Setanta Brings Soccer to DirecTV

DirecTV Inc. will launch premium channel Setanta Sports April 26, the direct-broadcast satellite service and the network’s parent, Setanta Sports North America Ltd., announced Wednesday.

The network will be available to residential subscribers for $11.99 per month and to commercial subscribers for $100 per month. Setanta Sports will air seven days per week, 18 hours per day through August, when it will expand to a full, 24-hour channel.

The service covers soccer from football countries such as England, Ireland and Scotland, as well as European and world-class rugby events.

It will feature some 1,000 live and short-delay sports events, including the UEFA Champions League, the premiere club competition for European Club teams; the FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches; the UEFA Cup, the secondary, Europe-wide knockout competition for Club sides; the Coca Cola Championship (previously the National League); Manchester United and Chelsea matches; the British and Irish Lions rugby tour; and Tri-Nations rugby.