Irish broadcaster Setanta has lost one of its English Premier League soccer packages in the UK
BSkyB has extended its grip by winning a fifth package in the auction to broadcast live English Premier League matches from 2010.
BSkyB won the right to show four of the six packages, or 92 games, earlier this week, and picked up a fifth package in the second round of bidding today.
Setanta won the final package for broadcasting in the UK. Setanta currently owns the rights to show two packages, or 46 games up until 2010. It has held on to the Saturday evening slot but the Monday night match has returned to Sky.
Setanta also has the rights for English International and FA Cup soccer matches, Scottish soccer, golf and boxing, but the Premier League soccer has been its top attraction.
The league said the total value of the six packages was £1.78 billion, 5% more than it received last time.
Setanta Sports Ireland CEO Niall Cogley said the tender process for Premier League games in Ireland had not yet begun. The company currently has rights to broadcast 79 live matches in Ireland.
