Third Width
About ESPN Classic
Based in Bristol, Connecticut (USA), ESPN, Inc. is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of over 50 multimedia sports assets. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.
ESPN International has grown to include ownership – in whole or in part – of over 45 television networks outside of the United States, as well as a variety of brand extension businesses, which allow ESPN to reach fans in 200 countries and territories.
ESPN Classic is the unique 24/7 sports channel featuring the greatest games, stories, heroes and memories in the history of sport, with a mix of all-time classic highlights, matches, interviews, profiles and documentaries. ESPN Classic is available to digital TV subscribers in over 40 European countries, and as of 2008, in Africa and the Middle East. There are local, dedicated feeds in the UK, Italy, France, Pan-Europe and MEA. The Pan-European channel is available to over 40 countries and currently available in English, but also in German, Dutch, Polish, and Portuguese. Further dedicated language feeds are also planned and will be available soon.
Background:
- 2002: ESPN brought ESPN Classic to Europe, dedicated to showcasing a compelling mix of the greatest sporting moments ever, including memorable matches, documentaries and heroes
- March 2002: ESPN Classic is launched in France, and is available on all major cable and satellite platforms in France, Belgium and Switzerland
- July 2002: ESPN Classic is launched in Italy, and is available on SKY Italia, Fastweb, as well as in Switzerland and Malta
- December 2003: ESPN Classic launched a European English language channel that is now available in over 40 countries, with local programming windows in key territories
- March 2006: ESPN Classic launched its dedicated UK channel feed that reaches 8 million subscribers alone
- May 2008: ESPN Classic launched a dedicated Middle-East and Africa feed, its 5th channel in the Europe/Middle-East/Africa (EMEA) region
On 3rd August 2009 the global sports media company launched a new live channel in the UK, called ESPN, dedicated to bringing a diverse line-up locally relevant live sport and original programming to UK fans. ESPN features exclusive live coverage of the Barclays Premier League, Clydesdale Bank Premier League, UEFA Europa League, Italian Serie A, German Bundesliga, and a host of other world-class football.
Additionally, on 8th December ESPN and The FA announced an exclusive rights deal for the FA Cup running from 2010-2014 and on 14th December ESPN announced a three-year deal for live coverage of Aviva Premiership rugby union beginning in 2010.
In Europe, in the Middle-East and Africa, ESPN now includes a portfolio of television and digital brands, including TV channels ESPN, ESPN Classic and ESPN America, news portal ESPN.co.uk, sport websites ESPNcricinfo.com, ESPNsoccernet.com, ESPNscrum.com and ESPNf1.com.
ESPN also offers top sports action on your computer, with streaming video player ESPN Player, and on your mobile, with video coverage application ESPN Goals.
Visit our websites for more information:
Sport TV channels
- ESPN, available in the UK on Sky channel 417, Virgin channel 529, Talk Talk TV channel 555, and on channel 34 on Freeview platforms
- ESPN Classic, the only channel dedicated to the greatest sporting moments
- ESPN America, the only channel dedicated to the top live sporting action from the USA and Canada
Sport websites
- ESPN.co.uk, for news, features, quotes and statistics for all major sports
- ESPNsoccernet.com, our specialist football site
- ESPNcricinfo.com, our specialist cricket site
- ESPNscrum.com, our specialist rugby union site
- ESPNf1.com, our specialist formula one site
Broadband streaming video
- ESPN Player, for live and on-demand top sports action
Mobile video coverage
- ESPN Goals, for video coverage of every Barclays Premier League match on your mobile
Sporting event
- ESPN X GAMES, the premier action sports event in the world
For more information about ESPN:
