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| ESPN buys rights to Setanta games | ESPN buys rights to Setanta games |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| ESPN has bought the rights to show 46 games in next season's English Premier League that were to have been shown by struggling broadcaster Setanta. | ESPN has bought the rights to show 46 games in next season's English Premier League that were to have been shown by struggling broadcaster Setanta. |
| Disney-owned ESPN has won the two packages of games shown on Saturday teatimes and Monday evenings. It says both will be sold through BSkyB. | Disney-owned ESPN has won the two packages of games shown on Saturday teatimes and Monday evenings. It says both will be sold through BSkyB. |
| It has also won the 23 games per season Setanta was due to show from 2010-13. | It has also won the 23 games per season Setanta was due to show from 2010-13. |
| The league took the broadcasting rights back from Setanta on Friday after it missed a payment deadline. | The league took the broadcasting rights back from Setanta on Friday after it missed a payment deadline. |
| The Premier League had set a deadline of Monday for other broadcasters to submit offers for the games. | The Premier League had set a deadline of Monday for other broadcasters to submit offers for the games. |
| ESPN said in a statement it had "reached an agreement for its coverage to be retailed by Sky to residential and commercial customers". | |
| 'British commitment' | |
| It is the first time that ESPN will broadcast live Premier League football in the UK. | |
| The broadcaster already has two channels in the UK, one covering American sports and another showing archived action. | |
| Russell Wolff, managing director of ESPN International, said: "This move demonstrates our commitment to British sports fans and our ongoing commitment to delivering football to fans around the world across a variety of media." | |
| "ESPN have a formidable worldwide reputation and experience in sports and I am sure we will enjoy a long and fruitful relationship with them," said Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore. | "ESPN have a formidable worldwide reputation and experience in sports and I am sure we will enjoy a long and fruitful relationship with them," said Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore. |
| "I would like to thank ESPN, as well as all the other broadcasters who submitted bids, for their professionalism and effort in engaging in our sales process at such short notice." | "I would like to thank ESPN, as well as all the other broadcasters who submitted bids, for their professionalism and effort in engaging in our sales process at such short notice." |