Soccer Media Notes: Scottish FA Lands New $116M TV Deal
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Scottish Football Association Inks $116M
TV Deal With Sky Sports, BBC |
The Scottish Football Association (FA) has announced a new TV rights deal with Sky Sports and the BBC that will net the FA "as much as [US$116.9M] between 2010 and 2014 -- the biggest broadcasting windfall in their history." As part of the deal, Sky Sports will have exclusive rights to the Scotland men's national team's home games, as well as nine live Scottish Cup matches, while the BBC has "secured a highlights package for the national side and five live cup games" (SOCCERNET.ESPN.com, 8/6).
GOAL ORIENTED: DAILY VARIETY's John Hopewell reported Spanish TV provider Sogecable has reached a deal with FIFA for all Spanish rights to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. While terms of the deal were not released, Sogecable "likely ponied up as much as, if not more than, Spanish broadcaster La Sexta reportedly paid -- [US$140.5M] -- for World Cup 2006 rights." Sogecable's pay TV operator Digital Plus will broadcast all of the games (DAILY VARIETY, 8/6).
PLAYING TO SPACE: The GLOBE & MAIL's William Houston reported each of the 50,000 Canadian HHs that subscribe to Setanta Sports Canada are "forking over $14.99 a month" to watch the provider's English Premier League content. Setanta North America President Shane O'Rourke said that after one season of the EPL in the Canadian market, Setanta's distribution of "50,000-plus has exceeded expectations." Houston noted there are "negatives, starting with the monthly fee." Also, HD coverage, "for which soccer is a particularly good sport, is not available" (GLOBE & MAIL, 8/6).
OUT AT THE DISH: Dish Network Friday removed GolTV from its channel lineup, as Dish's carriage deal with the net expired. GolTV had been available on Dish Network's "America's Top 250 and Dish Latino programming packages." A GolTV spokesperson last weekend said that there had "not been any negotiations over the weekend, but he anticipate[d] that talks would resume" Monday (MULTICHANNEL.com, 8/3).
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