These other parties include Denis Desmond, who already owns 20 per cent of Setanta Ireland, and international cable group Liberty Global. Liberty chief strategy officer Shane O’Neill told the Irish Times that “we would be interested in the Irish side of the business. We like the channel and it’s liked by our customers.”
The English Premier League, the Scottish Premier League and martial arts’ UFC had all terminated their contracts with the broadcaster. On Monday the Premier League sold Setanta’s rights to ESPN. BSkyB and ESPN are both reported to be in the running for SPL rights, although neither will pay the £145 million that Setanta was set to pay over the next five years.
The England FA and golf’s US PGA Tour golf, Setanta’s two other major rights-holders, are also re-tendering their rights. BSkyB, ESPN and the BBC are all potential candidates for the FA rights, while the US PGA Tour said that its options included BSKyB, Eurosport and ESPN. ESPN has not televised the PGA TOUR in the United States since 2006.
The Board of Setanta Sport Holdings Limited announced that it had not proved possible to secure the additional financing required to ensure the future viability of Setanta. “As a consequence, the Board has taken the decision to seek the appointment of Receivers to the parent company, Setanta Sport Holdings Limited, and certain subsidiaries in Ireland, and Administrators to certain English subsidiaries,” it said in a statement.