Eir acquires Setanta Sports Ireland
December 7, 2015
Irish telco Eir (formally Eircom) is buying Setanta Sports Ireland. The company will buy the group of channels that also includes the Irish rights to BT Sport.
Eir launched a television package in 2013 that had 43,000 customers by the end of September, however, this is the first time the company has become involved in content production. The acquisition will allow Eir to significantly expand its TV offering and enhance its range. It currently has around 2.3 million fixed-line and mobile service customers across the country.
Setanta Sports Ireland offers exclusive live sports content, including matches from the English Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the European Rugby Champions Cup. Setanta customers have access to six channels, which include the BT Sport channels and ESPN.
Eir CEO Richard Moat said: “We will now offer our customers the widest range and highest calibre of sports content in Ireland. Buying Setanta Sports Ireland is a game changer for Eir and is our largest acquisition since we purchased Meteor in 2005. In its most recent financial results, eir posted a 4 per cent growth in annual revenue to €325 million.”
The deal will require the approval of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission together with the approval of the Minister for Communications before completion.
The value of the deal has not been disclosed.