RTÉ and Setanta Sport today announced the successful
conclusion of a deal with the FA Premier League, which
will see live Premiership soccer on RTÉ for the next
three seasons. After an absence of several years on
terrestrial television, RTÉ viewers will be able to see
approximately fifteen live Premiership matches each
season, beginning in 2004/05. The live games will
feature on Saturday afternoons, with a three o’clock
kick-off.

Setanta Sport have also secured the rights to screen
approximately fifteen live matches each season on pay-
per-view. These matches will feature on the Saturday
afternoons when RTÉ is not broadcasting a live game.

The deal also means that RTÉ’s highly successful The
Premiership highlights programme, presented by Bill
O’Herlihy, will continue in its current format for the
next three seasons.

Niall Cogley, RTÉ Head of Sport, said, ‘We’re very
pleased to be able to announce this deal which offers
our viewers a real choice and consolidates the quality
soccer programming already available on RTÉ. No other
broadcaster in these islands will be providing live
Premiership coverage on free to air television, and
we’re delighted to be able to deliver at a time when
top-level soccer has never been more popular. Along
with our coverage of the Champions League, Scottish
Premier League, international and domestic soccer, I
think this makes RTÉ Television’s service for fans of
the game second to none.’

Date: 30 October 2003

Further information:
Richie Ryan, RTÉ TV Press Officer, 01 208 3169/ 087 919
2746; richie.ryan@rte.ie