23 Jun 2009ESPN seals Setanta football broadcast packages

Football Sponsors/ Sponsorship and Media

ESPN has stepped in to take over the two English Premier League football broadcast packages that Setanta was set to air until 2013 in a £260 million deal, it has been revealed.

The Disney-owned American broadcaster will show two packages, each of 23 games, during the 2009/10 season before showing a single package for the following three years.

ESPN is set to pay £100 million for the two packages – live games on a Monday evening and Saturday teatime – next season, which is some £30 million less than was previously offered by Setanta.

The company then seems set to match the £160 million previously agreed by the Irish pay-TV broadcaster and the league for the duration of the deal.

Fans looking to watch the games with media rights owned by ESPN can do so through BSkyB and other pay-TV platforms, rather than paying for a subscription with the American broadcaster directly.

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."

BSkyB will show the remaining 92 English Premier League games during the 2009/10 season having bought the rights for four packages.

Written by Mark Thompson

© Copyright