Setanta's RWC pinch 'n sked

Setanta Sports North America has released their RWC schedule.

Setanta Broadband (online) subscribers will see ALL of the games live. That is presumably the $14.99-per-month subscription fee.

Setanta Premium and PPV subscribers ($199) will see MOST of the RWC Pool Stage matches live. There are still a few blank holes in their current schedule on their Pool Stage calendar to say for certain, but presumably all of the games, barring conflicts, will be broadcast live. All of the knock-out Playoff rounds will be broadcast live.

On the regular Setanta Sports North America cable TV channel ($14.99-per-month) however, most of the Pool Stage matches will be shown live, but NONE of the Playoff matches broadcast live - all will be shown DELAYED. Setanta will presumably say they have conflicts with the weekend EPL soccer matches and that those fixtures are their priority.

Bottomline: TV viewers who want to see the Quarters, Semis and Rugby World Cup Final LIVE will have to buy PPV. The only other option is to watch it live on broadband. Or, sit patiently, and watch it delayed on Setanta's 24-hour specialty TV channel.

(Interestingly, Rogers Sportsnet, on regular cable in Canada, has a partnership with Setanta. Rogers Sportsnet gets an EPL game per week, and have an agreement with Setanta to broadcast Canada's RWC Pool Stage matches. Curiously, last night Setanta was broadcasting the St. Kilda-Fremantle AFL (Aussie Rules) match live, then that same game was shown delayed six hours later on Rogers Sportsnet with the little Setanta corporate logo hanging on the upper-right corner of the screen. That network hasn't televised Aussie Rules, if ever, until now. Might it be possible Rogers Sportsnet will re-broadcast tape-delays of Setanta rugby games...? Let's cross our fingers.)

For all the details to Setanta's RWC schedule with links to their subscription services, click here.