New classic sports channel
ESPN and MultiChoice have announced the launch of ESPN's second sports channel in Africa: ESPN Classic. ESPN Classic will be the first sports channel in South Africa devoted entirely to the greatest moments and legends in sport.
The channel will show some of the greatest sporting moments from global archives, alongside a selection of sporting documentaries, sports movies, and interviews with sporting legends.
ESPN Classic will be available 24/7, on DStv channel 231 and will complement the flagship ESPN live sports channel (ch 230) which has been providing high quality live sport since June 1994.
ESPN Classic will take fans back in time to relive the greatest triumphs, comebacks, upsets and achievements in both South African and international sports history. Leading up to major sports events, viewers will see footage from ESPN's prodigious archives that showcase classic moments from that event's history. South Africa's triumphs and defeats will feature strongly in the line-up. The channel will include programming scheduled to complement real-time live sports events shown on other channels. With a bias towards football, rugby and cricket the programming includes FA Premier league; UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup; Series A; FIFA World Cup, Summer & Winter Olympics, Cricket, Rugby, Tennis; Formula 1 and Moto GP motorsport. In 2008, this includes all the best from 34 years of the Euro football competitions and outstanding Olympic victories over the past four 4 decades.
Lynne Frank, managing director of ESPN, Europe, Middle East and Africa said; “with the launch of ESPN Classic in Africa we are excited that viewers of DSTV will be able to re-live the greatest moments in sports history as well as turn over to ESPN to see those moments being created. Twelve months ago we launched a localised version of our flagship sports news programme, SportsCenter and we acquired cricinfo.com and scrum.com last year to reach cricket and rugby fans. With ESPN Classic sports fans will be able to see live sports, classic archives or on-line articles thorough ESPN.”
Aletta Alberts MultiChoice GM: Content says “Sport is a way of life for South Africans. It helps bridge the divide between young and old, rich and poor. It has the power to evoke overwhelming emotions from audiences who are passionate about sport. We are pleased to welcome ESPN Classic to the DStv platform. Its appealing content will provide our customers with the opportunity to both reminisce and watch sporting history in the making”
