When Setanta US goes off air at the end of February 28, 2010, what will happen to Setanta-i, the broadband channel that many of us, myself included, have learned to love especially when watching Premier League games?

The good news is that even though Setanta US is going out of business, Setanta-i will still continue.

Here’s how and why:

Setanta-i is owned by Setanta, but just because Setanta US is going out of business, it doesn’t mean that Setanta-i will bite the dust either. There are still regional Setanta divisions in operation around the world including Setanta Ireland, Setanta Canada and Setanta Australia.

The best way to think of Setanta-i is as a content platform. When Setanta US shuts its doors at the end of February 28, Setanta-i will no longer stream Setanta US content because the channel will not exist. However, because Setanta-i is a platform that other companies can use. Businesses such as Premium Sports, the company formed by Shane O’Rourke who previously worked at Setanta US.

In the case of Premium Sports, the service has partnered with Setanta Sports to provide pay-per-view content through Setanta-i to residential viewers throughout the United States. So, for example, you can subscribe to watch the Six Nations rugby as well as GAA football. More details are available at http://premiumsportsinc.com/watch-online.html

There’s a possibility that Premium Sports may show soccer matches in the near future, which would be available on a PPV basis. No word yet which rights Premium Sports will be able to get.

In Canada, Setanta Canada customers can still continue to access Setanta-i as before to watch streaming content. No changes there.

For those of you who currently have annual subscriptions to Setanta-i.com, be sure to e-mail us-setanta-i@setanta.com to request a refund for the months which you have paid for the service but won’t be receiving it. As for the rest of us in the U.S., on March 1, the monthly subscription will come to an end and we will then be able to use Setanta-i on a pay-per-view basis.

In episode 102 of the EPL Talk Podcast, EPL Talk interviews Shane O’Rourke from Setanta Sports to discuss:

• the latest developments from the 24/7 soccer network in North America, Australia, Bermuda and the Caribbean,
• when Setanta may be available on cable,
• how Fox Soccer Channel and Setanta will decide who gets to show which FA Cup matches on U.S. TV in the 2008/2009 season,
• how soon we can expect Setanta to be available on HD TV,
• whether Setanta has any regrets regarding the ITVN deal it signed almost two years ago, and
• much more.

The EPL Talk Podcast is the only Premier League interview show on the Internet. Be sure to subscribe to the EPL Talk Podcast via iTunes so you don’t miss a single episode (including future ones with Tim Vickery, Jim White and David Conn).

Feel free to share your comments of what you thought about the O’Rourke interview by clicking the comments link below and sharing your feedback. Enjoy the episode.

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