Setanta close to switching off for good?

[Phil Hinton]

The sports broadcaster Setanta is reported to be close to the brink of administration according to the Sunday broadsheets. It is believed that accountancy firm Deloitte is standing by to put the company in administration should they fail to renegotiate contracts with its rights holders and investors.

One major rights holder, the Scottish Premier League, is allegedy owed £3million as part of the broadcasters £31m a year deal with the League. Setanta has until tomorrow (Monday 8th) to pay the cash. For the last few months Setanta has failed to meet its minimum subscription base of 1.9m viewers; the company have just 1.2m.

While any collapse is not likely to affect the Barclays Premier League clubs through Setantas reduced coverage of that league, the SPL is bracing itself for some major fall out. Most of the Scottish premier teams barring the old firm and financially prudent clubs like Hibernian, are likely to see up to 20% of their income disappear. This size of hole in clubs finances may well have serious repercussions for the SPL.

That's not to say that the Barclays clubs will not be affected either, but teams in that league are better shielded due to the way rights are sold. It is however believed that Setanta owe that league £35m which is due for payment on June 15th.

If Setanta do fold, then we could see a fire sale for the various rights packages it has, although these will never reach the estimated £425m that the company paid for England and FA cup coverage.

It's understood and widely reported that should Setanta fail to negotiate its way out of this present situation, then it will be a case of straightforward administration with most rights reverting back to the holders.

[Sources: Sunday Times/Scotland on Sunday]

 

[scrapbook]

Obiously bad news for all those staff involved with Setanta, but hopefully good news for the consumer in same ways.

Having those premiership packages split between different subscription services was always a joke.

 

[kopchoir]

Having those premiership packages split between different subscription services was always a joke.

But then others think sky`s monopoly on football is also a joke,i have both subscriptions and setanta`s schedule and line up isn`t bad its just the way they broadcast it terrible commentators terrible studio guests i also dont think its to pricey at £15 a month either but when the football finishes most subscribers will switch it off.

They have tried to be robust and challenge sky and fair play to them but they was always going to come unstuck when up against skys cash i think they missed a trick with freeview with regards to the technology with all the freeview viewers in the uk surely they could of implemented a better system to get them freeview viewers to part with the cash.

Maybe Virgin will see if they can do something with setanta branson always likes a falling business and they have a decent install base to but like most things sky has become a way of life for sports fans now its like bangers and mash go well together and so do sky and premier league football.
Maybe the bbc should offer a sports channel and bid for some football rights i then maybe able to get value for my tv license instead of wasting it by paying johnathon ross a couple of million a year

Kop

 

[Phil Hinton]

My main concern with this story is the fact it could impact on the Scottish game badly and send some clubs to the wall. The scottish game has been suffering for years and the quality has fallen massively, if the Setanta cash disappears I fear for some clubs. Anyone remember ITV digitals crash and the effects it had on the lower league teams?

 

[mjcairney]

According to the papers yesterday, they are in takeover talks with ESPN, a huge company owned, I believe, by Disney.

Time will tell.

Cheers,

Martin.

 

[Steven]

Obiously bad news for all those staff involved with Setanta, but hopefully good news for the consumer in same ways.

Having those premiership packages split between different subscription services was always a joke.

Theory and practice

I do not need to get into a long academic discussion about the virtues of Articles 3(1)(g), 81 and 82 of the EU Treaty... but the theory being sound, the reality has been rather different.
The problem is that the only broadcaster in the UK that can be said to be able to deliver the same or superior television broadcasts, sound + picture quality, and viewing choices and opportunities is the BBC. But the BBC being funded by the British resident cannot justify going for the PL alone

So instead you are left with the terrestrial channels and Virgin. Along came those Sultana adverts but as now known with hindsight, the consumer have in the end suffered because Setanta cannot match Sky's coverage

That is not even the irony. The real irony is that the PL still achieved record contracts. Don't expect the EU Competition Commission to be looking again at the matter with a real change of heart

 

[Deleted member 92943]

So if no-one takes over (and Disney could spend their money on better things rather than buying as part of ESPN) then that's it totally and the channels will be gone?

Bit of a stinker for those who bought the crappy top-up TV to get Setanta

 

[tristan2]

let this waste of space channel and its crap PQ go against the wall

 

[stuart49]

let this waste of space channel and its crap PQ go against the wall

the only waste of space channel I know is the BBC,you dont want or like Setanta you dont have to pay for it...no choice with the BBC and all the garbage they show....and every single one of us has to pay...thats the only one I would like see go to the wall

 

[oxfordyankee]

For those of us that follow fallen league clubs in the conference this is potentially very bad news. Each conference club receives £85k from Setanta for the season + money for each game screened. The coverage is OK and raises the profile of that level of the game. A lot of the games get better viewing figures than the Scottish fixtures.

Sky never really showed an interest in the Conference so I hope it gets sorted.

Cheers

 

[davetherave2]

well if setanta does fail hopefully sky will pick up espn america as that is the only channel that I watch on a regular basis and is the only reason why I subscribe to it for the MLB season given that Five no longer show it.

 

[Donnacha]

I actually signed up for Setanta's broadband service yesterday, i.e. 4 of its sports channels via an i-player equivalent. I specifically bought it to watch the GAA (gaelic football) championship coverage over the summer. There were 2 big games on yesterday and neither were available to view over the web despite being advertised as such...the whole reason I subscribed!! I sent a complaint to be told that it was a technical error - I sent a subsequent request to cancel my subscription and a refund as they failed to deliver the service I paid for! Useless!! I've heard bad things about them and now I see why!!

 

[blakemere]

the only waste of space channel I know is the BBC,you dont want or like Setanta you dont have to pay for it...no choice with the BBC and all the garbage they show....and every single one of us has to pay...thats the only one I would like see go to the wall

well said mate

 

[Deleted member 92943]

Anyone know anymore news? Did Disney show an interest in buying?

 

[bishbashboshdj]

the only waste of space channel I know is the BBC,you dont want or like Setanta you dont have to pay for it...no choice with the BBC and all the garbage they show....and every single one of us has to pay...thats the only one I would like see go to the wall

I think that the bbc is the only organisation worth paying for......... (except channel 4 but that pays for itself).....

sky is a load of tosh

 

[MyRDXS]

The biggest waste of money is what these clubs do with the revenue they get from the broadcasters such as Setanta and Sky, overpaid footballers for example.

 

[Tuoyo-E]

No wonder they have an offer for £3.99 subscription rather than £9.99 and with no installation fee (though I am not sure how they justify charging an installation fee when they don't do any installation.

I always subscribe to Setanta during the summer months to watch the Athletics Golden League and was about to do so by Friday just in time for the Golden League which commences on Sunday. Does anyone know what this means for me? Is the Channel definitely going to die before Sunday in which case I shouldn't waste my money?

 

[pastrybloke19]

I think that the bbc is the only organisation worth paying for......... (except channel 4 but that pays for itself).....

sky is a load of tosh

I agree with you sim667: yes it is not nice to 'have' to pay for a TV licence, but it is way worth it: BBC radio, BBC web site, iPlayer, and never mind the BBC channels that you can watch without your IQ being lowered by stupid and annoying adverts!!!

And I think that the BBC keeps the other commercial channels on their toes and stops them from turning completely American!

And yes Sky is a load of tosh; now that is a real waste of dosh.......

 

[Deansy]

No wonder they have an offer for £3.99 subscription rather than £9.99 and with no installation fee (though I am not sure how they justify charging an installation fee when they don't do any installation.

I always subscribe to Setanta during the summer months to watch the Athletics Golden League and was about to do so by Friday just in time for the Golden League which commences on Sunday. Does anyone know what this means for me? Is the Channel definitely going to die before Sunday in which case I shouldn't waste my money?

Wow, that might be worth ilooking at. previously they have tried to charge me a reconnection fee of £14.95 everytime I want it back on.

 

[RBZ5416]

Setanta close to switching off for good?

Good riddance to one of the most obnoxious organisations I've ever encountered.

Karma 1 v 0 Setanta

:arty::arty:

 

[Scholes18]

Good riddance to one of the most obnoxious organisations I've ever encountered.

Karma 1 v 0 Setanta

:arty::arty:

 

[Deleted member 92943]

Are they gone now then?

 

[TopGameReviews]

I agree with you sim667: yes it is not nice to 'have' to pay for a TV licence, but it is way worth it: BBC radio, BBC web site, iPlayer, and never mind the BBC channels that you can watch without your IQ being lowered by stupid and annoying adverts!!!

And I think that the BBC keeps the other commercial channels on their toes and stops them from turning completely American!

And yes Sky is a load of tosh; now that is a real waste of dosh.......

It is indeed I upgraded to movies the other day and films just get repeated all the time what the hell is that all about

 

[nictry]

Good riddance to one of the most obnoxious organisations I've ever encountered.

Karma 1 v 0 Setanta

:arty::arty:

Couldn't agree more, never in my life do I want to deal with a company as horrendous as Setanta again. They harass, torment and persecute you by phone and email when you have cancelled and eventually I threated to sue them for harrasment if they didn't back off (I had done everything correctly in my cancellation request and payments) and then the calls stopped

 

[Deleted member 92943]

Just watched Working Lunch and they have said that Setanta have stopped accepting new subscriptions.

They have new management and are apparently just looking quickly for new backers. If they cant' pay up the money the owe next week for the Premiership football the they will probably call in the admins