[Satellite Today 02-10-09] BSkyB is the big winner in the latest U.K. Premier League soccer rights auction, which concluded Feb. 6. The satellite pay-TV operator won five out of the six packages on offer. Setanta won the other package. In the previous auction, BSkyB had won four packages of rights compared to Setanta’s two, so BSkyB has tightened its grip still further in providing coverage of the Premier League.
    The operator had already won four packages prior to the final part of the auction on Friday, and was able to consolidate its grip by winning one of the other two packages available.
    BSkyB will be able to show 115 live matches a season between 2010 and 2013. It has paid £1.62 billion ($2.40 billion) for the five packages.