Eurosport

### Owner

Discovery, Inc. (merger with WarnerMedia to form Warner Bros. Discovery pending)

## Links

### Website

https://corporate.eurosport.com/https://www.eurosport.com/

### Instagram

instagram.com/eurosport/

**Eurosport** is a French television sports network and a subsidiary of Discovery. Eurosport owns a wide range of rights across many sports but generally does not bid for premium priced rights such as those to major football leagues. However, in 2015 it was awarded rights to broadcast the Olympic Games from 2018 for most of Europe and 2022 for the UK and France in a deal worth €1.3 billion (£922 million). It transmits much of the same footage across many markets, using unseen commentators rather than on-screen presenters so that the same visual feed may be broadcast in multiple languages while holding down production costs.

The network of channels are available in 54 countries, in 20 different languages, providing viewers with European and international sporting events. Eurosport had 157 million subscribers in 2019, marking no increase from the previous year. The Eurosport 2 channel had an audience of 87 million viewers in 2019, an increase in size of one million.

## History

Prior to the creation of Eurosport, the **European Broadcasting Union** was acquiring substantial amounts of sports rights, yet its members were only able to broadcast a fraction of them. This provided the impetus for setting up the Eurosport Consortium, made up of several EBU members, to establish an outlet where these rights could be exploited. Sky Television plc was chosen as a commercial partner to the EBU project, and the channel launched at 6pm on 5 February 1989. It largely replaced the original Sky Channel (later rebranded as Sky One) on European cable systems as Sky Channel refocused to serve only the United Kingdom and Ireland. For a period of time, some of Sky Channel's former pan-European programming was broadcast in the hours before Eurosport's startup, under the brand *Sky Europe*.

### 1991 closure

Eurosport was closed down in May 1991 after the competing Screensport channel had filed a complaint to the European Commission over the corporate structure. The channel was however saved when the TF1 Group (formed after the French government privatized the post ORTF-split TF1 5 years prior to the acquisition) stepped in to replace BSkyB as joint-owners, and was able to restart its broadcast after 10 days. Broadcasting hours were restricted to 1pm to 11pm, later 8am until midnight before settling at 7.30am and 1am. Its overnight hours were occupied by shopping channel The Quantum Channel.

On 1 March 1993, the cable and satellite channel Screensport merged with Eurosport; five days later, that channel's transponder space was taken over by RTL II. Eurosport eventually came under a French consortium comprising the TF1 Group, Canal+ Group and Havas Images. In January 2001, TF1 took full ownership of Eurosport.

In May 2007, Yahoo! Europe and Eurosport formed a co-branded website which Eurosport used as its web portal, including an online TV guide, in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Italy and Germany.

In 2008, Eurosport launched an online subscription service, Eurosport Player, that allows Internet users to watch both Eurosport and Eurosport 2 live, plus additional coverage not available via broadcast. During the 2009 Australian Open, the Internet player offered coverage from five courts.
Logo used from 2011 to 2015, part of a rebrand undertaken by Les Télécréateurs.
On 5 April 2011 Eurosport rebranded its channel. The rebrand incorporated six new on-air idents along with a new logo and presentation style both on-air and off-air. The new on-air identity has been designed by Paris-based design company Les Télécréateurs. All localised Eurosport channels and the Eurosport website embraced the new identity.

### Analogue closedown

Eurosport, having been one of the first channels to broadcast on the Astra 1 group of satellites, was the last satellite channel in Europe to broadcast in an analogue format. On 30 April 2012, shortly after 03:00 CET, the rest of the remaining analogue channels at 19.2 East ceased transmission. Eurosport's analogue channel finally ceased transmission on 1 May 2012 at 01:30 CET, marking the end of an era in European satellite broadcasting.

### Stake and acquisition by Discovery

On 21 December 2012, the American multinational Discovery Communications purchased a 20 per cent minority interest share in Eurosport from TF1 Group for €170m. Discovery became the majority shareholder in the Eurosport venture with TF1 in January 2014, taking a 51 per cent share of the company. On 22 July 2015 Discovery agreed to acquire TF1's remaining 49 per cent stake in the venture.

On 13 November 2015, Eurosport introduced its new brand identity and changed the name of its main channel to Eurosport 1.

In 2016, Eurosport expanded its deal with The All England Club to show all the Wimbledon matches live in 19 countries, up from three under a previous deal. It was a 3-year deal (2017-2019) that included exclusive TV and digital rights. This expanded their tennis portfolio to show all four Grand Slams. Eurosport signed a new deal in 2019 to broadcast Wimbledon exclusively in 11 countries. As of 2021, Eurosport broadcasts the Australian Open, French Open (except in France), US Open (except in the UK and Ireland), and Wimbledon.

In February 2017, Discovery launched the channel in India, branded as DSport which was later renamed to Eurosport in 2020. The channel was made available on various platforms in both SD and HD feeds.

In addition, Eurosport programming was added to Discovery streaming services Dplay and later Discovery+.

## Channels

### Eurosport 1

This is the main channel of Eurosport. A high-definition simulcast version of Eurosport launched on 25 May 2008. The first event covered in HD was the 2008 French Open at Roland Garros. On 13 November 2015 it changed its name to Eurosport 1 HD.

#### Eurosport 1 feeds

In Europe, Eurosport 1 is generally available in basic cable and satellite television packages. Since 1999, Eurosport 1 provides various opt-out services providing more relevant sporting content specific to language, advertising and commentary needs. Eurosport offers a stand-alone channel which provides a standardised version of the channel (Eurosport International in English). Alongside this there are also local Eurosport channels in France, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Poland, Nordic region, Benelux region and Asia Pacific. These channels offer greater sporting content with local sporting events, while also utilising the existing pan-European feed. The German version of Eurosport is the only one available free-to-air on European digital satellite television.

Eurosport 1 is currently broadcast in twenty-one languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Russian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Greek, Turkish, Cantonese and Croatian.

In Asia-Pacific territories, Eurosport offers a specific channel to this region. Eurosport (Asia-Pacific) launched on 15 November 2009. The service is available in Australia through Foxtel, Optus and TransACT. On 3 November 2014, a HD simulcast launched on Foxtel.

### Eurosport 2

A supplementary channel featuring more live sports events, programming and news updates. *Eurosport 2* launched on 10 January 2005 and is currently available in 35 countries, broadcasting in 17 different languages.

Eurosport 2 is self-describing as "the new generation sports channel" - dedicated to team sports, alternative sports, discovery and entertainment including basketball (like the Italian LBA), Twenty20 Cricket, Bundesliga, National Lacrosse League, Arena Football League, surfing, Volleyball Champions League, Australian Rules Football matches from the Australian Football League, Bandy World Championships and more. Eurosport 2 was branded as Eurosport DK in Denmark. On 15 February 2016, this channel was replaced by Eurosport 2.

Eurosport 2 HD, a high-definition version of the channel, is also available.

Eurosport 2 HD Xtra is a German pay-TV channel launched in 2017. Eurosport bought Germany-only rights for Bundesliga, Supermoto and other broadcasting rights. Eurosport 2 has no German-only signal and Eurosport 1 is free-to-air, so the new Channel was needed.

### Eurosport India

Eurosport India is the Indian version of the channel launched in February 2017 as DSport. It was made available on major **DTH platforms** and cable networks across India during the launch. The channel's primary focus would not be cricket, as per the press-meet at the launch. The current offering from the channel would include less-popular football leagues, cricket premier leagues, wrestling, fighting, golf, motor sports, horse racing, cycling and rugby. The channel is only available in high-definition format. However, few DTH operators downscale the feed to be presented with the standard-definition bouquet. As of 2018 Eurosport India is available over 110 million households in India.

### Eurosport EPL Romania

**Eurosport EPL Romania** is a channel owned by Eurosport which broadcasts the English Premier League in Romania. It acquired the rights from the Premier League to broadcast the 2013–14 Premier League season.

### Eurosport Gold

**Eurosport Gold Russia** is a channel owned by Eurosport which broadcasts the National Hockey League in Russia. It acquired the rights from the NHL to broadcast the 2017–18 NHL season.

## Viewing share Eurosport 1

Being an international channel, Eurosport's performance differs significantly between different countries. The figures below show Eurosport 1's share of overall viewing in some countries.

## Sporting events

Eurosport provides viewers with European and international sporting events. It broadcasts different sporting events in each region. This includes several football competitions:

* AIFF Super Cup
* Frauen-Bundesliga (only for Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland)
* Indian Super League
* Premier League (only for Romania)
* FA Cup (only for Denmark, Romania, and Sweden)
* FA Community Shield (only for Romania and Sweden)
* Coupe de France (only for France)
* Eliteserien
* Allsvenskan (only for Finland and Sweden)
* Superettan
* Major League Soccer (only for India)
* UEFA Nations League (only for Denmark)
* Africa Cup of Nations (only for Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and UK)

Other sports events include the Paris Dakar Rally, the Monte Carlo Rally, athletics events such as World Athletics Championships and the European Athletics Championships, cycling events such as the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia (except France) and the Vuelta a España, tennis events including the French Open, Australian Open, Wimbledon (31 European territories), the US Open, the World Championship Snooker, National Hockey League (only for Russia), World Boxing Super Series (only for Spain), and action sports like skating and surfing.

In June 2015 it was announced that Eurosport had secured the pan-European rights (except Russia) to the winter and summer Olympic Games between 2018 and 2024. In July 2017 Eurosport had secured the domestic and international rights from 2017 to 2020 of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). Eurosport is the new owner of the pay TV, international and internet rights. Eurosport has TV rights also for Italian Basketball Supercup and Italian Basketball Cup. In October 2018, Eurosport has reached an agreement with the World Boxing Super Series for the exclusive acquisition of the Competition's broadcast rights in Spain.

In October 2018, Eurosport sealed a 3-year deal to show British Darts Organisation major events BDO World Darts Championship, World Masters (darts) & World Trophy. In January 2019 it was announced that Eurosport will screen 39 ATP tennis tournaments including the tour finals in Russia for 3 years.

### Motorsport

Eurosport Events (formerly known as 'KSO Kigema Sports Organisation Ltd') is the Eurosport group's sporting events management/promotion/production division, which promotes the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) and the FIA European Rally Championship.

Eurosport Events was also the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, a rival rallying series to the World Rally Championship, and of the FIA European Touring Car Cup. The IRC ceased at the end of the 2012 season, with Eurosport taking over series promotion of the ERC from 2013. The European Touring Car Cup has been active until 2017.

Since 2008, the Eurosport Group has also been broadcasting the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans in full.

Eurosport airs MotoGP in India, previously it had broadcasting rights in various territories including the Netherlands, Belgium, Romania, France and Germany. The network also airs Superbike World Championship in multiple European countries.

On 29 September 2015, Eurosport acquired the Portuguese broadcasting rights for Formula One between 2016 and 2018.

On 30 September Eurosport and FIM announced that they had signed a contract regarding partnership for FIM's international speedway championships where Eurosport will be the promotor for 10 years. They also announced a deal to show SGB Premiership matches live throughout the season.

Eurosport airs Formula E across Western and Central Europe, except in Germany and Italy.

### Tennis

 Roland Garros
 Wimbledon
 US Open
 ATP Tour Masters 1000
 ATP 500
 WTA Tour

## See also

* Broadcasting of sports events
* *Fight Club*
* Sports channel
* Eurosport (Indian TV channel)