ESPN Thread

Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

ESPN have bought Setanta games, the channel will be sold through Sky and the games will be in HD :COOL:

ESPN has also reached a distribution deal with BSkyB, which will screen the Premier League games it was awarded today from next season and beyond.

The US company said it had reached an agreement with Sky, but would also make the games "widely available across multiple pay-TV platforms".

ESPN added that the Sky deal was a "first step" in its distribution strategy, which suggest that further deals with cable operator Virgin Media, and other digital TV operators including Freeview are likely to be struck.

ESPN also said that as part of the Sky arrangement, BSkyB would make games available to "commercial customers", which implies that the pay-TV giant will sell games to pubs on ESPN's behalf. Sky had a similar arrangement with Setanta.
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I'll be signing up for this, I hope they put the NBA on there too.
 
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Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Yeah it sounds good, the best thing is... No more Craig Burley :BOP:

I think they've bought the rights to the Saturday tea-time games and Sky have retained the Monday night matches.
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Damn I get setanta free withy my virgin package and it was great having those prem games on there to watch. doubt i'll pay espn for another channel just to watch those games. Especially as setanta's offering was always crappy compared to skys games each week.

Then again with Newcastle in the championship now ...
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Jumbo_ said:
Yeah it sounds good, the best thing is... No more Craig Burley :BOP:
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Have something against him from his playing past? As IMO he's doing a superb job as colour commentator, Dean Sturridge is another new one who surprised me with how well he does.
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Jumbo_ said:
Yeah it sounds good, the best thing is... No more Craig Burley :BOP:

I think they've bought the rights to the Saturday tea-time games and Sky have retained the Monday night matches.
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Sky have got Monday night matches from 2010/2011 season.

I am really hoping ESPN pick up the Bundesliga and French ligue 1 coverage once setanta dies.

I expect them to charge about £6.99 per month once they launch there new channel. If they dont pick up European footy then I doubt I will bother signing up unless they have got rights to some other good sports.

Sky were probably happy enough letting ESPN get this as in 12 months they will have the 5th package of EPL rights plus this season they are trying to get SPL rights. Sky must be waiting to pick up US PGA, NRL, IPL, UFC, Top Rank Promotions boxing from Setanta once they die.
 
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Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Placebo said:
Have something against him from his playing past? As IMO he's doing a superb job as colour commentator, Dean Sturridge is another new one who surprised me with how well he does.
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No nothing like that, I just thought he came across as a bitter, overly aggresive, misinformed, biased idiot with nothing positive or worthwhile to say at all. He was constantly belittling and putting down Arsenal, United and Everton for example and was ridiculously pro Chelsea and Liverpool which is a fair enough stance given he was a Chelsea player but he was just too extreme.

Some of his commentary was unbelievably biased, things like the Adebayor red card against Liverpool and he also was full of misinformed bollocks that made listening to him quite a chore.

So many times he would make a snap judgement and really push his point in his aggresive, self important tone, only for the replay to prove him wrong yet he would never even admit he'd made a mistake.

I just did a quick google search and it appears I'm not the only one who couldn't stand him.

kobashi said:
Sky have got Monday night matches from 2010/2011 season.
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Yeah you're right I got my packages mixed up :)
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

I have to agree with Jumbo, I could not stand him. I liked the other guy though, who does the commentary for Pro Evo funnily enough (and Setanta appeared as a sponsor as well).

Gutted about ESPN/Sky lapping the licenses up though, so much for the laws against monopolies. So if you want any Premier League football now you HAVE TO HAVE Sky. One more thing to add to Gordon Brown's to-do list, probably near the bottom underneath the heading "don't really care about this but someone tells me it's against the law somehow".
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

They're still broadcasting - they could still be for months
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Yeah they've only lost the Premier League rights at the moment, everything else is still there. Only thing is they will struggle to stay afloat now as they pumped so much money into that and didn't get much back.
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

They've officially gone into administration, the news channel will shut down tonight, rumour is 6pm.

Funny thing is that Setanta US and Ireland aren't affected by this.
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

A few weeks ago they said that even if they went into administration the admin company would still broadcast after that possibly up to a couple of months after.

Guessing they said that so people didn't all cancel back then.
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No UFC 100 :(
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Wouldn't Bravo be the next logical destination for that?
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Bravo wont have the cash to buy that ever again
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Chris Davies said:
Rang them to cancel because they've got no Premier League games now and the geordie woman on the end of the phone said "nothing is confirmed yet you know". I said to her, love, if the Premier League have announced they're selling the packages to someone else, I think you're flogging a dead horse.

She said it has to be done through email, so I've sent one off. I get the feeling they're not going to let any of us go easily (and I can't just cancel the Direct Debit because I've read that's against the rules of the contract, they have to do it, otherwise it will affect your credit rating)...
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Most people I know who've tried to cancel have ended up cancelling the direct debit as it was the only effective way of severing ties with Setanta. Now the administrators are in charge the cancellation process should be quite swift.
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

tobi said:
Wouldn't Bravo be the next logical destination for that?
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Please no as it will be delayed coverage and full of ad breaks plus Bravo PQ when they showed UFC before was total crap.

Chris Davies said:
I have to agree with Jumbo, I could not stand him. I liked the other guy though, who does the commentary for Pro Evo funnily enough (and Setanta appeared as a sponsor as well).

Gutted about ESPN/Sky lapping the licenses up though, so much for the laws against monopolies. So if you want any Premier League football now you HAVE TO HAVE Sky. One more thing to add to Gordon Brown's to-do list, probably near the bottom underneath the heading "don't really care about this but someone tells me it's against the law somehow".
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Please! Terrestrial TV had the chance to bid for the 5th and 6th package but as far as I know they showed no interest. If you wanna blame someone then blame them Terrestrial channels mate. Nothing was stopping them bidding now and few months ago.

Edit - Meltzer is reporting UFC 100 is on Bravo so it is a step down for UFC!!
 
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Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

The law against monopolies made watching the Premier league more expensive.

Premier League exclusive to Sky cost about £17 a month. To watch the same amount of games with Setanta as well costs about £30 a month all together. The monopoly law didn't work, and I'd prefer all the Premier League games to go back to Sky in an ideal world.

I would have thought the BBC would have tried to get Setanta's games, ITV can't afford it.
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

You're talking about people who already have Sky though, I could never afford Sky so I got Setanta via freeview. Just a smidge over £10 a month for a few live games a month, that was enough for me - I didn't need to get every game, just a few now and then. I thought it was great but at the same time it was obvious they would never compete with Sky, most people who like football have enough money to get Sky so it's tough shit to those of us who don't.

I'll just have to start going to pubs more often to watch the games - hey there's a thought, if I sent a letter to Gordon Brown saying I have to go to the pub to watch games now and get pissed, perhaps then it would be classed as a health risk and they'd actually do something about it...
 
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Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

tobi said:
They've officially gone into administration, the news channel will shut down tonight, rumour is 6pm.

Funny thing is that Setanta US and Ireland aren't affected by this.
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huh? you aure about that
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Fuck the extra Premier League games, I want my Bundesliga. :CRY:
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Fuck the football (bar Premier League) Where My Irish Sports! I was looking forward to watching the Hurling Games this weekend!
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

From Digital Spy,

ESPN America now on digital terrestrial


ESPN America began broadcasting on digital terrestrial channel 34 this evening.

Digital Spy forum members reported the development, noting that it is broadcasting encrypted and available to anyone who previously subscribed to Setanta on digital terrestrial.

Top Up TV staff member Sam B told our forum members tonight: "As you've noticed, ESPN America is now being shown on channel 34.

"It is encrypted, and is being provided free to anyone who previously subscribed to Setanta, through any provider. It will also be shown to Top Up TV customers who subscribe to TV Favourites or Picturebox.

"If you aren't a subscriber but would like to see the channel whilst it's available for free, then you can do so by calling Top Up TV and asking to subscribe to ESPN. You will need to have a viewing card, and will also need to provide name and address details to set up an account, but you won't be required to give any payment details."

A Top Up TV DTR is not needed to subscribe.

The channel was added to Sky's news and events pack today, which is available to Sky TV customers who do not already take the pack for an additional £1, and is also available as a standalone premium channel on Virgin Media priced at £10 per month.
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They are moving fast, going to watch some Baseball now.

Anyone know what channel in America shows the Bundesliga and Seria A?
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

Man alive thats fast, great though, be able to catch some American sports tv shows.

Fox Soccer Channel shows an awful of various football leagues around the world Stateside, not sure if they show Bundesliga or Serie A though.
 
Re: Sh*tanta might be going bust soon

ESPN America is just NASN rebranded right. It looks identical with the same TV schedule.

this is why SKY and UFC dont get along..

Dave Meltzer/UFC’s version of the situation:

“UFC 38 was the first show promoted with the benefit of strong television.

UFC signed a 13-week deal with Sky Sports in the U.K. for one or two hours per week on Thursday night of prime-time fights from the company’s tape library. It was the company’s first-ever television deal, designed to build to a live appearance on July 13, 2002, headlined by Matt Hughes defending his welterweight title against former champion Carlos Newton.

UFC had signed an unfavorable deal to get on Sky Sports and build the show, and with the ratings being strong, UFC president Dana White wanted better terms when the contract came due. But Sky wasn’t receptive. In controversial move at the time, White refused to sign a new television contract. After building an audience, UFC disappeared from U.K. television for years, and it was five years later before another show was run in the market.”
 
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