ESPN makes entry into UK

[SVK]

ESPN was having 2 channels ESPN Classic & ESPN America in UK, but it never had any major sporting events to gain popularity in UK market.
But now ESPN has won major EPL soccer rights and marks in entry in UK market which was so far dominated by Sky Sports.
News is also that ESPN planning for HD telecast of these matches on a new channel.

Disney's ESPN wins English soccer TV rights
The Disney-owned sports network ESPN has won the right to show 46 live English Premier League soccer matches for the 2009/10 season after picking up the broadcasting rights from troubled group Setanta.
Setanta was forced to hand back the rights to the games after failing to make a payment last week. ESPN will also show 23 games in the 2010 to 2013 season.
\"The Premier League is extremely pleased to have added ESPN as a UK rights holder,\" Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore said.
\"They have a formidable worldwide reputation and experience in sports and I am sure we will enjoy a long and fruitful relationship with them.
\"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.\"
British dominant pay-TV firm BSkyB will show 92 games in the 2009/10 season and then 115 for the following three year contract.
Earlier on Monday Setanta lost the rights to show Scottish games after also defaulting on a payment.

 

[agantuk]

That's news to me. I mean Disney owning ESPN.

 

[SVK]

^^^ Yes it is
ESPN - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ESPN (Entertainment Sports Programming Network) is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day.
It was founded by Scott Rasmussen and his father Bill Rasmussen and launched on September 7, 1979, under the direction of Chet Simmons
...
As mentioned,William Rasmussen founded the show. Just before ESPN launched, Getty Oil Company (later purchased by Texaco, which in turn was acquired by Chevron) agreed to buy a majority stake in the network.

In 1984, ABC made a deal with Getty Oil to acquire ESPN. ABC retained an 80% share, and sold 20% to Nabisco. The Nabisco shares were later sold to Hearst Corporation, which still holds a 20% stake today. In 1986, ABC was purchased for $3.5 billion by Capital Cities Communications. In 1995, The Walt Disney Company purchased Capital Cities/ABC for $19 billion and picked up an 80% stake in ESPN at that time. According to an analysis published by Barron's magazine in February 2008, ESPN \"is probably worth more than 40% of Disney's entire value... based on prevailing cash-flow multiples in the industry.\"

In Asia & India, it operates as ESPN STAR SPORTS (ESS)
ESPN STAR Sports - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ESPN STAR Sports (or ESS) is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (through ESPN Inc., which it directly owns) and News Corporation (through Star TV, which it directly owns). The venture operates 17 ESPN and STAR Sports branded networks throughout Asia, transmitting in 5 languages (English, Cantonese, Hindi, Korean and Mandarin). The networks broadcast various local and international sporting events, and also local editions of SportsCenter for China, Hong Kong, India, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. ESPN STAR Sports also operates a 24-hour Cricket channel, STAR Cricket.