ESPN win right to broadcast Premier League games

[Dirk]

ESPN is horrible. They have a complete monopoly over sports in the USA and could probably take down Sky in a few years. I hate ESPN, but it's a necessary evil because they have rights to most of the US major leagues and events that I want to watch.

 

But I don't really get this UK deal. So my Setanta channel is going to be no more, and they'll add an ESPN channel?

 

Fox and CBS are the main players for NFL broadcasting, NBC have the Sunday night game, ESPN have monday night games. Fox also have a lot baseball games, as do ESPN, and a host of local broadcasters. I am not sure of ESPN's influence in NHL, I think it's NBC, Versus and the NHL network that broadcast NHL games in the US. ESPN broadcast NBA games, as do a number of other broadcasters. Perhaps I am failing to understand something here but I am not sure ESPN have a complete monopoly over anything.

[Chinandeler Bong]

What I'm wondering is if Virgin Media, who give me Setanta for free with My XL TV package, will be offering a similar deal with ESPN.

 

If not, that's a right fucker for me, and everyone else who had Setanta's Prem games for nish.

 

Same here mate , here's hoping they sort summat out but I fear a rip off on the horizon.

[chris71]

Looks like it's back to the pub for any games I wont be able to get over for and with no PTS it's going to be a lot. Fuck paying out more subs to some cunting money grabbing satellite channel.

[CrouchieBoy]

ESPN is horrible. They have a complete monopoly over sports in the USA and could probably take down Sky in a few years. I hate ESPN, but it's a necessary evil because they have rights to most of the US major leagues and events that I want to watch.

 

But I don't really get this UK deal. So my Setanta channel is going to be no more, and they'll add an ESPN channel?

 

Not exactly mate. ESPN may have a monopoly on 24hr sports news, but the other channels dwarf ESPN in terms of coverage. FOX and CBS own the majority of the Gridiron rights (to the tune of $2 billion a season). ESPN broadcast only a minority of MLB as well.

 

As for Setanta here in the states, you will not lose that. They have a separate rights package here in the states and won't be affected. They lease the rights from Fox Soccer Channel.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

I hope IraqGoals sorts itself out before August.

[The Special One]

Why don't you wools just go to the games? :whistle:

 

I'm confused actually. Everywhere I read it says 'UK coverage'. So where will these games be shown in North America now? ESPN as well?

[Maldini]

Setanta Ireland still have the rights to the Saturday 3pm games, as things stand at the moment they're still going to exist next year, that could change though.

[The Dude Abides]

Sky - £40 a month.

Setanta, minus the footy, but for the boxing and UFC - £13 a month. Considering that they've lost their main selling point in live Premier League footy, I hope they bring the price down!

ESPN - another £13 a month?

 

If you like footy, boxing and UFC it's gonna cost you nigh on £70 a month.

 

Or fuck them all off and watch them all on the net and go the pub for odd game.

[The Dude Abides]

i agree, as if we weren't on sky on sunday we'd nearly always be on set at 3 on a saturday which was great.

 

Yep, don't know the numbers but Setanta seemed to show a fuck load of our games. Especially the 3pm Saturday kick-offs. I'm not sure RTE will show as many even if they take back those games.

 

Wish we could just pay for the games we want. Say a yearly subscription for all the Liverpool games and none of the other shite that's on.

[bobhorse]

ESPN will agree a deal that will allow them to be added on to your sky subscription unlike Satanta

 

so it will be a similar set up to what sky offer now

 

X price for Movies

Y price for Sports

Z price for ESPN

 

with a discount if you take the full hit i would rather have it ths way than Satanta they where fuckers to deal with

 

We will have to wait and see what the price is but being part of the sky package will mean that take up will be much higher than under Satanta

[sir roger]

What I'm wondering is if Virgin Media, who give me Setanta for free with My XL TV package, will be offering a similar deal with ESPN.

 

If not, that's a right fucker for me, and everyone else who had Setanta's Prem games for nish.

 

I am in exactly the same boat RoD , and am fervently hoping it will add on for free ( The quote on BBC News said ESPN are in discussions with Virgin Media already ).

 

If I am being realistic , I suspect it will be like Sky Sports is on cable & will entail an extra cost.

 

p.s. The only thing ESPN means to me comes from 'Dodgeball' when the commentator shouts ' ESPN Ocho , If its nearly a sport , its on the Ocho'

[bobhorse]

Wasn't the RTE deal part of the Satanta deal ? so if Satanta dont have the rights neither will RTE ?

[George Costanza]

Another parasite jumps onboard and is ready to fleece fans for every penny they have.

[Guest]

I couldn't get Setanta even if I wanted to - "no satellite signal is being received."

If ESPN offered something similar to the Prem Plus season ticket of a few years ago, I might go for it if I can get the signal, but I'm not sure I can be arsed with paying £13 a month or whatever for 46 games (most of which are shite) and 23 the season after next.

As for the people who say fuck it off and watch it on the net or go to the pub - that's fucking ridiculous.

Trying to watch football on the internet is like wanking with a broken hand and going to the pub costs a lot more than a monthly subscription.

[OmarVizquel]

Not exactly mate. ESPN may have a monopoly on 24hr sports news, but the other channels dwarf ESPN in terms of coverage. FOX and CBS own the majority of the Gridiron rights (to the tune of $2 billion a season). ESPN broadcast only a minority of MLB as well.

 

The monopoly I was talking about is in terms of their stranglehold on sports news. There is really no credible competitor when it comes to viewership of breaking stories on tv, and so ESPN can pretty much set the agenda for every single story. You could just not watch (I've gone on ESPN fasts many times), but that just creates difficulty trying to figure out what's going on.

 

Plus, I hate every single one of their smug broadcasters.

[Nomad]

I was listen to radio last night talking about how ESPN will fromt this.

 

They were saying that they already have ESPN classic which could show the games.

 

But the most likely of option would be to take over the setanta Channels as they are looking at going completly bust.

 

So basicly one night you would be watching Setanta and the next morning ESPN Europe.

 

As i say its just hearsay but i would mean set up xosts for ESPN would be lower as they have a channel already with set frequencys and so forth. Which according to this guy on Radion would mean they could cut cost of the Package to around £7 per months.

 

He was also saying that as Setanta failed to pay the SPL the rights they may just take that as well.

 

I would not mind this so long as they make sure the channel stays on when its a bit windy!

[t1971]

Is ESPN even available on Cable (Virgin / NTL)?

[23 Carra Gold]

espn america is what you get with virgin

[hamstrung]

Trying to watch football on the internet is like wanking with a broken hand and going to the pub costs a lot more than a monthly subscription.

 

Not a fan of using streams either. Only do so as a last resort really.

[suley]

finally... i can watch some games over her in australia instead of waking up an hour before the game so i can set my internet to be able to watch the fucking thing

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Sauron works for Virgin Media. She reckons they'll try and replace the existing "free Setanta" package with "free ESPN."

[Shabado]

Wasn't the RTE deal part of the Satanta deal ? so if Satanta dont have the rights neither will RTE ?

 

Fairly sure Setanta Ireland is unaffected by this, and will still be running. Not 100% though.

[smelly-bottom]

According to the virgin media website, they are in discussion with ESPN to replicate the deal they had with Setanta, fingers crossed

[ReddOrDedd]

Sauron works for Virgin Media. She reckons they'll try and replace the existing "free Setanta" package with "free ESPN."

 

 

 

I sincerely hope you are (she is) right.