Irish pay-television broadcaster Setanta has acquired live rights to the French Open tennis tournament in a three-year deal, from 2012 to 2014, with the MP & Silva agency.
The broadcaster plans to show live coverage of all of this year’s tournament on the Setanta Ireland channel. The channel is available to basic-tier subscribers to the UPC cable-television platform. The channel’s coverage of the tournament will also be available free to Irish households with satellite television.
Brian Quinn, Setanta’s marketing director, told the Irish Times newspaper: “We are very excited about bringing Roland Garros to Irish audiences. This is our first time broadcasting this prestigious event and our first venture into Grand Slam tennis.”
The 2012 French Open takes place from May 27 to June 10. MP & Silva holds the rights for the tournament in all European territories, excluding France, in a five-year deal, from 2012 to 2016.
Updated on 25 April 2012, at 1828 GMT.