Who owns Setanta Sports?

[thejollyrodger]

Who exactly owns Setanta Sports, is it an irish group ? They are getting big now and I was just wondering who owns them.

[dcfc_1928]

Funnily enough - I found this information from the Setanta website (who would have thunk it?!?)

;)

http://www.setanta.com/content/setanta/uk/cms.nsf/systemcontent/setantacorporate


Setanta was founded in 1992 by Leonard Ryan and Michael O'Rourke, who remain joint CEOs and controlling shareholders. Starting from a base of closed circuit TV distributing Irish sports to an expatriate audience, the business has grown into an international multi channel operation.


About Benchmark Capital, Setanta's largest shareholder:

Benchmark Capital was founded in 1995 to help talented entrepreneurs build great technology companies focused on long-term growth. Benchmark's partners take an intensive, hands-on, team-oriented, approach to venture investing to deliver a superior level of service to the firm's portfolio companies. Benchmark's portfolio includes franchise companies such as Alphyra (the leading pan European electronic payments provider), Betfair (the world's largest online betting company), eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY), Juniper Networks (Nasdaq: JNPR), Sulake (the "Habbo Hotel" leading online games community, founded in Finland), Red Hat (Nasdaq: RHAT), Zopa (the online exchange for direct loans between lenders and borrowers) and Codemasters (the innovative computer and video games developer and publisher). Managing more than $3 billion in committed venture capital from its offices in Europe, USA and Israel,, Benchmark focuses on investing in entrepreneurs with original ideas. Since setting up a fund in Europe in May 2000, Benchmark has made more than 40 investments across a variety of market sectors and geographies. The $375m raised by Benchmark Europe II follows Benchmark's first European fund of $500m.

Setanta is a privately owned company with the majority shareholding held by its current joint chief executives.

Who exactly owns Setanta Sports, is it an irish group ? They are getting big now and I was just wondering who owns them.

[Dodge]

Their first venture was showing Albania v ireland when RTE woudn't stump up the cash the Albanian FA were looking for...

[Aberdonian Stu]

No it was Ireland vs Holland in 1990 when they bought the UK rights to the game as no stations over there were showing it. They lost money on the event but it gave them the idea.

[Poor Student]

AS is correct. England were playing Egypt at the same time as it was the last round of the group stage and nowhere in England was showing the game so they decided they'd try and get it broadcast on a big screen. They developed on this ex-pat idea by also setting up the North American Sports Network to broadcast the likes of NHL and NFL to ex-pats from the US in the UK and Ire and people from here interested.

[Dodge]

My mistake. First I heard of them though

EDIT: and they do say it was set up in 1992...

[ThatGuy]

It's owned by Cork GAA star Setanta O'hAilpín and the descendants of Argentian revolutionary Fidel Castro.

[A face]

Argentian revolutionary Fidel Castro.

Ha ha !! .... that'll be him alright !! :p

[pete]

I think Denis O'Brien and/or Dermot Desmond have shares in Setanta too.