ESPN in Africa

ESPN reaches 70 countries in the Middle East and Africa via the leading operators in the region, ART which serves the Middle East and Multichoice which serves Sub-Saharan Africa. ESPN also offers a separately programmed network for viewers in Israel, where ESPN is available to more than 90% of all television households.

In 2002, ESPN launched its first branded television channel in Europe, ESPN Classic. ESPN Classic is currently available in 23 million households in over 43 countries across Europe and can be seen in English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Turkish and Dutch. ESPN Classic became ESPN’s first dedicated sports channel in the United Kingdom when it launched in 2006. ESPN Classic was launched a Middle East and Africa feed in May 2008, reaching a further 2 million subscribers. In February 2007, ESPN acquired NASN, the only European network dedicated to North American sports. The name of the network was re-branded to ESPN America in February 2009. The network airs over 800 live and as-live sports events each year, including those from the National Hockey League, the National Football League, Major League Baseball and NCAA. ESPN America is available in 14 million households, in over 43 European countries. ESPN America launched a Middle East feed in June 2008, reaching a further 500,000 subscribers in 19 countries across the Gulf.