The Trace Sports to Trace Sport Stars name change which will be rolled out globally, was effected on 19 June on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, although the Trace Group didn't talk about and communicated the name change of the brand or gave any advance warning to the press.
The Trace Group for the first time informed the press about the name change of Trace Sports to Trace Sport Stars in South Africa on Wednesday evening 3 July - exactly two weeks after it happened.
The Trace Sport Stars name change implemented by the Trace Group starts in South Africa and Africa on DStv and in the United Kingdom on Sky and will be staggered around the world for the rest of the 130 countries where Trace Sports has carriage agreements with pay-TV operators.
Besides the name change to Trace Sport Stars, the logo is also undergoing a modification with the addition of a gold star. The name and image change of the channel comes just over a year after Trace Sports launched on DStv on 17 April 2012.
"The brand evolution reflects the editorial move to give the channel a stronger focus on stars and sport celebrities," says Trace Sport Stars.
"Together with the new brand, Trace Sport Stars is also introducing new programmes made by international award-winning producers," says the channel.
"This brand evolution starts in two of our key markets, Africa and the United Kingdom," says Olivier Laouchez, the CEO of the Trace Group which also supplies channels such as the music channel Trace Urban to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa and Africa.
"The addition of the 'Stars' component in the channel branding and the launch of new programmes will give us access to a larger, younger and more female audience," says Olivier Laouchez.
"This move will help us maintain our unique competitive advantage in the pay-TV market, providing the very first and best sport entertainment network."
