on the iPhone and a Setanta Goals service for other handsets

See also

  • Special 1 TV: parody television programme on Setanta Sports that featuring puppet caricatures of football personalities
  • Premier Sports and FreeSports: television channels targeting the United Kingdom launched by the same management as Setanta Sports

References

  1. ↑ "Eir acquires Setanta Sports including BT Sport's Irish rights". Independent.ie. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "Eir rebrands Setanta channels as part of new offer". Rte.ie. 5 July 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "21st Century Fox". Foxinternationalchannels.com. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  4. ↑ "Discovery buys Setanta Sports Asia - Digital TV Europe". Digitaltveurope.net.
  5. ↑ "Setanta Sports Australia To Be Sold to Al-Jazeera". Irishtimes.com. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  6. ↑ Krashinsky, Susan. "Rogers builds Sportsnet brand with soccer station". The Globe and Mail. Phillip Crawley. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  7. ↑ Krashinsky, Susan. "Sportsnet drops the 'Rogers' and gains a whole new look". The Globe and Mail. Phillip Crawley. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  8. ↑ "Important Customer Message". Setanta Sports. 23 June 2009. Archived from the original on 8 March 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  9. ↑ "Arsenal FC statement regarding Arsenal TV". Arsenal FC. 24 June 2009.
  10. ↑ "Liverpool FC: TV channel to continue". Digital Spy. 23 June 2009.
  11. ↑ Reynolds, Mike (27 January 2010). "Setanta Sports USA To Go Dark Feb. 28". Multichannel. Retrieved 24 June 2013.

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