Setanta steps up Sky rivalry with Virgin sports news channel

by Staff, Brand Republic 26-Jul-07, 12:05

LONDON - Setanta is stepping up its rivalry with Sky by launching a sports news channel in a joint venture with Virgin Media.

Setanta Sports News is being launched as a joint venture with Virgin Media, and will initially be available to around 3m cable customers as part of Virgin's basic TV package. However, there are plans to make the channel available via satellite and broadband.

It will replace the Sky Sports News service that disappeared from Virgin Media subscribers earlier this year, when it dropped Sky's basic channels from its line-up in a row over carriage costs.

The station will have a brief to cover rolling news coverage from a wide range of sports. It will draw on Setanta's portfolio of sports rights, including Barclays Premier League, the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League, the US PGA Tour, British boxing and others.

The aim is to provide coverage from the whole of the UK. Setanta also said that it would encourage contributions from sports fans, especially those with strong views.

Michael O'Rourke, co-chief executive of Setanta Sports, said: "Setanta Sports News will engage directly with fans on their level and bring them stories and issues that really matter to them. It will be a powerful new voice in sports news. With a full spectrum of live location reports, interviews, studio-based experts and discussion, this is a channel with genuine appeal to real sport fans."

Virgin is also launching a new sports website on Monday that will include video clips from all Barclays Premier League, Coca-Cola Championship, League 1 and League 2 matches, accessible to all internet users.

The site will contain a combination of views, comment, opinionated editorial and user-generated content, covering all sports from rugby to golf to motor sports. Kelly Dalglish will present on the portal, along with former Southend footballer and comedian Terry Alderton.