AFP/view photoLONDON (AFP) - The English Premier League has awarded the rights to 46 of its live games next season to US-based broadcaster ESPN, after they were forfeited by troubled Irish channel Setanta, it said.
The Disney-owned broadcaster has been awarded the live games for next season, and also 23 matches per season previously held by Setanta for the following three seasons, until 2013, it said.
AFP/view photo"The Premier League is extremely pleased to have added ESPN as a UK rights holder," said Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.
"They have a formidable worldwide reputation and experience in sports and I am sure we will enjoy a long and fruitful relationship with them."
The English Premier League invited bids for the games after Setanta failed last Friday to make a scheduled payment of 30 million pounds (35 million euros, 49 million dollars), thereby losing its rights to broadcast 46 EPL games.
Scudamore welcomed the fact that an alternative broadcast partner was found quickly. "The speed at which we have been able to conclude this deal means that the preparations for next season will be able to continue without interruption," he said.
"Fans and clubs will have certainty over the broadcasting of Barclays Premier League matches for the next four seasons."
ESPN International head Russell Wolff said: "Premier League football is one of the world's most sought-after sports properties. We are very excited to be working with the Premier League and expanding our businesses in the UK.
"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."
As well as ESPN, Sky television had been expected to bid for some of the EPL games forfeited by Setanta.
Under an agreement with the European Commission, the English Premier League cannot sell all its live matches to a single broadcaster.
As well as losing the EPL games, Setanta suffered another blow Monday when the Scottish Premier League (SPL) said the broadcaster had failed to make a three million pound payment in time, despite extending a deadline.
"We set three deadlines and we wanted to work with Setanta who have been a great partner of ours," said SPL boss Lex Gold, adding that the broadcaster had been given "every possible chance to work through the problems that they had.
"That process has been lengthy and intensive but the deadline today was the final deadline," he lamented.
The Scottish Premiership, which is far less lucrative than the EPL, was open to offers, he said. "We are now actively engaging in the process of selling our domestic broadcasting rights for next season and beyond."
Setanta still holds rights to other major fixtures including some England matches, the FA Cup, US PGA golf and Guinness Premiership rugby from next year.
Comment 1 - 11 of 11
does this mean that HiTv will lose the 80% broadcast rights for Nigeria that they used to enjoy with setanta? if this happens to be the case will 100% rights to broadcast premier league matches in Nigeria return to multichoice? we are tired with the poor quality of broadcast we recieve From HiTv, i will prefer the rights for Nigeria to return to multichoice. that will be a smart move by ESPN. NO BEEFS WITH HiTv though.
P.S. to make myself clear, those prices aren't just for those channels, it is for the package that has them ;)
My husband is English and I lived in London for 3 years with him (I am american) and I got hooked on football. I don't know where everyone is saying you will have to pay now, we had to have SKY Sports to see most of the games when I was there. Anyway, I was pleased to find the games here as I was worried they wouldn't be on. To Samr46, not all the games were shown on FSC, many were on Setanta. I am happy to hear they lost the contract because the viewing was not very good quality and for just the SINGLE channel, it was $14.99 per month (on satellite) and not even offered on cable at all! As for ESPN, depending on your provider, you can get it with one of the cheaper packages and it comes in HD!!! For those of you wondering, on dish, for $35 a month, you can get ESPN & ESPN 2 as well as the alternate channels and ESPN news. For $48 a month, you can get ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN Classic, ESPN News, and the ESPN Alternate channels. For $58 a month you get all these plus ESPNU (which is mostly college/university sports) and Fox Soccer Channel. Direct Tv is a lot more . For the package with ESPN, ESPN 2 n ESPN News only, it is $58 a month, For ESPN, ESPN 2 , ESPN Classic, and ESPN News, it is $61 and they don't have Fox Soccer Channel at all and that doesn't include DVR service or anything. There used to be a channel called GolTV here and they showed La Liga but it isn't on anymore. Anyway, I am really happy that a real sports channel got the rights, as opposed to some overpriced, generic channel. That is great for us in the US.
As a brit living in the states this is music to my ears... Espn channels (and there are a few) are all included in a pretty basic package here so I'm hoping this falls under one of those channels. Either way, if they charge for it, they will probably charge about $10 a month tops which is a hell of a lot cheaper than it will be in England. Good for us ex pats in the states but a shame to see supporters in England pay through the roof to watch 'their' own sides on american tv.
so ESPN gets a head in sky's broadcasting now...a new channel amerges payper view again more and more like US TV all the time now over here i nthe UK to watch our own sports?? what next?
In the US we get EPL on Fox Soccer (sorry but that's what they call it over here) Channel. Will this end?
Most of these games will be seen on either SKY or The Disney Channel.
Yes come on this is rip off briton so we are going to pay lots to see it but were are we going to watch this???
Yes that should be the most important thing to the UK soccer fans - where can we watch our premier league in 2009/2010?
Don't worry about were to watch, you will be inudated with adverts wanting you to sign away half of your wages to watch a bit of football before very long.
can someone please tell me where i can watch these games please
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