ESPN which is removing its ESPN channels - ESPN and ESPN Classic - from MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform at the end of the month, is going to have to continue to provide DStv with certain ESPN programming such as golf, the US Open Tennis tournaments, NCAA basketball, the X Games, motorsport, boxing and ESPN documentary films.
ESPN is pulling its channels from Africa, the Middle East and Europe which means the end of these channels on pay-TV operators' channel line-ups like DStv.
Yet ESPN has/had a standing contract with MultiChoice and other pay-TV operators - and were strongly reminded of that.
The past few weeks since ESPN made the announcement, there's been a to-and-fro regarding the issue behind-the-scenes and now a not so preferable, but workable plan B: shifting ESPN content to SuperSport channels on DStv.
TV with Thinus asked SuperSport last week whether it is in talks with ESPN to take over ESPN content or rights to programming which ESPN holds. SuperSport said MultiChoice is the party engaging with ESPN.
MultiChoice and ESPN is now announcing that ESPN will continue to provide DStv audiences across sub-Saharan Africa with some of the ESPN content which used to be on the ESPN channels, and making it available on certain SuperSport channels.
MultiChoice says the pay-TV operator will still communicate the relevant channel numbers and broadcast times of this continued ESPN programming.
Golf such as the US Open Golf and PGA Tour events, tennis such as the US Open Tennis tournaments, NCAA basketball (regular season, conferece and March madness), NCAA football (regular season and superbowl),motorsport (NASCAR and Indy Car), boxing, the X Games and ESPN documentary films will now move onto SuperSport channels.
"MultiChoice is also in discussion with the relevant rights holders to acquire other popular sport programmes previously broadcast on ESPN," says MultiChoice in a statement. "This includes basketball, baseball, American football and soccer."
