The US broadcaster ESPN has announced plans to launch a new UK sports channel, called ESPN, on 3 August 09. The channel will show 46 live Barclays Premier League football games, which were to have been shown by Setanta until its recent financial problems.

The channel will also show some of the US sports to which ESPN owns rights. ESPN has reached an initial deal to have the channel shown on Sky, but it is in talks with all UK pay-TV platforms about carrying the service.

Sky will also be responsible for selling advertising on the new channel