Virgin Media and Setanta Sports to launch free Sports News channel

New free TV channel and website to build Virgin Media's credentials as number one choice for sports fans
Virgin Media and Setanta Sports to launch free Sports News channel
Virgin Media unveils new sports website combining on-line highlights with the latest news and views
New initiatives build on recent announcement that Virgin Media is giving fans Setanta Sports channels as part of “basic” TV package for first time


Introducing Setanta Sports News
Virgin Media and Setanta Sports today confirmed they are working together to launch a new TV channel, Setanta Sports News. The new channel is expected to launch soon and will be available exclusively, and at no additional cost, to all of Virgin Media's three million digital TV subscribers.

Setanta Sports News will offer sports fans a dedicated feast of breaking news, comment and analysis from across the world of sport. By combining a wide range of sporting action from Setanta's extensive library of broadcast rights with Virgin Media's expertise in digital TV, the channel will provide the most demanding sports fan with everything they need to keep up to date and informed, in a new and distinctive format.

Michael O'Rourke, co-founder 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 shows, this is a channel with genuine appeal to real sport fans.”

Malcolm Wall, Virgin Media's CEO of content added: “Whether you live for sport or just want to stay in touch with what's going on, this new channel will offer something new and different. In terms of both content and editorial approach, we're setting out to break the mould of TV sports reporting and I'm confident Setanta Sports News will soon be on the ‘favourites' menu of all armchair sports fans.”

Every game, every goal on-line
Virgin Media will launch a new sports portal on Monday to create one of the UK's most comprehensive and original internet sports services.

From this season, visitors to virginmedia.com/sport will be able to watch free of charge highlights from all Barclays Premier League, Coca-Cola Championship, League 1 and League 2 matches. That's every goal of every match, from all the clubs, available to watch on-demand for one week after transmission. The site will be available to everyone who's got access to the internet, not just Virgin Media customers.

At the heart of the new service will be the fans themselves. Action-packed highlights will be combined with an eclectic blend of views, comment, opinionated editorial and user-generated content, bringing all the passion and excitement of the new season to life through the eyes of diehard fans. Thanks to partnerships with the supporters club of every Premier League team, the site will provide up-to-the-minute reaction and feedback direct from the frontline.

In addition, a series of ‘ready-for-broadband' programmes, produced by Premium TV, will follow the ups and downs of the Premier League season, while a new mobile TV studio - the Virgin Media Fan Van - will be on the road at fixtures throughout the season.

Ex-Southend footballer and comedian, Terry Alderton, will be presenting video commentary and news and views on the portal. But it's not just about football. Virgin Media has lined up a series of high profile columnists to write for the portal - such as Kelly Dalglish, Eddie Irvine, Andrew Castle, Mike
Catt and Alistair Cook - covering sports from rugby to golf and motor sports. In addition, the site will continue to offer a wide range of editorial and exclusive content from all corners of the sporting world.

Commenting on the new site, Malcolm Wall said: “With our free online highlights covering every Premier League and Football League club in the UK, football fans will be able to keep up to date no matter which club they support. Sport is all about the fans and the internet is the perfect medium for bringing the beautiful game to life. But no matter what the sport, fans will find our new portal the best place to get their daily dose of what's going on and off the pitch.”

Giving football back to the fans
The launch of Setanta Sports News and Virgin Media's re-vamped sports portal comes on the heels of the announcement last week that Virgin Media and Setanta Sports are transforming the TV market by giving new and existing customers who take Virgin Media's XL basic TV package six Setanta Sports channels* for free, from today.

The combination of great content and unbeatable value will help make Virgin Media's XL package the UK's best quality TV offer. This package is not a “one-off” promotional or introductory offer and will form part of Virgin Media's TV offer on an ongoing basis. Customers of any other Virgin Media TV service who want to add these Setanta channels to their service will be able to do so for just £8 a month.

Malcolm Wall said: “This hat trick of announcements is further evidence of Virgin Media's commitment to giving consumers more. For fans up and down the country, our unique combination of free online and broadcast content will make Virgin Media the UK's most comprehensive, interactive and best value sports service.

“Setanta is a recognised player in TV sports. By both partnering with them and creating our own exclusive content for both TV and online, we're providing our customers with a sports offering that we think is hard to beat.”