ESPN STAR Sports unveils Asia’s first broadband sports network in ESPN Player
Asia’s biggest sport content provider also launches first regional multi-sport high-definition channel in ESPN HD in Taiwan and Singapore
Singapore, 6 July 2010 – Watching sports will never be the same again as ESPN STAR Sports, Asia’s biggest sports content provider, launched ESPN Player, providing consumers with on-demand access to international world-class sports content, while offering an engaging online experience.
Launched in Singapore with SingTel, one of Asia’s leading communications groups, the brand new revolutionary broadband service is the region’s first online multi-sports service to combine video, scores, and community within a single interactive experience. ESPN Player provides fans on-demand online access to world-class sports and programming, and brings fans closer to the excitement by giving them control to decide what, where, when and how they want to watch their favourite sports.
Offering both live and library events throughout the year, ESPN Player delivers sports programming available online to fans through a rich, interactive, easy-to-use experience and access to the sports action with in-game statistics and scoreboards. In addition, this unique offering will also give consumers an exciting opportunity to watch their favourite sport while sharing comments with their friends on social networking platforms like Facebook.
In addition, ESPN STAR Sports launched two new channel offerings in ESPN HD in South East Asia and Taiwan, each localised to deliver differentiated world-class premier sports programming to their respective markets. ESPN HD harnesses top quality content from ESPN STAR Sports’ stellar line-up of premier international sports content in a format which promises to enhance viewers’ overall experience like no other. The launch on 1 July saw the Wimbledon Championship being shown in high-definition in Asia for the first time on ESPN HD.
Said Mr Manu Sawhney, Managing Director, ESPN STAR Sports, “We are driven with a single-minded aim to serve sport fans across the region by creating new, relevant and innovative offerings for them to engage with their favourite sports. Over the last few years, we have brought many such offerings to fans across the region and today, I am very pleased to announce the launch of ESPN Player and ESPN HD, which is a testament to our continued commitment to enrich the viewing experience of sport fans, and to set new benchmarks in sports consumption across the region.”
ESPN Player kicked off its launch on 1 July, showcasing a wide variety of live matches, highlights and a library of archived Wimbledon Championship content. This month, ESPN Player will feature Formula One’s British Grand Prix (10-11 July), German Grand Prix (24-25 July) and Hungarian Grand Prix (31 July-1 August). In addition, ESPN Player will showcase The Open Championship (15-18 July) and offer additional LIVE coverage from other holes on the course on demand. ESPN Player will also offer exclusive content such as the friendly match between Manchester United and the Major League Soccer (MLS) All Stars on 29 July. Fans can also look forward to watching the Community Shield (8 Aug), NCAA Football (from Sept), FA Cup (from Nov) and NCAA Basketball (from Nov), and the current Superbike World Championship, MotoGP World Championship and The One Asia Tour on ESPN Player.
ESPN HD sport programming will next feature The Open Championship (15 -19 July), the US Women’s Open (9-12 July), The One Asia Tour, Major League Baseball and the MotoGP World Championship amongst others.
ESPN Player and ESPN HD will be soon launched in other Asian markets in the upcoming months.