Top Up Bags Eurosport To Complete Channel Line Up
Terrestrial pay-TV operator, Top Up TV, has signed British Eurosport to fill the space left in its channel line-up by E4’s transition to Freeview last Friday.
The signing brings the first dedicated sports channel to terrestrial viewers since the collapse of ITV Digital in 2002 (see Administration For ITV Digital Confirmed). Amongst the upcoming events featured on the channel are The French Open, Le Mans 24 Hours, the 2005 Tour de France and the IAAF World Athletics Championships.
The channel will broadcast daily to Top Up TV’s subscribers between 2pm and 11pm. David Chance, chairman of Top Up TV explained the selection process for the channel, stating: “We have asked our customers which channel they would most like to see in the package, and British Eurosport has consistently come top of the list, so we are excited that we will be able to offer the channel to our customers. We think that offering a dedicated sports channel in our package will offer an exciting option to Freeview customers.”
Laurent-Eric Le Lay, general manager of broadcast at Eurosport, added: “We are pleased to add British Eurosport to this growing pay-TV platform, and to be able to offer its subscribers our extensive range of live sports content that they have not previously had access to. The Top Up TV deal will extend the audience to our channel, as well as ensuring that we are present on all the pay TV platforms in the UK. We see it as a further opportunity to cement our position in the UK as the key sports channel provider for ‘basic’ pay TV packages.”
Speculation was raised last week over which channel would fill Top Up’s airspace, after E4 was moved to Freeview in time for the launch of Big Brother six (see Channel 4 Gears Up For Biggest Ever Brother). However, many believed that a more generic entertainment channel, such as Sky One, Paramount Comedy or Living TV would be chosen to fill Top Up’s channel line-up (see Top Up TV Channel Talks Near Completion).
Top Up TV: 08700 543 210 www.topup.tv