Setanta files for bankruptcy protection, to cease broadcasting shortly

Setanta files for bankruptcy protection

LONDON — Sports broadcaster Setanta has filed for bankruptcy protection and says it will shortly cease broadcasting to its customers in the U.K.

Setanta says it has also suspended the collection of subscription payments after Tuesday’s appointment of accounting firm Deloitte to run the collapsed company.

Setanta was pushed to the brink last week after a potential American investor withdrew his interest and the company failed to meet a payment deadline for creditors. That led to the broadcaster’s English Premier League TV rights being canceled.

U.S. broadcaster ESPN — owned by The Walt Disney Co. — bought the rights for the live broadcast of the League matches on Monday.