Bids close on Setanta Premier League games

The right to broadcast the 46 live English Premier league games that were to be shown by beleaguered Irish broadcaster Setanta next season will be decided this week after bids close today (June 22).

Setanta

English football’s top league took the rights back from Setanta on Friday after it failed to make a deadline for payment.

BSkyB and Disney owned broadcaster, ESPN are the front-runners to buy rights.

The satellite broadcaster is believed to be interested in buying the Monday night games, which it has already won the rights to show from the 2010/2011 season onwards earlier this year.

However, European Union competition rules mean that Sky cannot show all games so ESPN are favourites to pick up the Saturday evening games.

The board of Setanta are expected to meet today to find ways to keep the company, saddled by losses believed to be up to £100m a year, afloat.

Decisions will also have to be made on what to do with the 23 Premier League games a season Setanta is due to show from 2010/2011 as well as England national team games and FA Cup matches if the broadcaster falls into administration.