Setanta enter into administration and will stop broadcasting at 6pm

By Editor
for Scotzine.com

Published: June 23, 2009

Setanta enter into administration and will stop broadcasting at 6pm thumbnail

Irish broadcaster Setanta Sports has gone into administration after failing to make a number of payments to sporting organisations. Administrator’s Deloitte have announced that the club will cease broadcasting at 6pm GMT to customers in the UK, but would continue to broadcast elsewhere. They also said they would immediately stop collecting subscription payments. About 200 employees involved with the British operations will be made redundant, the firm said. Setanta had a total of 420 employees in the UK and Ireland.

“This is a sad day for all concerned,” said Sir Robin Miller, chairman of Setanta. “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 its survival.”

Setanta will continue to broadcast in Ireland. As Setanta International and Setanta Ireland have not entered administration.

After losing the rights to show live English Premier League games, the final nail in the coffin for the company was the failure to pay the £3 million they owed the Scottish Premier League, who subsquently cancelled the tv rights contract opening them up to new bidders.

The notice of administration was posted on the Setanta UK website:

setantanotice