Blog template Rock the Crossbar: USA Premiership TV Rights

Rock the Crossbar

Tuesday, August 15

USA Premiership TV Rights

Big news Here is the skinny. Recently Fox Soccer Channel sublet half their matches to Setanta Sports USA which is only available on DIRECT TV and no other satellite or cable provider. There are no more PPV matches in the US for Premier League.

However - this is bad because Setanta has the Saturday 7.30am (Eastern time) game and the 'best' 10am game. Fox Soccer Channel has basically signed away the better half of its package to a channel virtually no-one can get.

But its just been announced that Setanta Sports USA is available on ITVN.com This is a new service that I will explain below.

THE COMPANY IS ITVN and there website is .HERE: Check out the support link on the top right for fancy visual diagrams of what you need.

1) COST 14.95 per month

2) If you sign up for a year you'll get a free techie internet channel box which makes it all work (100 dollars without year commitment).

3) You NEED Broadband and preferably at least 300K connection - the more the better.

4) You plug your LAN/ETHERNET/WHATEVER into the techie box and then send your audio/visual cables to your TV (possibly a laptop even, I am not certain). You watch broadcast quality footy. 5) Its apparently very simple plug and play and I direct anyone with tech questions to: http://epltalk.libsyn.com/ for a 15 minute audio interview about it with a high up bloke at ITVN. 6) My online research today shows real promise, PCMag gave it stunning results. Further info over at ITVN.com and if you order by Thursday (and pay FedEx delivery costs) you can see Arsenal, Liverpool and United this weekend.

7) It doesn't allow you to TIVO or DVR Games. Watch them live only.

8) IMPORTANT Setanta's own Internet service on their own website does NOT include English premiership games - they cant afford the broadcast rights on the Internet so that's why they have brokered this deal with ITVN. Setanta's long term aim is to force DishTC , Comcast, Cox into picking up their station once they see how popular this is on the Internet and all the bandwidth that is being sucked up at the cable companies expense.

9)Any questions - post them here and I will do my best to find out.

posted by WhatsupWheaton Simon at 8/15/2006 03:00:00 PM

14 Comments:

  • Only in America could someone bollocks this up.

    Thanks for researching this issue.

    By Blogger Chris P, at 6:03 PM  

  • At home in Ireland for two weeks lads so not checking the blog much. I don't think this Setanta news is really anything US-specific though. I head some lads saying last night that Sky Sports were also losing a bunch of games in the UK to Setanta as well.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:00 AM  

  • Simon, have you ordered this yet? I'm away this weekend but hope to order next week and want to hear of other's experience. If this plugs in our TV this is actually better than the old set-up where it was the battle cruiser or twenty dollars a match on PPV. 14.95 a month sounds like a snip. Maybe too good to be true

    By Blogger Chris P, at 9:16 AM  

  • i am inclined to agree with you Chris - i have ordered it and upgraded my internet connection as i used to have cheapy connection. The box arrives today apparently, i estimate some screaming at their tech support Saturday - first weekend teething pains and all. I will stick up a review on this blog Saturday!

    By Blogger WhatsupWheaton Simon, at 9:59 AM  

  • This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    By Blogger WhatsupWheaton Simon, at 4:00 PM  

  • Okay lads- first day i got it and it was iffy.. lot of buffering....
    But last night it was fine and today was the big test.
    Liverpool game was great, its not quite TV quality and certainly not hi-def quality but its more than enough for me, full screen tv picture, easy to see whats happening. The audio was crap but that was down to my error.
    All in all i reccommend this BUT only if you have very high speed internet (2MB a sec). Setanta IS giving out other scores so thats something to think about when you want to watch another match on delay.. All in all 8/10 with more enhancements to come apparently.

    By Blogger WhatsupWheaton Simon, at 11:05 AM  

  • Also setanta give pre game and half time reports from around the other grounds - actual coverage :) Thats heaven. Really enjoying this!!

    By Blogger WhatsupWheaton Simon, at 11:06 AM  

  • Thanks for all the research and reviews Simon. Will probably spring for it.

    By Blogger TheBusbyBoy, at 12:53 PM  

  • I've got one in teh post. I'll let you all know how it works out.

    By Blogger Rich Hughes, at 12:54 PM  

  • the good news is its a month trial - online not everyone has had success with it - a lot of it seems to depend on your ISP as there is very little tech support for the box, it either will work or it will fall short. Mine overall is working great but somes are better than others.

    By Blogger WhatsupWheaton Simon, at 1:57 PM  

  • Today's instalment of "footballs unlikeliest rumours":

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/5280226.stm

    By Blogger TheBusbyBoy, at 4:46 PM  

  • I have it and I love it as well!! Safe 30 day trial! http://itvncash.com/hit.php?s=3&p=4&w=101096&t=0&c=

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:36 PM  

  • Just to let you all know, I just got mine and I love it. Just found this out (too late!) if you are in the U.S.A. use promo code 101096 to get free ground shipping :-)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:04 AM  

  • Yup 101096 will get you free shipping within the U.S. just confirmed as well

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:23 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home