Action-packed Setanta Sports Channels to be Included in 'Basic' TV
Package for First Time
Combination of Quality and Value Sets Virgin Media's TV Service
Apart From the Competition
Makes Virgin Media Best Place to Watch All the Action From the
Barclays Premier League
LONDON, July 20, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Virgin Media (Nasdaq:VMED) and Setanta Sports today announced plans to transform the TV market by giving new and existing customers who take Virgin Media's XL basic TV package six Setanta Sports Channels* for free.
The innovative and revolutionary deal means that, from the 26th July, pay TV customers and sports enthusiasts will for the first time get a round-the-clock diet of top flight sporting action without having to buy a separate sports package.
Customers will get live coverage from over 250 showcase events a year, among them some of the biggest occasions in the sporting calendar. These will include 46 live games from the Barclays Premier League, 60 matches from the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League and the U.S. PGA Tour Golf, as well as European League football, rugby and horse racing from around the country. From 2008, customers will also get 25 of the 40 televised fixtures from the English FA Cup, a selection of England football Internationals and the Community Shield.
Over the course of a year, diehard football fans who want all the live televised matches from the Barclay's Premier League will pay over GBP 110 less with Virgin Media than they would with Sky. Following changes in the ownership of broadcast rights, the deal also means that, from the start of the new football season, Virgin Media will be the only provider to offer all these matches under a single contract.
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 GBP 8 a month.
Commenting on the deal, Malcolm Wall, CEO of content for Virgin Media, said: "This deal will transform the world of TV sport and makes our XL TV package the best of its kind in the UK.
"When we launched Virgin Media last February, we said we were going to shake things up, provide something unique and give our customers superior offerings. Today we're making a down payment on our promise by giving our customers the very best sporting action combined with unbeatable value. But this is only the beginning. In terms of both sport and other new high value content, there's much more to come from Virgin Media."
Michael O'Rourke, co-founder of Setanta Sports, said: "This deal emphasises Setanta's determination to make premium sports content available to as many people as possible, at the best value possible.
"Virgin Media's XL customers will be absolutely delighted to get our sports channels for no additional charge. They will receive 46 exclusively live Premier League games, 60 Scottish Premier League games and all the live U.S. PGA Tour Golf. It is compelling viewing for all sports fans, and the addition of the FA Cup and England internationals next year will make it even better."
Customers can sign up to the new deal and find out more about Virgin Media by visiting www.virginmedia.com or calling 0800 052 2525.
Notes to Editors
*Setanta Sports 1, Setanta Sports 2, Setanta Golf, Racing UK, Celtic TV and Rangers TV
New season price comparison:
------------- ------------- -------------
TV size: M TV size: L TV size: XL
------------- ------------- -------------
Virgin Sky Virgin Sky Virgin Sky
------ ----- ------ ----- ------ -----
Total Cost 34 44.99 43.50 45.99 38.50 47.99
-------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
Basic TV
package +
Sky Sports 26 35 35.50 36 38.50 38
-------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
Setanta Sports 8 9.99 8 9.99 Free 9.99
-------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
Savings 131.88 over 29.88 over 113.88 over
first 12 first 12 12 months
months months
-------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
(All amounts in pounds sterling)
All Virgin Media packages are subject to customers taking a Virgin Media phone line (from GBP 11 a month). The prices above are for payment by Direct Debit only.
Virgin Media
Virgin Media is an innovative and pioneering UK entertainment and communications business. For the first time consumers can get everything they need from one company -- the UK's only quad play of TV, broadband, phone and mobile plus the most advanced TV on demand service available, the UK's first high definition TV service and V+, our high specification personal video recorder. We're the UK's most popular residential broadband provider, the largest virtual mobile network operator and the second largest provider of pay TV and home phone.
Virgin Media owns two content businesses -- Virgin Media Television (VMTV) and sit-up. VMTV owns seven entertainment channels -- Living, Living 2, Bravo, Bravo 2, Challenge, Trouble and Ftn -- and is a 50% partner in UKTV which consists of ten channels including UKTV Gold and UKTV History. sit-up runs retail TV channels bid tv, price-drop tv and speed auctiontv.
Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports is a leading international pay-TV sports broadcaster operating ten channels in the UK, Ireland, North America and Australia. Founded in 1992, its premium sports content is available to more than 50 million digital homes worldwide. Setanta operates more sports channels than any other broadcaster in the UK and Ireland and, from this August, Setanta will broadcast the first of its 46 Barclays Premier League in the UK.