US-based sports channel ESPN will launch its UK service tonight, and many pundits hope that they will succeed where Setanta failed a few weeks ago.
For those people who particularly don’t want to watch Premiership football on Sky Sports, it’s good news. It’s also good news that the channel will be broadcast on both Sky and Virgin Media in Hi-Def, something which the late, unlamented Setanta failed to offer.
I can only hope that ESPN will not repeat the same mistakes and try to compete head-on with Sky Sports. They should aim to provide a niche, alternative service, so that in the long run, the two services can continue to survive and thrive together.