Setanta had a (profitable) closed-circuit business to protect. Thought the epltalk interview with Shane O'Rourke was funny...talks about how he was so proud of the Setanta channel at the same time he's left to set up his own company that's basically Setanta before they launched the channel.
Bingo. We're all geniuses in the rear view mirror. Let's see, this makes me 0 for 2. First ITVN then Setanta-i yearly subscription renewed in Dec. Even in the rear view mirror this sucks! Anyone want any stock market advice?
agreed over night, but if they take the next 60-90 days? I would hope that they could use existing carriers of setanta as a base, then expand to carriers of FSC. FSI already has their hands in with so many advertisers, that part shouldn't be a problem.
I forgot about my experience with ITVN. I think it shows that football fans are rabid and are willing to pay good money and take chances for the opportunity to see their favorite teams/leagues.
Is the timing of O Rourke departing Setanta to start Premium Sports coinciding with the demise of Setanta we seem to be experiencing at the moment coincidental or was it orchestrated knowing that Setanta was going to fold(allegedly)?? Business wise, does anyone know how this works??? Am I wrong in thinking that Setanta had the ppv rights for Celtic/Rangers, both Scottish cups, and RBS 6 nations up until Monday when Premium Sports popped up out of nowhere? If so, how were the rights able to shift over from one company to another??? Also for the people who paid a yearly subscription for setanta-i, am I right in remembering that when Setanta folded in the U.K a few months back, that they basically told everyone who paid for the entire year that they were out of luck and couldn't get there money back?? I just pay for Setanta-i month by month. My credit card gets charged on the 15th of each month. I don't remember, but do they charge your card based on the day of the month you first subscribed to setanta-i, or do they charge everyone's cards the same day, and then prorate your first month based on when you sign up, kind of how netflix does it?
You draw your own conclusions on which insider knew what and when based on the following factoids: 1. Shane O'Rourke's resignation from Setanta Sports North America Limited was effective at the close of business on December 31, 2009. Mr. O'Rourke's new venture, Premium Sports Inc., is basically a reseller of Setanta Premium closed-circuit TV products for the time being. 2. Setanta Sports North America Limited was scheduled to make sublicense payments for both English Premier League and UEFA Champions League video rights in the United States market to FOX Sports International on January 4, 2010 (the first business day of 2010). 3. EPL and UEFA Champions League were removed from http://www.setanta.com/us/Our-Sports/Soccer/ as of the afternoon of January 4, 2010.
i would change my credit card if i were you! i'd bet billing is the last thing shut off and the hardest department for customers to reach
If you read EPLTalk and have followed this thread, then you have a very good inside scoop on what will be announced on Fox Soccer Report tonight. Looks like the changes have been in the works since mid December and rebranding will be swift
There seems to be 3 threads happening with much of the same discussion but I'll just pick the one in the middle. The question is how much money Setanta was losing and what it would take for them to make money. If they raised their prices and changed their subscription terms, could they profit? That is, if they moved to a model like NFL Sunday Ticket, NHL Center Ice, and the MLB package where subscribers pay for the entire season, could Setanta profit if they charged the equivalent of $20 per month but asked for payments in 3 installments of $80 ($20 per month X 12 months divided by 3 for those who are mathematically challenged like myself) could they make money? Part of Setanta's problem is that they seemed to lose customers every summer because June and July were basically dead months for them. But if they locked customers in for a year, they could keep that money. I don't think the customers that dumped their subscriptions are the cause of this financial situation, but that doesn't help. I guess the question is how much people are willing to pay per month for Setanta (or a rebranded FSC+). If you compare the cost to what used to exist with ppv, Setanta is a great deal. The EPL ppv and the FA Cup ppv were $100+ each and that was only for one competition, whereas Setanta has been $15 per month for multiple competitions. A much better deal even if more expensive over the course of a year.
I do NOT believe the "rebranding"/"acquisition" story one bit because it makes NO SENSE to me from a business or financial perspective. FSI has already repossessed the EPL and UEFA CL sublicenses from Setanta. Other than the FA Cup/English national team U.S. video sublicense (which I assumed Setanta had to pay FSI in full in November 2009 for the 2009-2010 season), FSI gains nothing by taking over Setanta Sports USA and all of its red ink and customer headaches. Besides, the "architect" of Setanta Sports USA left Setanta Sports North America Limited at the close of businss on December 31, 2009. If that isn't a convincing enough "tell" for you to read, I don't know what more you will need to convince yourself what the future of Setanta Sports USA will be.
FSI used to do that with EPL on pay-per-view/pay subscription at $199/season for 2 games each week before Setanta got its VC funding and paid FSI a big sublicense fee. FSI cashed the sublicense checks from Setanta as long as they were good, but those payments apparently has ended as of January 4. Won't be surprised if "FSC+" were just a brand for the new EPL pay-per-view package, which I suspect was planned for 2010-2011 since FSI has to know that Setanta wasn't going to be able to sublicense again during the new contract cycle.
Short term is the up coming games. Being a West Ham supporting ex pat the game against Wolves is massive. It was slated for Setanta. Now I feel screwed already.
We'll just have to watch FSR tonight and see what comes out. I'm hoping for the best here, but it could go very badly too...
As far as the EPL and Champions League is concerned, the rights that FSC would get back from Setanta wouldn't require an additional channel in order to show them. All Setanta has is the 1st choice 10am Sat match, the 830am Sun match and 1st choice midweek matches. So now, instead of showing the 2nd choice Sat match, FSC can show the 1st choice, and likewise on Sun, can show eitehr the 830am Prem match or 9am Serie A match later in the day on delay. Likewise for the Champions League, now that there are only 2 matches each day for the next round. I worry about Ligue 1, not sure how long the deal was anyways the Setanta had rights for, as well as for the RPL. I imagine ESPN360 or even GOLTV(they definitely have room in their schedule for Ligue 1, maybe not the cash though) could possibly step in and pick up the scraps. I wonder if Ray Hudson has been burning up his cell phone begging Enzo to pump up some cash for Championship rights for GOLTV. Picture how off the wall he gets for Almeria v Gijon, imagine him calling a Newcastle game.
The Gaffer @ epltalk has postulated that FSR may just formally roll out the FSCHD thing tonight. As you say, guess we'll just have to watch. It could be real anticlimactic for those of us looking for a resolution to the Setanta business. Personally, I don't see how they get it done that quickly, but as my wife reminds me, I've been wrong before.
I agree...the FSC HD situation looks like its going to be a long drawn out affair with Cable providers etc etc eventually adding the channel down the road, god knows when my Insight Communications will get around to it Tonight's announcement of FSC+ would be a huge deal I am looking forward to the details of how they expect this to work
I was referring to the post-Setanta plans taking more time to iron out, but you are of course right, also. Living in far eastern NC I don't believe I will ever see FSCHD on Time Warner. There is no one else here who even knows what the EPL is let alone cares about whether it's on in HD.
Some of you may be aware of the tweet from Derek Taylor of Fox Soccer Report regarding a “big surprise” on tonight’s edition of Fox Soccer Report, and some of you might not. Either way, it appears to have caused some ripples in the FSC world, mostly due to its coinciding with EPL Talk’s report that Fox Soccer Channel is in talks to purchase Setanta US. Many have speculated the purchase would be announced tonight. The timing is funny, but we have it from a FSC source that tonight’s surprise has nothing to do with Setanta. Rather, it has something to do with the person on the right, Lara Baldesarra. She is the new co-host replacing Carlos Machado. UF welcomes Lara Baldesarra and wishes her great success. Ms. Baldesarra is no stranger to soccer however. She grew up playing soccer, and other sports, but soccer is clearly the most important one. She is a Chelsea and AC Milan fan, but we won’t hold that against her. Story link. SA
Well, drat, i think i just lost a bet. I still stand that FSC+ is coming and it will not be a premium channel like Setanta is...
Well..it's not what I wanted to hear tonight...but it's along the lines of what I'd like to see Bit of eye candy in HD if you please Whatever happened to Georgie Bingham? She get carted off ESPN for flubbing her lines on saturday mornings or what?