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James Crombie/INPHO

TV3 is officially changing its name - to Virgin Media One

The company is also launching a sports channel.

VIRGIN MEDIA HAS announced plans to launch a new dedicated sports channel that will be free for all digital subscribers.

Today, the media firm TV3 Group rebranded to Virgin Media Television. That means that channels TV3, 3e and be3 will be renamed as Virgin Media One, Virgin Media Two and Virgin Media Three.

As part of the announcement, the television brand has also revealed it will launch a new channel – Virgin Media Sport – that will be available to Virgin Media customers and air its range of sports content.

In recent years, TV3 Group has undertaken a major push into the sports content sector and acquired the rights for a number of high-profile tournaments and competitions.

Three years ago, the broadcaster secured the rights to air the Six Nations from 2018 to 2021, which ended RTÉ’s long association with the rugby tournament.

Earlier this year, Virgin Media also bagged a four-year agreement with European Professional Club Rugby to broadcast live Champions Cup games from next season.

Last month, it also signed a new rights deal for Uefa Champions League and Europa League matches from next season, which included 327 exclusive matches and the finals of both competitions.

The new deal means the Dublin-based broadcaster has exclusive Irish rights to all Wednesday Champions League matches and all Thursday Europa League ties. However, it will share the rights to 16 Tuesday night Champions League matches with RTÉ.

The Ireland team celebrate winning the Grand Slam Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO

There could be further opportunity for the new Virgin Media Television group to add more sports rights to its new channel after Setanta Sports co-founder Mickey O’Rourke secured a deal to broadcast 53 live English Premier League games in Ireland from August 2019.

It is understood O’Rourke still has no platform to air the Premier League matches he acquired in the Republic, the majority of which are Saturday afternoon kick offs.

Rebrand

TV3 joined the Virgin Media empire in 2015 when it was acquired by UPC Ireland in a deal worth up to €87 million. UPC became part of Liberty Global’s UK subsidiary, Virgin Media, the previous year and has since rebranded to Virgin Media in Ireland.

Since the acquisition of the TV3 Group, Virgin Media has expanded the network and added a new channel to it roster through the acquisition of UTV Ireland in 2016 for €10 million.

The launch of the new dedicated sports channel has been made in tandem with the group’s planned rebrand to Virgin Media Television.

The three channels part of the TV3 brand currently will be renamed from TV3, 3e and Be3 to Virgin Media One, Two and Three.

The firm announced the rebrand at the beginning of the year. TV3 Group managing director Pat Kiely told reporters that the “very significant rebrand” would take place within the first half of the year.

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Written by Killian Woods and posted on Fora.ie

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    Mute Dee4
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    Apr 18th 2014, 3:05 PM

    I dont see the problem, the landlords own the property, the tenants sign a contract, break the contract and you risk being evicted.

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    Mute johngahan
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    Apr 18th 2014, 3:05 PM

    Idiot tenants breaching their leases by subletting.

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Apr 18th 2014, 11:57 PM

    You’re right – they did break the law so they should face consequences.
    Still maybe the legislation needs changing. As long as the property is maintained and the landlord gets his rent what’s the problem. I know it’s a real struggle for many in SF to pay the sky high rentals.
    Also it would provide real value to tourists arriving in SF.

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    Mute Gggordon
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    Apr 18th 2014, 4:43 PM

    At least the landlords stateside can actually do something about their tenants flouting the terms of the lease … Here they would have to deal with the ridiculous PRTB … Wait months to get a hearing and more than likely receive no rent in the meantime …. And the the PRTB finding in favour of the tenant as the land lord forgot to cross a ‘t’ on one of the forms.

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    Mute Jack Matthynssens
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    Apr 18th 2014, 4:54 PM

    I don’t see why landlords should have a problem with this as long as their rent is being paid and no damage is being done to the property.

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    Mute tmwtbc
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    Apr 18th 2014, 5:07 PM

    Tenants have no right to sub-let and thereby profit from a service that is not theres to provide.

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    Mute Cian O Donoghue
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    Apr 18th 2014, 6:02 PM

    Because a landlord presumably is happy with the tenants they let to. They have no control over who the tenant sub lets to.

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    Mute Larry Ryan
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    Apr 18th 2014, 11:50 PM

    Extra wear and tear

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Apr 18th 2014, 11:59 PM

    That could all be added in as terms and conditions. Wear and tear, insuring the room etc. let the landlord get his piece of the pie – after all it’s all about the money – it’s not some morality.

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    Mute Paul Corrigan
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    Apr 18th 2014, 6:56 PM

    A friend lives in San Fran with his missus, 2 years ago he rented another 1 bed just so he could let it out on AirBnb.
    He charges $125 a night and is fully booked 365 nights a year, it’s like a full time job for him, he even hires a cleaner.
    I know in Dublin there are hundreds of people sub letting illegally on AirBnb, why the hell not if it helps pays the scandalous rent, AirBnb cover damages for guests so landlords should have no problem.

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    Mute Dónal O'Flynn
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    Apr 19th 2014, 5:20 AM

    I assume that your friend is making considerably more from AirBnB than he pays in rent for the apartment. You don’t mention whether the landlord is aware, but judging by you opinion of illegal subletting in Dublin, I’m guessing they’re not.

    I think scandalously high rents are greedy and unethical, but if the landlord is charging close to the going rate and is fair and decent towards the tenant then it is equally unethical to sublet illegally. Typically the landlord has made a significant financial investment in buying the property and decorating and furnishing it to a reasonable standard. They need the rent to recoup their costs and then make enough profit to make the venture worth their effort. If there is a way of making more profit from their property then that is their opportunity to take advantage of, not their tenant’s.

    I don’t know a lot about business but in my layman’s opinion if the landlord has any financial sense they should “evict” your friend (their tenant) and make it available on AirBnB themselves. If they don’t want to do the work of dealing with new AirBnB tenants every day they should demand a considerable percentage profit from your friend or employ him to manage it.

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    Mute Niall O Connor
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    Apr 20th 2014, 10:52 AM

    Well said donal…. exactly my toughts…

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    Mute Dee4
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    Apr 18th 2014, 3:26 PM

    I read that in an Ali G voice….reconize!

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    Mute Celticspirit321
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    Apr 18th 2014, 3:33 PM

    Lol!

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    Mute Spud
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    Apr 19th 2014, 3:31 PM

    I don’t see the problem here at all. If you don’t own the property, you have no business putting rooms in said property up for rent. If I did that, and was caught out by the landlord, I’d fully expect to be evicted.

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    Mute Dorene Tabaka
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    Aug 8th 2014, 6:11 PM

    My tenant should be thankful that at least I gave her 3 weeks to vacate my property after I found out she was hosting people from Airbnb. Thankfully, my neighbor called me and told me that on numerous occasions, people were staying at my house. In fact, on one weekend, there was a wedding. My daughter found my house listed on Airbnb and I took action. How dare she rent my house without my permission. I work hard for that house and it will be my retirement home in a few years. I want to know, am I entitled to the profits she made off of MY home? Oh, and she thinks she is getting her security deposit back which I am looking into.

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