Eir Sport 2

Eir Sport 2 was an Irish subscription sports television channel operated by Setanta Sports Channel Ireland. It was previously known as Setanta Sports 1 and formed part of the Setanta and later eir Sport channel offering in Ireland. The channel served as a dedicated outlet for live and recorded sports programming, with its schedule spanning association football, Gaelic games, rugby union, rugby league, boxing, golf, motorsport and other event-based coverage. Its football portfolio included UEFA club competitions, including the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, selected FA Cup matches in the Republic of Ireland, League of Ireland fixtures and the Setanta Sports Cup. The channel also carried selected international football, such as Copa América matches and occasional international friendlies. Rights and availability were territory-sensitive: some football rights applied only in the Republic of Ireland, while selected Gaelic Athletic Association championship coverage was live in Northern Ireland but delayed in the Republic of Ireland. Beyond football, Eir Sport 2 was associated with coverage of the GAA Football and Hurling National Leagues, the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Its rugby output included the Rugby World Cup, selected Pro14 programming, highlights from the Six Nations, international test matches, Rugby Sevens, the Rugby League World Cup and Australia's National Rugby League. Boxing, golf and motorsport broadened the channel's appeal as a general premium sports service rather than a single-sport network. The channel was distributed through Irish television platforms including Eir TV, Sky Ireland, Virgin Media Ireland and Vodafone TV at different points in its life. In the Republic of Ireland, the Eir Sport package was also offered at no additional charge to qualifying Eir broadband customers from 2016, while commercial customers could access sports programming for public viewing. Eir Sport 2 also carried or shared programming with related Setanta and eir Sport services, including the in-house daily programme The Sports Show, formerly The Hub, and simulcasts of Newstalk's Off The Ball. A high-definition service launched in December 2013 as Setanta Sports 1 HD. It was initially exclusive to Virgin Media Ireland and subsequently became available on Sky in July 2015. The service later underwent carriage changes as Eir and Virgin Media adjusted their channel agreements. In September 2019, Eir Sport 2 was removed from Sky Ireland and replaced there by Virgin Media Sport. In August 2020, Eir Sport 2 replaced Virgin Media Sport feeds supplied through Eir on Eir and Sky Ireland after a distribution-fee dispute described in contemporary reporting. Eir announced on 19 May 2021 that Eir Sport 2 would close on 20 July 2021, with Eir Sport 1 also scheduled to close later that year. The channel therefore remains a defunct historical television brand rather than an active service.

Eir Sport 2 developed from Setanta Sports 1, an Irish sports television service associated with Setanta Sports Channel Ireland. It operated within the Irish pay-TV market, where sports channels competed for rights to football, Gaelic games, rugby and other premium events. The service was not simply a single-sport outlet: its programming combined live matches, delayed coverage, highlights, studio output and sports news across a wide range of disciplines. The channel's football offering included UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches, selected FA Cup fixtures in the Republic of Ireland, League of Ireland games and the Setanta Sports Cup. The latter was an annual cross-border competition involving clubs from the League of Ireland and the Irish Football League, and Setanta also served as the tournament's sponsor. International football programming included Copa América and occasional friendly matches. Rights varied by jurisdiction, meaning that a programme could be available in one part of Ireland but restricted or unavailable in another. Gaelic games were another important part of the service. Eir Sport 2's documented rights portfolio included the GAA Football National League, the GAA Hurling National League and coverage of the All-Ireland senior championships. The geographic treatment of these rights differed: some championship matches were live in Northern Ireland but available only on a delayed basis in the Republic of Ireland. This reflected the separate territorial arrangements governing sports broadcasting in Ireland. The channel also carried a broad rugby portfolio. Documented programming included the Rugby World Cup, Rugby Sevens, the Rugby League World Cup and Australia's National Rugby League. It showed selected Pro14 material, particularly delayed coverage or highlights from September 2010 onward, and held exclusive rights to highlights of the RBS Six Nations during the relevant rights period. One-off international rugby test matches were also part of the schedule. Boxing, golf and motorsport completed the channel's principal sports categories. Setanta Sports 1 received a high-definition counterpart in December 2013. Setanta Sports 1 HD first appeared on Virgin Media Ireland and later launched on Sky Ireland on 20 July 2015. The HD expansion represented a technical and distribution upgrade rather than the creation of a separate editorial proposition. The service subsequently became part of the rebranded eir Sport portfolio and was known as Eir Sport 2. Programming was supported by in-house and affiliated content. Setanta's principal in-house programme was The Sports Show, previously called The Hub, a daily sports programme. The channel also simulcast Off The Ball, a radio programme from Newstalk, allowing the television service to supplement event rights with discussion and analysis. Distribution changed repeatedly during the channel's later years. In the Republic of Ireland, the Eir Sport package was available through Eir TV, Sky Ireland, Virgin Media Ireland and Vodafone TV at different times. From July 2016, qualifying Eir broadband customers could receive the Eir Sport package without a separate charge, and Eir also marketed sports programming to commercial venues. In August 2019, Eir Sport and Virgin Media Sport agreed to exchange carriage arrangements involving Eir Vision and Virgin Media Ireland. In September 2019, Eir Sport 2 was removed from Sky Ireland and replaced by Virgin Media Sport. In August 2020, Eir Sport 2 replaced Virgin Media Sport feeds supplied through Eir on Eir and Sky platforms after a dispute over a contracted distribution licence fee. On 19 May 2021, Eir announced that Eir Sport 2 would cease broadcasting on 20 July 2021. Eir Sport 1 was also expected to close later in 2021. The closure ended Eir Sport 2's run as an Irish sports channel and left its former programming and rights history as part of the broader Setanta and eir Sport broadcasting record.

• 2021

  Eir Sport 2 closes

  [1]Eir Sport 2en.wikipedia.org

  Eir announced the channel's closure for 20 July 2021.

• 2019

  Channel-sharing agreement with Virgin Media Sport

  [1]Eir Sport 2en.wikipedia.org

  Eir Sport and Virgin Media Sport agreed to carry each other's services on specified Irish platforms.

• 2015

  HD distribution expanded to Sky Ireland

  [1]Eir Sport 2en.wikipedia.org

  Setanta Sports 1 HD became available on Sky Ireland on 20 July.

• 2013

  High-definition service introduced

  [1]Eir Sport 2en.wikipedia.org

  Setanta Sports 1 HD launched on 16 December, initially as a Virgin Media Ireland exclusive.

Premium Irish pay-TV sports channel offering broad, multi-sport coverage across football, Gaelic games, rugby and selected international events.

• Sports television channel

  Eir Sport 2

  The main standard-definition sports channel in the Eir Sport portfolio and the successor to Setanta Sports 1. It carried live and delayed football, GAA, rugby, boxing, golf, motorsport and related studio programming for Irish pay-TV viewers.

• High-definition sports television channel · 2013

  Setanta Sports 1 HD

  The high-definition version of the predecessor Setanta Sports 1 service. It launched on Virgin Media Ireland in 2013 and expanded to Sky Ireland in 2015 before the channel became associated with the Eir Sport branding.

• Setanta Sports Cup sponsorship

  Ireland · Northern Ireland

  Setanta sponsored the Setanta Sports Cup, an annual football tournament involving clubs from the League of Ireland and the Irish Football League. The sponsorship linked the channel brand to a cross-border Irish football property.

  Outcome. The tournament was part of the channel group's football identity and was included among the football properties associated with Setanta's Irish services.

  Source

• 2021

  Decision to shut the channelStrategy

  Background

  Eir reviewed its sports-channel operation after years of changing platform arrangements and rights distribution.

  Action taken

  Eir announced on 19 May that Eir Sport 2 would close on 20 July 2021.

  Aftermath

  Eir Sport 2 ceased operation, and Eir also announced the planned closure of Eir Sport 1 before the end of 2021.

  Source

• 2020

  Replacement of Virgin Media Sport feedsStrategy

  Background

  A distribution agreement involved licence-fee payments for Virgin Media Sport feeds supplied by Eir.

  Action taken

  Eir replaced those feeds with Eir Sport 2 on relevant Eir and Sky Ireland platforms after declining to pay the contracted distribution licence fee.

  Aftermath

  The change restored Eir Sport 2 to those platform feeds while intensifying the channel-distribution conflict.

  Source

• 2019

  Platform-distribution realignment with Virgin Media SportStrategy

  Background

  Irish sports-channel distribution was being reshaped through platform agreements between Eir and Virgin Media.

  Action taken

  Eir Sport and Virgin Media Sport agreed to carry selected counterpart channels on Eir Vision and Virgin Media Ireland.

  Aftermath

  Eir Sport 2 was later removed from Sky Ireland and replaced by Virgin Media Sport in September 2019.

  Source

• 2013

  Launch of Setanta Sports 1 HDProduct launch

  Background

  The predecessor channel sought to extend its sports offering through high-definition distribution.

  Action taken

  Setanta launched Setanta Sports 1 HD on Virgin Media Ireland.

  Aftermath

  The HD service later expanded to Sky Ireland and formed part of the channel's later Eir Sport identity.

  Source

1. 1Eir Sport 2en.wikipedia.org