With some analysts doubting Setanta's future after it failed to renew both its Premiere League packages, Access Industries, which is headed by the Russian-born US citizen Len Blavatnik, is understood to have acquired a stake of about 3%.

Blavatnik’s petrochemicals business, Lyondell Basell filed for bankruptcy protection last month owing $26bn. Royal Bank of Scotland was forced to write off a £2.5bn loan to the company made by ABN Amro, the Dutch bank which was taken over by RBS.

Blavatnik’s company also has a shareholding in Top Up TV, the pay-television company founded by the former BSkyB executive David Chance.

Other posts by :

1. Bank: Space industry worth $1tn by 2040
2. Xona Space wants 259 LEO satellites
3. 36 major airlines now committed to Starlink
4. Quilty: Top 5 Washington Satellite show takeaways
5. Space Wars: Starlink vs Amazon Leo
6. Eutelsat seeks ISRO deal for launches
7. Virgin Galactic sets prices for space tourists
8. Devas vs Antrix rumbles on
9. Shotwell makes TIME front cover

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, Business, Content, M&A, Pay TV, Rights