Arsenal TV
Arsenal TV was a United Kingdom sports television channel dedicated to Arsenal Football Club.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Arsenal TV was a dedicated sports television channel created for supporters of Arsenal Football Club. It emerged from a joint-venture agreement between Arsenal and Setanta Sports announced on 30 September 2007, and launched on Sky in the United Kingdom on 14 January 2008. The channel formed part of Setanta's wider group of club-focused services, alongside channels associated with Celtic, Rangers and Liverpool. Its programming was designed to provide continuous club-related coverage rather than general sports broadcasting. The service broadcast on a scheduled basis during weekday afternoons and evenings and on Sunday evenings. Its programming included replays of Arsenal matches, post-match discussion and analysis, interviews with players and staff, news about the club, classic-match features and documentaries about Arsenal's history. It also carried selected live or recorded coverage of reserve-team and first-team friendly matches, as well as highlights involving the academy and the women's team. In this respect, Arsenal TV served both as a fan channel and as a controlled distribution platform for archival, editorial and match-related content. The channel expanded its television availability during 2008. A timeshift service called Arsenal Replay was introduced on Sky on 17 March, allowing parts of the main channel's schedule to be repeated overnight. Arsenal TV became available on Virgin Media on 18 March after a campaign by the club to secure carriage on that platform. A second overnight service, AH TV, was added to Sky on 12 May. These auxiliary services operated under limited-term arrangements and were later removed from the Sky electronic programme guide when their contracts expired. The main service also changed Sky channel positions during its short life. Arsenal TV's broadcast existence was closely tied to Setanta Sports' distribution infrastructure. In June 2009, Setanta shut down most of its networks after financial difficulties and entered administration in the United Kingdom. Arsenal initially stated that its channel would continue in the short term while its longer-term viability was assessed. The club subsequently concluded that it lacked the resources to operate a standalone satellite channel after Setanta's collapse. On 31 July 2009, Arsenal announced that Arsenal TV would no longer be available on the Sky platform until further notice. The service was then removed from Virgin Media in August and disappeared from the Sky electronic programme guide shortly afterward. Although the linear television channel ended, Arsenal continued to develop the concept through online distribution. For a period, Arsenal TV content was made available through Arsenal Player, the club's online video service, and partly through the club's YouTube presence. Arsenal Player also carried selected pre-season friendly matches during the 2009-10 build-up, apart from the Emirates Cup. The editorial role associated with Arsenal TV therefore continued in successor digital forms, including the club's web player and Arsenal's official YouTube output, even though the original branded broadcast channel was defunct.
History
Arsenal TV originated in the period when football clubs and specialist sports broadcasters were developing dedicated television services for supporters. On 30 September 2007, Arsenal Football Club and Setanta Sports agreed to establish a channel devoted to Arsenal. The arrangement placed Arsenal TV within Setanta's broader portfolio of club channels, which also included services associated with other British football clubs. The channel launched on 14 January 2008 through Sky in the United Kingdom. The service was scheduled primarily in the late afternoon and evening. Its editorial scope extended beyond live first-team football. Arsenal TV showed replays of matches from different competitions, post-match discussion, interviews with players and staff, club news, highlights of academy and women's-team fixtures, classic matches and documentaries concerning Arsenal's history. It also provided selected coverage of reserve-team matches and first-team friendlies. This mix allowed the channel to fill a daily schedule while preserving a strong connection to the club's own archives and communications. During its first year, Arsenal TV added supplementary distribution and timeshift arrangements. Arsenal Replay began on Sky on 17 March 2008, repeating the main channel's programming overnight on specified days. The channel reached Virgin Media on 18 March after Arsenal supporters and the club pushed for its inclusion on the platform. A second timeshift service, AH TV, was introduced on Sky on 12 May. Arsenal TV and the associated services changed electronic programme guide positions during 2008. Arsenal Replay and AH TV were temporary services; both disappeared from the Sky guide in 2009 after their one-year arrangements expired. The channel's business model depended heavily on Setanta's infrastructure and operating capacity. Setanta experienced serious financial difficulties in 2009 and entered administration in the United Kingdom. On 23 June, most of its networks were shut down. Arsenal said that its own channel would continue in the short term while the club assessed whether the service could remain viable. The administrators later placed Setanta's Sky electronic programme guide positions, including Arsenal TV's slot, into a sales process. On 31 July 2009, Arsenal announced that Arsenal TV would no longer be available on Sky until further notice. The club had considered alternative arrangements but concluded that it did not have the resources to run a standalone channel after Setanta's collapse. The service's Virgin Media presence was replaced by a closure slate in early August and was removed from the platform soon afterward. The Sky service went blank and was removed from the guide on 7 August 2009. The end of the linear channel did not end Arsenal's use of the brand's underlying editorial concept. Arsenal TV material continued online through Arsenal Player and, in part, through the club's YouTube channel. Arsenal Player became the principal short-term successor for video content, including selected friendly-match coverage before the 2009-10 season. In the longer term, the club's web video player and official YouTube output continued to provide match features, interviews, news, archive material and other supporter programming. Arsenal TV is therefore best understood as a defunct broadcast-channel brand whose content function migrated to digital club media.
- 2009
Setanta enters administration
[1]Setanta's financial collapse led to the shutdown of most of its networks and threatened the continuation of Arsenal TV.
- 2009
Linear channel discontinued
[1]Arsenal ended the satellite service after determining that it could not independently operate the channel following Setanta's collapse.
- 2009
Content moves online
[1]Arsenal continued related video programming through Arsenal Player and its YouTube presence.
- 2008
Main channel launches on Sky
[1]Arsenal TV began broadcasting on Sky on 14 January.
- 2008
Arsenal Replay introduced
[1]The first Sky timeshift service began carrying overnight repeats of the channel's schedule.
- 2008
Virgin Media carriage begins
[1]Arsenal TV became available on Virgin Media following efforts by the club to obtain carriage.
- 2008
AH TV timeshift service launches
[1]A second Sky timeshift service, AH TV, was added in May.
- 2007
Joint venture with Setanta announced
[1]Arsenal Football Club and Setanta Sports agreed to create a dedicated Arsenal television channel.
Products and positioning
A club-controlled supporter media service focused on Arsenal Football Club coverage, combining match-related programming, interviews, analysis, archival material and club news.
Sports television channel · 2008
Arsenal TV
The original linear television service dedicated to Arsenal Football Club. It carried match replays, post-match analysis, interviews, club news, classic games, historical documentaries and selected coverage of reserve, academy, women's-team and friendly fixtures. It launched on Sky in January 2008 and ceased satellite broadcasting in 2009 after the collapse of Setanta Sports.
Timeshift television service · 2008
Arsenal Replay
An overnight Sky service that repeated Arsenal TV programming. It operated on a limited schedule and under a short-term arrangement intended to provide additional timeshift capacity. Its electronic programme guide listing ended in March 2009 after the relevant one-year contract expired.
Timeshift television service · 2008
AH TV
A second Arsenal TV duplicate timeshift service added to Sky in May 2008. It broadly duplicated Arsenal Replay while using a different on-screen graphic and operating on different days. Its Sky listing ended in April 2009 when its one-year arrangement expired.
Online video service
Arsenal Player
Arsenal's online video service served as a principal successor to the broadcast channel's content function after the linear service closed. It provided Arsenal-related video programming and carried selected friendly matches during the build-up to the 2009-10 season, with the Emirates Cup identified as an exception.
Marketing campaigns
- 2008Virgin Media carriage campaign
United Kingdom
Arsenal and its supporters campaigned for Arsenal TV to be added to Virgin Media's television offering.
Outcome. Virgin Media began carrying the channel on 18 March 2008 through relevant Setanta Sports or XL packages.
Brand decisions
2009
Assess continuation after Setanta collapseStrategyBackground
Setanta Sports' financial difficulties and entry into administration disrupted the infrastructure on which Arsenal TV depended.
Action taken
Arsenal temporarily continued the service while evaluating its long-term viability and alternative distribution options.
Aftermath
The club concluded that it lacked the resources to operate a standalone satellite channel and withdrew the service from Sky.
2009
Move Arsenal video content onlineStrategyBackground
After the linear channel became unavailable, Arsenal needed an alternative outlet for club-focused video programming.
Action taken
The club shifted related content to Arsenal Player and partly to its YouTube channel.
Aftermath
The editorial role of Arsenal TV continued through digital video services rather than a dedicated broadcast channel.
Recent events
- 2009
Setanta network shutdown disrupts Arsenal TV[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Setanta Sports shut down most of its networks after financial difficulties and entering administration, placing Arsenal TV's broadcast future in doubt.
- 2009
Arsenal TV leaves the Sky platform[1]
Other
Arsenal announced that the channel would no longer be available on Sky because Setanta's administration left insufficient resources to operate the service independently.
- 2009
Arsenal TV broadcast service ends on Virgin Media and Sky[1]
Other
The channel's Virgin Media carriage was replaced by a closure message in August, and the service was subsequently removed from the Sky electronic programme guide.
- 2008
Arsenal TV launches on Sky[1]
Product launch
The channel began broadcasting on Sky in the United Kingdom on 14 January 2008.
- 2008
Arsenal Replay timeshift service added[1]
Product launch
An overnight timeshift service was introduced on Sky to repeat portions of Arsenal TV's schedule.
- 2008
Arsenal TV becomes available on Virgin Media[1]
Campaign
Following a club campaign to secure carriage, Arsenal TV became available on Virgin Media as part of relevant Setanta or XL television packages.
- 2007
Arsenal and Setanta agree to launch a dedicated club television channel[1]
Other
Arsenal Football Club entered a joint-venture agreement with Setanta Sports to establish a television channel devoted to Arsenal coverage.
Sources1 sources
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