Tuesday, June 23 2009, 15:51 BST
By James Welsh
Updated: June 23 2009, 22:15 BST
Setanta's channels have gone off the air in Great Britain after the Irish sports broadcaster's British operations were put in the hands of administrators Deloitte.
Full coverage of Setanta GB's collapse on Digital Spy
> Setanta stops accepting GB payments
Setanta is to stop accepting any form of payment from British subscribers with immediate effect.
> Racing UK to continue broadcasting
Setanta Sports Pack channel Racing UK will go it alone at £20 per month.
> Video: Setanta Sports News goes off air
Setanta Sports News ceased broadcasting at 6pm. Watch how the channel said goodbye to viewers.
> Setanta Sports 1 to continue in Ireland
Setanta Ireland will continue broadcasting.
> ESPN America in talks after Setanta collapse
Setanta Sports Pack channel is searching for other distribution platforms.
> BT to refund advance Setanta payments
BT Vision is to refund any customers who paid in advance for Setanta Sports.
> Setanta collapse 'shows pay TV market failure'
BT says Setanta's collapse is evidence of UK pay TV "market failure".
> Sky attacks BT for "cheap opportunism"
Sky responds to BT's comments about Setanta and the UK pay TV market.
> Virgin to issue pro-rata Setanta refunds
Virgin Media will issue pro-rata refunds to customers who subscribed to Setanta Sports.
> ESPN America goes standalone on Virgin
Setanta Sports Pack channel ESPN America becomes a standalone premium channel on Virgin's cable service.
The full story as it broke
Deloitte was appointed by Setanta at 2:30pm today after last-ditch efforts to secure a rescue package failed.
200 jobs have been lost with immediate effect as a result of the collapse.
"This is a sad day for all concerned," said Setanta chairman Sir Robin Miller. "Since its inspired inception a number of years ago, Setanta and its financial backers, have invested hundreds of millions of pounds buying UK and international sports rights. With the hard work and dedication of its staff, a pay TV broadcaster was created which entertained people in three million homes with top-class sport.
"Unfortunately, in a difficult and highly competitive market, and despite strenuous efforts by the board and management, it has not been possible to find sufficient additional funds in the time available to ensure its survival."
Neville Kahn, Lee Manning and Nick Edwards of Deloitte have been appointed joint administrators to Setanta Sport Ltd and Setanta Transmissions (UK) Ltd. It is understood that Setanta Ireland and Setanta's other international operations, including those in the United States, are not affected by these appointments and will continue broadcasting.
In a statement, Neville Kahn said: "After a huge effort by the Setanta board, management team and its backers, it has not been possible to save the GB business, which will be wound down in due course. This decision means that it will shortly cease broadcasting to its customers in Great Britain.
"However, the international and Ireland businesses continue to trade on air whilst we are in discussions with parties to take on those businesses as going concerns.
"Regrettably, approximately 200 employees will be made redundant in respect of the GB business. Setanta has today suspended the collection of subscription payments from customers in Great Britain.
"Setanta customers should go to www.setanta.com for further information. We can confirm that no further monthly subscriptions or direct debits will be accepted from customers of the UK business."
The UK operations of Setanta Sports have been placed into administration. Financial firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu confirmed the division would be liquidated.

The sports broadcaster, which employs 420 people in Ireland and the UK, entered administration after plans to raise fresh capital through the Russian-American businessman Leonard Blavatnik failed.

With effect from today, the company is to cease accepting payments from television customers who had subscribed to its broadcasting services, and 200 employees in the United Kingdom are to be made redundant. Administrators will attempt to find a buyer for the Irish and international arms of the company.

The administrators at Deloitte are Neville Kahn, Lee Manning, and Nick Edwards. The specific companies in administration are Setanta Sport Ltd and Setanta Transmissions (UK) Ltd. Setanta Ireland is not under administration.

Setanta's UK sports channels, Setanta Sports 1 & 2, have ceased transmission in the UK, but are continuing transmission in Ireland. Other UK channels that have gone off-air include Setanta Golf and Setanta Sports News.  

Racing UK, which was bundled by satellite and cable television operators with Setanta channels, is not owned by Setanta and will continue transmission. Customers who subscribed to the channel via Setanta will be offered the option of subscribing to the channel directly.

64 of the people facing redundancy work for ITN, which had contracted with Setanta to produce Setanta Sports News. 

The rights that Setanta had to broadcast football matches to subscribers are to revert to their rights holders. The rights to broadcast 46 Premier League football matches for the next football season, and 23 matches for the three following seasons, have already reverted, and were sold to United States broadcaster ESPN for £260 million yesterday.

Because of UK and European Union monopoly and competition laws, broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting is not permitted to bid for the broadcasting rights that Setanta had.