Sport1 discontinuing SPORT1+, eSPORTS1 channels
November 13, 2024
Sport1 is discontinuing its pay-TV channels SPORT1+ and eSPORTS1 at the end of the year. The content of the channels is to be maintained by Sportdigital TV Sende- und Produktions on the distribution platforms via Sportdigital1+ and eSportsONE.
The discontinuation of the pay-TV channels of Sport1 and the associated transaction with Sportdigital is part of the long-term strategy of Sport1 Medien AG to focus on the core business areas of free-TV (with the channel SPORT1) and digital (with the SPORT1 online and social media platforms).
Sportdigital1+ plans to continue to offer top sports rights such as Major League Baseball (MLB), rugby (National Rugby League, Australian Football League, Betfred Super League), motorsports (NASCAR Cup Series) and ice hockey (Swedish Hockey League) for Sportdigital’s TV and streaming services. In addition, top football competitions such as the South American CONMEBOL Libertadores (Copa Libertadores) and the Asian AFC Champions League (One and Two) as well as the Belgian Jupiler Pro League will continue to round off the programme. With eSportsONE, Sportdigital offers viewers 24-hour programming with a focus on so-called national and international eSports. With the expansion of the pay business, Sportdigital plans to show eSportsONE esports in the areas of strategy (DOTA2, Starcraft II), shooters (Counterstrike) and sports (EA FC25) as well as additional content (e.g. Fortnite, mobile games) and more.
The launch of the two new channels of Sportdigital TV Sende- und Produktions GmbH is planned for January 1st 2025 and is subject to the approval of the relevant authorities. In the meantime, Sport1 will work with Sportdigital to ensure that programme quality is maintained.
Andreas Gerhardt (pictured), Chief Distribution Officer and Lead Pay-TV at SPORT1, commented: “We are very pleased to have found the perfect partner for our pay-TV channels, their content and distribution platforms in Sportdigital. After a long and successful journey since 2010, the time has come to develop the channels elsewhere. As part of the repositioning, we believe that the operation of pay-TV channels is better suited to our partner Sportdigital. Sportdigital will continue to develop the two channels and offer them strong prospects for the future. At the same time, the transaction will enable SPORT1 to focus on its core business areas of free-TV and digital channels, so that the audience can continue to be offered a wide range of sports and entertainment content.”
Gisbert Wundram, Managing Director of Sportdigital TV Sende- und Produktions, added: “The expansion of our pay-TV activities in the sports sector and the associated expansion of our Sportdigital programme portfolio in German-speaking countries is a very important milestone in our company’s history, which we are delighted about. We would like to thank the SPORT1 management and its shareholders for their trust and will thus continue to develop the pay-TV business with our proven ‘Sportdigital philosophy’ in order to inspire even more people beyond soccer for the live sports we curate in the future!”