ESPN says it's "not a definite" that ESPN Classic as a TV channel will not be seen anymore in Africa and that the main ESPN will remain.
Yesterday a deal was announced - to close at the end of July - by which BT in the United Kingdom takes over the running of an ESPN TV channel which belonged to the The Walt Disney Company. ESPN as far as TV channels are concerned, is considering retracting from the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.
UPDATE Tuesday 25 Feb 22:40 - ESPN explains what exactly is going on and happening with each of the ESPN channels as seen in South Africa and its future.
ESPN Classic which is seen on DStv on MultiChoice does not form a part of this deal and ESPN is said to consider close down that channel. The ESPN channel's deal with BT does not extend to Africa, but what exactly that means for Africa and South Africa, is also not very clear.
The Disney-owned ESPN said in May 2012 that it was considering exiting a number of international TV markets as a result of the growing costs of acquiring live sporting rights.
Yesterday ESPN said that the main ESPN America TV channel will no longer be distributed anymore outside of America in Europe, Africa and the Middle East (only a version of it and only in the United Kingdom).
Now ESPN is clarifying somewhat what it means for the South African and Africa market.
Yesterday ESPN issued no statement to spell out and clarify exactly what the implications are for both of these American sports channels within and from an African context, and ESPN did not respond to media enquiries asking specifically about the implications of the BT deal, and how that is affecting viewers in Africa.
But now ESPN is responding. Paul Melvin, the director of communications for ESPN for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region (EMEA) says: "Separate from the agreement with BT in the United Kingdom, there is a proposal to wind down ESPN Classic across Europe, the Middle East and Africa region and the non-UK ESPN America channel feeds across Europe."
"However at this stage that is a proposal, and is subject to the appropriate review and consultation process - so there is no definite outcome. Neither the agreement with BT or the proposal around ESPN Classic affect the ESPN channel in South Africa," according to Paul Melvin.
What this means: So the decision to close down ESPN Classic and not show that channel in Africa anymore is a proposal, meaning it could, or could not happen.
ESPN, the main American channel ... is being withdrawn from this region of which Africa forms part, although ESPN also says it is not affected.
