FA Contract Next On Setanta’s Hit List

The FA Cup and England football internationals are next on the shopping list for
Setanta Sports after reports suggested that the broadcaster was set to join the
bidding race for the FA’s latest rights contract.

Setanta, which recently broke up Sky’s long-held monopoly of the Premier
League by purchasing two of the six available packages for next season, has been
on a rights acquisition spree of late as it looks to bolster its content
offering.

The FA’s latest domestic rights contract, which has been valued at over £400m
if reports are to be believed, is in the middle of a tender process with a
result expected by the end of next month.

As well as the incumbent rights holders the BBC and Sky, Setanta Sports will
join commercial broadcasters ITV, NTL and Five in bidding for the FA’s TV rights
contract.