[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Snz6A12DlxI]YouTube - Setanta Goes Into Administration by gmb46[/ame]
About 200 UK jobs are set to be lost after the British arm of pay-TV broadcaster Setanta Sport went off-air and into administration.
Administrators hope to secure a deal for Irish and international businesses soon
The Irish firm's UK channels were turned off at 6pm and replaced with a message telling viewers that the company had "ceased trading in Great Britain".
Deloitte, which has been appointed administrator, said Setanta's international and Ireland businesses will stay on air while a buyer is sought.
Setanta, which has 1.2 million subscribers, suspended the collection of subscription payments from customers in the UK.
Neville Kahn, of Deloitte, said UK customers should visit the Setanta website to find out more information.
He said: "After a huge effort by the Setanta board, management team and its backers, it has not been possible to save the GB business, which will be wound down in due course.
"Regrettably, approximately 200 employees will be made redundant in respect of the GB business."
The jobs of a further 220 staff lie in the balance as talks with prospective buyers for the International and Irish businesses continue.
Administrators said they hoped to secure a deal within the next few days.
Wayne Rooney of Manchester United battling Maynor Figueroa of Wigan Athletic in the English Premier League
Channel lost Premier League rights
Setanta chairman Sir Robin Miller said: "This is a sad day for all concerned.
"Unfortunately, in a difficult and highly competitive market, and despite strenuous efforts by the board and management, it has not been possible to find sufficient additional funds in the time available to ensure (the company's) survival."
The news comes just days after the cash-strapped firm lost its rights to broadcast English Premier League games and a day after the Scottish Premier League pulled the plug on its TV deal.
Its fall into administration might trigger a fire sale of other broadcasting rights, such as FA Cup and England football matches, US PGA golf and Guinness Premiership rugby.
The Irish broadcaster had below the 1.9 million subscribers it needed to break even and it was thought to be running at a loss of nearly ?100m a year.
The Premier League yesterday handed Setanta's EPL packages, containing 46 matches for the 2009/10 season and 23 matches per season from 2010/11 to 2012/13, to the US broadcaster ESPN.
ESPN has struck a deal with Sky for its coverage to be sold to residential and commercial customers.
Sky will broadcast ESPN games
The deal, details of which have yet to be made public, will mean that Sky subscribers who pay extra can view all Premier League games on Sky.
"We have made a deal so that if a Sky customer wants to take the ESPN channel, they will pay for it as part of the Sky package without the need to take out an extra subscription," a Sky spokesperson said.
"Pricing and further details around how the channel will work will be made available well before the start of the new season."
ESPN also wants to make its Barclays Premier League matches available across multiple pay-TV platforms, although no agreement has yet been reached with Virgin Media or BT.
Of the ESPN deal, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: "The timescale of our process was tight, to say the least, and it is to the great credit of ESPN that they committed themselves to adding Barclays Premier League football to their already impressive portfolio of sports rights."
Meanwhile the SPL said it had started the search for a television partner for next season to take Setanta's place.
About 200 UK jobs are set to be lost after the British arm of pay-TV broadcaster Setanta Sport went off-air and into administration.
Administrators hope to secure a deal for Irish and international businesses soon
The Irish firm's UK channels were turned off at 6pm and replaced with a message telling viewers that the company had "ceased trading in Great Britain".
Deloitte, which has been appointed administrator, said Setanta's international and Ireland businesses will stay on air while a buyer is sought.
Setanta, which has 1.2 million subscribers, suspended the collection of subscription payments from customers in the UK.
Neville Kahn, of Deloitte, said UK customers should visit the Setanta website to find out more information.
He said: "After a huge effort by the Setanta board, management team and its backers, it has not been possible to save the GB business, which will be wound down in due course.
"Regrettably, approximately 200 employees will be made redundant in respect of the GB business."
The jobs of a further 220 staff lie in the balance as talks with prospective buyers for the International and Irish businesses continue.
Administrators said they hoped to secure a deal within the next few days.
Wayne Rooney of Manchester United battling Maynor Figueroa of Wigan Athletic in the English Premier League
Channel lost Premier League rights
Setanta chairman Sir Robin Miller said: "This is a sad day for all concerned.
"Unfortunately, in a difficult and highly competitive market, and despite strenuous efforts by the board and management, it has not been possible to find sufficient additional funds in the time available to ensure (the company's) survival."
The news comes just days after the cash-strapped firm lost its rights to broadcast English Premier League games and a day after the Scottish Premier League pulled the plug on its TV deal.
Its fall into administration might trigger a fire sale of other broadcasting rights, such as FA Cup and England football matches, US PGA golf and Guinness Premiership rugby.
The Irish broadcaster had below the 1.9 million subscribers it needed to break even and it was thought to be running at a loss of nearly ?100m a year.
The Premier League yesterday handed Setanta's EPL packages, containing 46 matches for the 2009/10 season and 23 matches per season from 2010/11 to 2012/13, to the US broadcaster ESPN.
ESPN has struck a deal with Sky for its coverage to be sold to residential and commercial customers.
Sky will broadcast ESPN games
The deal, details of which have yet to be made public, will mean that Sky subscribers who pay extra can view all Premier League games on Sky.
"We have made a deal so that if a Sky customer wants to take the ESPN channel, they will pay for it as part of the Sky package without the need to take out an extra subscription," a Sky spokesperson said.
"Pricing and further details around how the channel will work will be made available well before the start of the new season."
ESPN also wants to make its Barclays Premier League matches available across multiple pay-TV platforms, although no agreement has yet been reached with Virgin Media or BT.
Of the ESPN deal, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: "The timescale of our process was tight, to say the least, and it is to the great credit of ESPN that they committed themselves to adding Barclays Premier League football to their already impressive portfolio of sports rights."
Meanwhile the SPL said it had started the search for a television partner for next season to take Setanta's place.
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