MultiChoice is announcing that the satellite pay-TV operator has received notice from ESPN that ESPN "intends to close the ESPN and ESPN Classic TV channels in Africa on 31 July 2013".
MultiChoice says it's a business decision by ESPN which is affecting all its channels in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Earlier in the week TV with Thinus reported that 31 July would be the last day for ESPN Classic (DStv 231).
The assumption was that ESPN as the main sports channel would still continue and that only ESPN Classic would be going dark. The main ESPN channel (DStv 230) will however likely cease too at the end of the month.
In May TV with Thinus reported that ESPN Classic would likely go dark by the end of July after the news broke in February and I reported that the Disney-owned ESPN is planning to exit international TV markets with big implications for South Africa.
Last year The Walt Disney Company suddenly made it painfully and abundantly clear that it doesn't care so for ESPN outside of America. The Walt Disney Company's chairman and CEO Bob Iger told investors that "ESPN's international business has never been particularly large, nor has it been a huge priority for the company".
