That's from todays indo btw. It mentions the Setanta cup, so they haven't forgotten about it as some people seem to think, and again it says they want to show EL football next season. With them moving over here that should be easier, shouldn't it?Quote:
Setanta signs ten-year contract with BCI
Tuesday December 14th 2004
NEW Irish sports station Setanta Sports has signed a ten-year contract with The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI).
Setanta Sports will now be subject to all of the BCI's codes, including the new children's codes which restrict how advertisers reach younger viewers. Setanta will also be subject to the same restrictions on advertising as TV3, limiting ad breaks to 10 minutes per hour.
The service is broadcast on the NTL and Chorus platforms as well as Sky Digital.
The station broadcasts a wide variety of sports, including live coverage of Formula 1 racing, Scottish and English Premier League football matches, Uefa Cup football and Celtic League rugby matches. Indigenous sports such as Eircom League football matches, GAA, rugby and basketball are also covered.
The station will sponsor and broadcast the Setanta Cup, an annual soccer competition to be held between the top teams in the FAI and the IFA.
Conor J Maguire, chairperson of the BCI, said: "I am confident this service will provide added choice and diversity to television viewers in this country.
Prior to agreement with the BCI, Setanta operated under a UK licence - but as a result of the BCI deal, it is moving all its production facilities here. The Setanta group, which is owned by businessmen Leonard Ryan and Michael O'Rourke, has a number of divisions, including pay-per-view stations in the UK and a channel broadcasting US sports.
This is the first television contract signed since the release of the BCI's television licensing policy last July.
Samantha McCaughren
