Multi Screen Media (MSM) and ESPN have come together in a long-term agreement to serve sports fans in India and across the Indian subcontinent. Through the collaboration they will bring new offerings to Indian sports fans including new SONY ESPN sports channels and a new multisport website and app. This collaboration between two of the most respected brands in Indian media and sports will provide a powerful portfolio of sports rights and the leading collection of digital sports assets in India.
MSM’s existing Sony KIX sports channel will be rebranded SONY ESPN and the two companies will launch other new channels in the coming months. Along with SONY SIX, all the channels will deliver a powerful sports lineup to sports fans.
In collaboration with MSM, ESPN will launch a co-branded localised multisport website and app, which will provide coverage of cricket, football, tennis, the NBA, badminton, field hockey and more. MSM’s SONY LIV will also benefit from the collaboration, increasing its current sports offerings significantly. ESPNcricinfo, the number one digital cricket destination in India and globally, will continue to deliver comprehensive coverage and will complement and cross-promote the new digital properties and sports channels.
Among the new co-branded multisport websites, sonyliv.com and espncricinfo.com, sports fans will receive sports content from across categories, geographies and time zones.
MSM’s current sports rights portfolio in India includes the Indian Premier League and other cricket (including the Indian Test tour of Sri Lanka), the UEFA Euro 2016, top European football leagues (including La Liga, The FA Cup and Serie A), the NBA, the NFL, the IRB Rugby World Cup, UFC, TNA Wrestling, NASCAR and more.
ESPN will add to that by delivering more than 1,000 hours of programming per year from its portfolio of sports rights, original programming and studio programs.