Setanta tackles Sky's football supremacy with new deal The Observer
Satellite channel Setanta, which surprised the TV industry by winning the rights to broadcast live Premier League football last May, will be available on Freeview later this year for £11 a month.
The move, expected to be announced this week, will represent a challenge to BSkyB, which has used its exclusive football rights to establish a dominant position in the UK pay-TV market.
Sky's premium package, which enables subscribers to watch live Premier League matches, costs around £40 a month, although that includes hundreds of additional channels.
Industry analysts do not regard Setanta as a direct competitor to Sky, which will continue to broadcast the majority of games, but the fact that some will be available so cheaply may mean Sky loses some subscribers.
Setanta will broadcast 46 Monday night and Saturday evening games, which are not available on Sky, although its £10.99 monthly rate is described as an 'introductory offer'.
BSkyB also faces another challenge from rejuvenated cable company NTL, which will relaunch as Virgin Media this week, following its merger with the group. BT has also launched a TV service.
Around 11 million households with a Freeview box will be able to receive Setanta when it launches next month. Its existing output includes US PGA Golf and Scottish Premier League games.
But live Premier League football is likely to prove the big draw when the 2007/08 season begins in August. Viewers will be able to watch it on terrestrial TV for the first time since Sky won the right to broadcast games in 1992.
