So now that Liverpool is in the Europa League, is TLN even worth adding? What are the chances that they will show the Liverpool games? Will they show the final?

From what I've seen, TLN only shows one game on Europa League game days - and Spanish and Italian teams appear to be a bigger priority to them than English teams. I would think they'd show the final.

Liverpool game on now on Setanta and then rerun of Arsenal which is also being repeated on Sportsnet tonight. Disappointed that Barcelona game not available anywhere for me. :(
Rogers wants you to subscribe to all of their regional Sportsnets to get access to all their games.

Chris Zelkovich wrote in The Toronto Star this week: "The early bidding process for English Premier League rights has begun, with several players involved. The Rogers-Setanta group is considered the favourite, but TSN and The Score are also involved. GolTV has decided to sit out this round."

http://thestar.blogs.com/sportsmedia/2009/11/here-are-the-most-watched-weekend-sports-events-in-english-canada-as-calculated-by-bbm-overnight-ratings--1-nhl-capitals-.html

This appeared in William Houston's "Truth & Rumours" blog on December 7th.

■"A reader asked if English Premier League games are shot by British television in HDTV. Paul Romanuk, the former TSN hockey announcer now living in London, England, provides an answer: He writes, “Most of the Premier League matches broadcast over here are in HD on Sky or ESPN. The European championship was in HD on ITV and the Beeb (BBC). So, they are definitely available in HD.”"


OK Setanta. Let's get with it. We pay enough for your service, so it's time to come through with better picture quality.

Some things to consider. Fox Soccer Channel in the U.S. is not going HD until January and they are part of a large global media company. Also only 138 of the 380 EPL games are shown live in the UK. Sky started broadcasting games in HD back in 2006. They broadcast 92 live games in HD and ESPN broadcast the other 46 games in HD. I do not think the other games are produced in HD that is why on ESPN & Sportsnet the 10am game is just wide screen. You also have to consider that if the game is not being shown in the UK, why would they produce it in HD when football is not that popular in North America, Africa is poor, and HD has been slow to take off in Asia.

Also if you look at the ratings of EPL games on ESPN2 in the states they are not that impressive. Average of about 250,000, highest of just under 400,000. If you consider the population difference between US & Canada and then consider how many people are willing to pay $15 for one channel, Setanta might only have 15-25,000 subscribers. (that is a guess)

But I agree they do need to go HD, but I am not sure how long it will take them.

Setanta might only have 15-25,000 subscribers. (that is a guess)

They had around 50,000 subscribers about a year ago. But your point remains, it is still not many subscribers/viewers.

Thanks Andrew, my estimate was completely off mark. Do you know how many viewers a Sportsnet or Score EPL game gets?

Thanks Andrew, my estimate was completely off mark.

I think your overall point is still valid.

Do you know how many viewers a Sportsnet or Score EPL game gets?

From William Houston's blog, Truth and Rumours: EPL, Arsenal-Stoke City, Saturday, Rogers Sportsnet, 101,0000.

http://www.truthandrumours.net/2009/12/06/please-give-the-habs-celebrations-a-rest/

I think 101,000 is higher than usual. I've never seen Score EPL ratings figures.

I think Rogers would get better subscriber-ship if they bundled Setanta with Sportsnet and made it a theme pack. Even at $10 for the theme. I'm a huge futbol fan but I can't get myself to pay $15/mth to watch a channel that mainly broadcasts only on the weekends. 10 years back maybe, but now that you can watch almost every game online, I won't shell out the kind of cash.

how do you conclude it only broadcasts mainly on the weekend? Most EPL midweek games are shown, and always a live one as well, not to mention Carling Cup, Champions League etc. so you have live games most Mon -Wed. Take a look at Setanta schedule for the remainder of the year to verify this.
Robin

Do you know how many viewers a Sportsnet or Score EPL game gets?I started a thread on soccer ratings about 2 years ago. You can do a search for it. I included ratings for Sportsnet and The Score.

Robin, I understand that they show games during the week. However, as with most European games they are shown while we in N.America are working and we miss the games. I for one don't have pvr system (maybe that should be my Christmas gift to myself) to record the games. Its the same issue with fox sports and goltv. I tend to watch these only on the weekends. While I'll say that Setanta shows more games then fox and goltv. I have really enjoyed Setanta when its been on a free preview, especially during the Christmas break when the English League is the only league playing and Setanta carries the games.

However, as with most European games they are shown while we in N.America are working and we miss the games. I for one don't have pvr system (maybe that should be my Christmas gift to myself) to record the games.

Setanta will reply the mid-week games after 6pm on the same day.

Though, I highly recommend getting a PVR regardless.

THE OWNERS of Setanta Sports’s pay television business in the United States have agreed to sell the company to Fox Sports International, a company that numbers media magnate Rupert Murdoch as a major shareholder.

Setanta Sports refused to comment on the deal but The Irish Times understands that the sale will close later this week.

The US business is owned by Setanta founders Leonard Ryan and Michael O’Rourke, and Mark O’Meara, a long-serving senior executive with the Irish broadcaster. They rescued this company after Setanta’s main business in Britain collapsed into receivership last year, having failed to make payments to a number of sports bodies, including the Premier League. They also took over Setanta’s businesses in Canada and Australia, which are not affected by this transaction.

This deal does not affect Setanta’s operation in Ireland. Denis Desmond, the major shareholder in Setanta’s Irish business, which was also rescued last year, is not involved with the US company.

It is not clear how much Fox will pay for Setanta Sports USA but its backers were seeking to raise about €15 million in new funding for their international businesses late last year.

Fox and Setanta have co-operated in recent years in securing live sports rights. Fox holds the rights to live Premier League football in England and sub-licensed some of the games to Setanta.

The pair also last year won the US rights to the Champions League from ESPN via a joint bid. They also held the rights to the FA Cup.

Contributors to internet chatrooms in the US last night speculated that Fox had recently revoked its Premier League and Champions League football rights from Setanta Sports North America Ltd, following missed payments by the Irish-based company, and would therefore only pay a nominal sum for the US business.

This could not be confirmed but Setanta’s US website has removed references to coverage of the Premier League and the Champions League. According to its website, Setanta’s US business is available on both cable and satellite in more than 42 million homes in America. It is also available on cable in the Caribbean.

Subscribers pay $14.99 a month for the service, which carries Six Nations and Heineken Cup rugby, GAA matches, club soccer from France and Russia and Manchester United’s MUTV.

The last set of accounts filed for Setanta Sports North America Ltd related to the year ended December 31st, 2006, at which point the company had accumulated losses of $10.6 million. Sources said yesterday that the US arm had not yet reached break-even but that the Canadian business was “making money”.

Since its formation in 1994, Fox Sports International has established itself as a leading sports broadcaster in the US, covering American football, ice hockey, baseball, soccer and a range of major international events.

It operates channels such as Fox Soccer, the Speed Channel and Fox College Sports.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2010/0111/1224262051406.html

Presumably this includes Setanta Canada as well? Or does it?

Setanta Canada is 80% owned by a holding company which is 2/3 owned by Rogers and 1/3 owned by Setanta. The other 20% is owned directly by Setanta (I believe) (see http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2008/db2008-142.htm)

I am a Setanta customer who subscribes to the channel for rugby, not football. I hope that this doesn't adversely affect rugby coverage. If it does I guess I am stuck looking for an online streaming service that (hopefully) has the same content and isn't more than the $180/yr that I am paying today.

Presumably this includes Setanta Canada as well? Or does it?

It does not include Setanta Canada

If Setanta Canada is making money (no idea how they're doing that), is it safe to assume it stays status quo for now?

It does not include Setanta CanadaBut what about Setanta North America which is the Setanta entity that has a minority ownership interest in Setanta Canada?

But what about Setanta North America which is the Setanta entity that has a minority ownership interest in Setanta Canada?

If I was to guess, part of final agreement will allow the Canadian operations to break away and form a new company or something like that.

The only thing Fox wants out of Setanta is the access to 42 million homes right away. They have trademarked the "Fox Soccer Channel +" name. Why bother to get involved in the long process of trying to get a new channel on each cable & satellite operator when you can buy some channel for a few million (a channel that already owes you money) that already has agreements. Setanta USA did not even own the rights to the EPL or Champions League, Fox did.

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox will announce Tuesday that it is launching its second all-soccer network in the United States on March 1.

The new network, called Fox Soccer Plus, will televise matches of the European Champions League, England's Premier League, the English Football Association Cup and the Italian Serie A.

Fox Soccer Channel began operation in 1997 and changed its name to FSC five years ago.

"As America's interest in the world's game is increasing, the launch of Fox Soccer Plus will complement and enhance our current programming on Fox Soccer Channel," new FSC general manager David Nathanson said.

The new network will draw content from Setanta USA, whose sublicenses with Fox are expiring, a person familiar with the negotiations said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity because that detail won't be included in the announcement.

Fox, a division of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, is negotiating with cable carriers to determine what tiers the new network will be placed on. The new network will be broadcast in high definition; Fox also has been preparing to start high definition telecasts of FSC.

Fox has been televising the Premier League in the U.S. since 1998 and sublicenses some of the games to Setanta USA and ESPN2, which is televising 48 matches this season.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-soc-fox-soccer-second-network,0,7282981.story