Any Word On Setanta Sport??

[EvilEuro]

I have dropped a line to the good ol' ceo@echostar.com email address asking about OLN and, more importantly, Setanta Sport. I received back a short little blurb from them that says they are in negotiations with both networks... but has anyone heard anything about them negotiating with Setanta?

I'm curious as Setanta offers a boatload of soccer, especially Champions League matches, that ESPN doesn't cover, as well as some auto racing and live Super 14 and Six Nations rugby. DirecTV presently offers the channel as a standalone, a la carte offering for $11.99 a month, a price I'd shell out in a heartbeat for the channel is Chuck would ever offer it on the same terms.

I've checked Setanta's site an in their FAQ it states that they're trying to get on other carriers including cable and Dish... but that's about it.

Anyone have any further information? I know about 15 people who already have Dish who would subscribe to the channel immediately upon offering and another dozen or so who would move to Dish from cable immediately as well.

Oh yeah, and offering me the World Cup in German ain't bad either, since I'm sure ESPN will refuse to offer me Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth... but that's another story.

 

[SummitAdvantageRetailer]

Setanta doesn't have the rights to broadcast WC in USA, so I doubt we'd get add'l WC coverage even if Dish got Setanta.

But I, too, would love Setanta on DISH. Is it the same Setanta that's on closed circuit TV in pubs?

[EDIT]: Setanta HAS the rights to World Cup in the US. Sorry. Read the quote from soccertv.com below.

 

[EvilEuro]

Setanta doesn't have the rights to broadcast WC in USA, so I doubt we'd get add'l WC coverage even if Dish got Setanta.

But I, too, would love Setanta on DISH. Is it the same Setanta that's on closed circuit TV in pubs?

From what I can see, yes. The only difference is the price they charge. $11.99 for home subs and $100 per month for commercial subscribers, which is actually a pretty good rate.

I believe that ESPN only has the ENGLISH language rights to the World Cup and Univision has the Spanish language rights. I had heard through World Soccer Daily that Setanta would be showing the matches in German, which would make sense in that regard. How true that is, I don't know. I'll look into that.

all I know is I want the channel.

 

[kenny911]

Yes. I heard that Setanta is broadcasting them in German. I too want that station and you would think it would be perfect for dishnetwork with all the international customers they have. I know I would sign up for the station.

 

[SummitAdvantageRetailer]

From what I can see, yes. The only difference is the price they charge. $11.99 for home subs and $100 per month for commercial subscribers, which is actually a pretty good rate.

I believe that ESPN only has the ENGLISH language rights to the World Cup and Univision has the Spanish language rights. I had heard through World Soccer Daily that Setanta would be showing the matches in German, which would make sense in that regard. How true that is, I don't know. I'll look into that.

all I know is I want the channel.

Sorry about that. If you see this quote below, they do say that Setanta has the rights in the US. From soccertv.com:

World Cup 2006

Updated March 27, 2006

All 64 matches of FIFA World Cup 2006 will be televised in the US LIVE or via short tape-delay in the US in English, Spanish, German, and Korean.

Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the marketing arm of Major League Soccer (MLS), will present all 64 matches LIVE in English, with no commercial interruptions during play.

ABC will air 12 games, ESPN will air 21 games, and ESPN2 will air 31 games, in both standard definition and optional high definition (Cable and satellite TV operators charge extra for ABC HD, ESPN HD, and ESPN2 HD).

Univision Communications will broadcast 56 games live on Univision and 8 games live on TeleFutura, all in Spanish, with no commercial interruptions during play, in standard definition ONLY.

Setanta Sports has acquired US TV rights in over a dozen languages, and will air all 64 games, with 56 games live and 8 games via short tape-delay, with German commentary, on Setanta Sports USA in standard definition.

KBS World, a Korean-language subscription channel available via DISH Network satellite TV and digital cable in some areas (such as parts of Los Angeles), will have 56 games live and 8 games via short tape-delay, in standard definition.

In Canada, Rogers Sportsnet, TSN, and CTV will combine to air all 64 games live in English, in both standard definition and optional high definition. Rogers Sportsnet will air 32 games, TSN will air 31 games, and CTV will air the final match. RDS will air all 64 games live or via short tape-delay with French commentary in standard definition.

TV schedules will be posted on soccerTV.com on or around May 1.

 

[mre]

I could be wrong but I think Setanta has a pub channel that's different than the Setanta that you can get at home. I believe they call it Setanta Premium. Either way, I'd love to have the channel available through Dish.

 

[kingbenj]

They are also showing australian rules football this season (2 hour match of the week with some possible live games also). I would love it if Dish added this channel!

 

[mr_snerdly]

I would definitly sign up for this channel too. More importantly, I would sign up for a package of all Manchester Untied games. Didn't Dish offer a package for all Celtic or Rangers matches?

 

[EvilEuro]

I would definitly sign up for this channel too. More importantly, I would sign up for a package of all Manchester Untied games. Didn't Dish offer a package for all Celtic or Rangers matches?

There's enough United on TV as it is that an all Utd package would almost be a waste. But again, this is where Setanta comes in. They carried the semifinals and the finals of the Carling Cup and I'd have loved to have seen those matches as the semifinal tie with Blackburn was a GREAT set of football.

Carling Cup, Coca-Cola Championship football (Go Reading... bring another two Americans into the Prem next year!), extensive Champions League coverage... Six Nations rugby, Super 14... and damn it, I"ll take some Aussie Rules too.

I wish Dish would hurry up and add this channel. I've got $12 burning a hole in my pocket that needs to be spent on this channel!!

 

[roachxp]

The Setanta pub channel is just for commerical businesses, and they charge by the event which can be between $350-800 per match depending on the fire code number of allow customers.

 

[kingbenj]

I sent an e-mail to Setanta and asked when they think they will get a deal done with Dish. This was their reply...

We have contacted them and are working on it. We are ready to go but we are waiting for them. They have given us no time scale.

 

[nlk10010]

I've got Setanta on D* and it seems to have become much more RUGBY since the first of the year. A lot of the matches they show through MUTV or Chelsea TV are already on FSC, some live. Their programs sometimes get screwed up (they don't always broadcast what they say they will and I've seen programs interrupted in the middle, as well as gotten matches with indecipherable commentary).

The above said, I still like Setanta a lot and think it's well worth the money. SPL is for the most part not live (Live SPL is on Setanta PPV) but even delayed it's worthwhile, and they even carried a few live Tennent's Cup matches. A few Greek League games (some with commentary you can actually understand). But the big draw for me are the matches you can't see elsewhere; e.g. much of the Champion's League, Carling Cup, some FA cup and ESPECIALLY the English Football League (formerly known as 2nd, 3rd and 4th Divisions). The lower leagues are very interesting and, at least last year, Setanta carried most if not ALL of the playoffs. Watching League 2 and League 1 as well as Coca-Cola Champs is a gas (YMMV).

A LOT of filler and a LOT of Rugby, but also a LOT of fun.

=NLK=

 

[kingbenj]

I really just want it for their Aussie Rules Football coverage -- live games!

Here is another response I got from Setanta...

Yes - Please keep e-mailing / calling DISH. We will give them the signal in the morning if they take it.

 

[nlk10010]

Yes - Please keep e-mailing / calling DISH. We will give them the signal in the morning if they take it.

Sounds like the guy who calls the Greek League games.

I just noticed they're adding Aussie Rules. Frankly, I'm not a fan of either that or Rugby but for those of you who are, Setanta really does offer a wealth of games.

=NLK=

 

[EvilEuro]

Well, nice to know that Setanta says that they're the ones waiting on Dish. I guess I'll just have to go Shawshank on Dish and start sending multiple letters a week.

 

[jollygrunt]

Any word on Setanta coming to DISH?

I too would be interested in paying for this channel a la carte.

I'd love to see some Rugby games, the Scottish Premiere League, and the minor leagues of English Football.

Here's hoping we get the option.

 

[Mr_Crowley]

Any channel with European Football is always welcome on Dish.

 

[EvilEuro]

Any word on Setanta coming to DISH?

I too would be interested in paying for this channel a la carte.

I'd love to see some Rugby games, the Scottish Premiere League, and the minor leagues of English Football.

Here's hoping we get the option.

I posted this as a tangent to someone saying something about Setanta in the ESPN Deportes thread, but I suppose it's more pertinent here.

I fired off a missive to Dish yesterday, as I do once a week, requesting Setanta. I received the following in reply, which I still find interesting since I think someone posted earlier in this thread that Setanta says they initiated contact with Dish but are waiting for Dish to respond.

Regardless, I still want my Setanta!
-----------------------------------------------------

From: Winters, Natalie <Natalie.Winters@echostar.com>
To: EvilEuro
Date: Apr 27, 2006 8:11 AM
Subject: RE: Setanta Sports Channel

Dear EvilEuro,

Thank you for your email. Currently at this time we are speaking with Setanta Sports about carriage, but as of now we don’t have any definitive plans to launch the service.

Thank you,

Natalie Winters

Executive Office of Dish Network

 

[rangers00]

If you guys are so desperate for Setanta, why don't you get DirecTV?

Oh, yes, you are committed to Dish Network, and you hate DirecTV, so you would rather have no Euro soccer (especially Sky commentary of both legs of Barcelona X AC Milan) than subscribe to your hated DBS. Of course, we all know Barcelona X Milan are not available on ESPN2. But even if it had been, you would be stuck with commentary from Tommy Smyth and Derek Rae...

Easy solution, get Setanta from Globecast. Get a setup for $150- $200 and subscribe Setanta from Globecast, only 1 channel for $12/month.

Of course, I am a satellite hobbyist. I have already had a 30" dish pointed to IA5 for 6 years. So all I need is a Globecast receiver. I got a used one for $65, with the card. There I go, Setanta at $12/month, no string attached, no program committment, no minimum package.

I have had this setup since last August, but that's a time of opportuniites. German TV was leaving Globecast to join the ethnic lineup of Dish Network. A lot of German TV subscribers were dumping their Globecast receivers. That's why I could get mine with the card for $65.

You can also check out Ebay, a receiver + a card can be had for $100. If you are lucky, you can even get one at half that price.

But if you buy, make sure you buy a setup with the card. If you have to get the card separately from Globecast, that itself will cost $80....

 

[tkorcal]

I dont know if you have the 180 package but this include fox soccer channel and gol tv. I pretty much watch soccer 24- 7 between these two channels. Recording Chelsea VS Man u this morning.