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In the starting month of 2016, Sony Pictures Networks’ partnership with ESPN will get active. Two co-branded channels, Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD, are being launched on 17 January. The partners also plan to launch a digital platform under Sony ESPN brand in the middle of the calendar year.
In an interview with TelevisionPost.com’s
Sibabrata Das and Javed Farooqui , Sony Pictures Networks India CEO NP Singh talks about the value that ESPN brings to the table, how the television and digital platforms are being built, and what kind of non-live programming one can expect. While Six will continue to retain its identity, Singh also reveals that the future channels launched in sports will be branded Sony ESPN.
Edited excerpts…
Q. After selling its stake in the joint venture to Rupert Murdoch-backed Star Sports, ESPN had walked out of the Indian market in the television space. How did talks of a partnership initiate?
ESPN was looking at getting back into the Indian market (after the expiry of the non-compete period) and we were expanding our portfolio. We started talking to each other and decided to collaborate to create a strong sports entertainment network.
Q. Will we be seeing Sony Pictures Networks more aggressively playing an expansionist role in India?
This is not our first effort at expanding the sports product portfolio. We have been investing a lot in the last three years to acquire sports rights. We have virtually become the home of international football. Barring one or two properties (EPL), we have everything else including UEFA Euro 2016, 2018 FIFA World Cup, La Liga, Serie A, Copa America, and European qualifiers. Our partnership with ESPN to launch Sony ESPN channels and subsequently Sony ESPN-branded digital multi-sport app will further solidify our position as a sports network in the Indian market.
‘Sony Six is now a well-entrenched sports brand. Our intent was to retain and complement that with ESPN, hence our decision to have Sony Six and Sony ESPN. Going forward, the channels that we launch in sports will be branded Sony ESPN’
Q. Since SPN had acquired several properties and also had the coveted Indian Premier League (IPL), why did you decide to collaborate with ESPN?
ESPN brings with them a very strong global brand. It is well respected globally and in India. They also bring with them years of sports broadcasting experience. In addition, they have a lot of original content they have created globally. They bring with them a lot of studio shows.
ESPN has over 1,000 hours of programming. They bring with them their expertise to create a multi-sport app. They have a very strong editorial legacy, which complements our rights portfolio. With ESPNcricinfo, we will also be creating cricket programming for our network of channels. As of now, they bring their brand, non-live programming and expertise. However, this partnership doesn’t stop at that.
Q. Surely, ESPN brings in non-live sports programming content that will add great value. Will we also see joint bidding for sports rights like the IPL from Sony and ESPN?
First and foremost, it is the getting together of two strong brands. It is not to get funding from ESPN that drove us to a partnership. Anyways, we have been bidding aggressively for all our rights. We will leverage co-strengths with ESPN, and that’s the intent of this partnership. We can jointly do a lot of things, which will enhance the fan experience.
Q. Will you bring back ESPN’s popular show ‘Sports Center’ to India?
We have not yet firmed up plans on our sports programming strategy. We will get into evaluation and certainly look at it if it makes sense.
‘ESPN brings with them years of sports broadcasting experience. In addition, they have a lot of original content they have created globally. With ESPNcricinfo, we will also be creating cricket programming for our network of channels. As of now, they bring their brand, non-live programming and expertise. However, this partnership doesn’t stop at that’
Q. Why are you doing away with the Sony Kix brand while retaining Sony Six?
We did not want to have multiple sports brands in the market. Sony Six is now a well-entrenched sports brand. Our intent was to retain and complement that with ESPN. Therefore, we have decided to have Sony Six and Sony ESPN.
Q. In future, will you launch sports channels under the Sony ESPN or the Sony Six brand?
The future channels that we launch in sports will be branded Sony ESPN.
Q. How will you split the properties between these two brands?
All in good time. Eventually, all channels will need their own character and that’s what you will see over time, which is evolution (Currently, Sony ESPN will be the home of football and tennis. Sony Six is focusing on fight sports and basketball).
Q. Will you put IPL on Sony ESPN?
Still three months to go before the first ball is bowled in IPL 9. I have enough time to take a lot of these decisions. We haven’t decided that, but in some time we will.
‘There will be a lot of editorial content on the Sony ESPN multi-sport digital platform. The focus of that app will be editorial and not so much live. Live streaming will be on Sony Liv’
Q. When is your plan to launch new channels under Sony ESPN?
It all depends on rights acquisition. However, at times there are multiple football matches, resulting in overlapping. That’s when you feel the need for a larger sports network. When we get to that stage, we will evaluate that too.
Q. How different will the Sony ESPN multi-sport digital platform be from other platforms?
There will be a lot of editorial content on that. The focus of that app will be editorial and not so much live. Live streaming will be on Sony Liv.
Q. What kind of a revenue growth are you looking at from IPL season 9?
We are in the process of selling commercial airtime. We are looking at strong growth, but a clear picture will emerge by the middle of February. Even in the last three years, IPL viewership has continued to grow. We have also seen new category of advertisers come in last year.
www.televisionpost.com/interview/th...e-launch-in-sports-will-be-branded-sony-espn/
In an interview with TelevisionPost.com’s
Sibabrata Das and Javed Farooqui , Sony Pictures Networks India CEO NP Singh talks about the value that ESPN brings to the table, how the television and digital platforms are being built, and what kind of non-live programming one can expect. While Six will continue to retain its identity, Singh also reveals that the future channels launched in sports will be branded Sony ESPN.
Edited excerpts…
Q. After selling its stake in the joint venture to Rupert Murdoch-backed Star Sports, ESPN had walked out of the Indian market in the television space. How did talks of a partnership initiate?
ESPN was looking at getting back into the Indian market (after the expiry of the non-compete period) and we were expanding our portfolio. We started talking to each other and decided to collaborate to create a strong sports entertainment network.
Q. Will we be seeing Sony Pictures Networks more aggressively playing an expansionist role in India?
This is not our first effort at expanding the sports product portfolio. We have been investing a lot in the last three years to acquire sports rights. We have virtually become the home of international football. Barring one or two properties (EPL), we have everything else including UEFA Euro 2016, 2018 FIFA World Cup, La Liga, Serie A, Copa America, and European qualifiers. Our partnership with ESPN to launch Sony ESPN channels and subsequently Sony ESPN-branded digital multi-sport app will further solidify our position as a sports network in the Indian market.
‘Sony Six is now a well-entrenched sports brand. Our intent was to retain and complement that with ESPN, hence our decision to have Sony Six and Sony ESPN. Going forward, the channels that we launch in sports will be branded Sony ESPN’
Q. Since SPN had acquired several properties and also had the coveted Indian Premier League (IPL), why did you decide to collaborate with ESPN?
ESPN brings with them a very strong global brand. It is well respected globally and in India. They also bring with them years of sports broadcasting experience. In addition, they have a lot of original content they have created globally. They bring with them a lot of studio shows.
ESPN has over 1,000 hours of programming. They bring with them their expertise to create a multi-sport app. They have a very strong editorial legacy, which complements our rights portfolio. With ESPNcricinfo, we will also be creating cricket programming for our network of channels. As of now, they bring their brand, non-live programming and expertise. However, this partnership doesn’t stop at that.
Q. Surely, ESPN brings in non-live sports programming content that will add great value. Will we also see joint bidding for sports rights like the IPL from Sony and ESPN?
First and foremost, it is the getting together of two strong brands. It is not to get funding from ESPN that drove us to a partnership. Anyways, we have been bidding aggressively for all our rights. We will leverage co-strengths with ESPN, and that’s the intent of this partnership. We can jointly do a lot of things, which will enhance the fan experience.
Q. Will you bring back ESPN’s popular show ‘Sports Center’ to India?
We have not yet firmed up plans on our sports programming strategy. We will get into evaluation and certainly look at it if it makes sense.
‘ESPN brings with them years of sports broadcasting experience. In addition, they have a lot of original content they have created globally. With ESPNcricinfo, we will also be creating cricket programming for our network of channels. As of now, they bring their brand, non-live programming and expertise. However, this partnership doesn’t stop at that’
Q. Why are you doing away with the Sony Kix brand while retaining Sony Six?
We did not want to have multiple sports brands in the market. Sony Six is now a well-entrenched sports brand. Our intent was to retain and complement that with ESPN. Therefore, we have decided to have Sony Six and Sony ESPN.
Q. In future, will you launch sports channels under the Sony ESPN or the Sony Six brand?
The future channels that we launch in sports will be branded Sony ESPN.
Q. How will you split the properties between these two brands?
All in good time. Eventually, all channels will need their own character and that’s what you will see over time, which is evolution (Currently, Sony ESPN will be the home of football and tennis. Sony Six is focusing on fight sports and basketball).
Q. Will you put IPL on Sony ESPN?
Still three months to go before the first ball is bowled in IPL 9. I have enough time to take a lot of these decisions. We haven’t decided that, but in some time we will.
‘There will be a lot of editorial content on the Sony ESPN multi-sport digital platform. The focus of that app will be editorial and not so much live. Live streaming will be on Sony Liv’
Q. When is your plan to launch new channels under Sony ESPN?
It all depends on rights acquisition. However, at times there are multiple football matches, resulting in overlapping. That’s when you feel the need for a larger sports network. When we get to that stage, we will evaluate that too.
Q. How different will the Sony ESPN multi-sport digital platform be from other platforms?
There will be a lot of editorial content on that. The focus of that app will be editorial and not so much live. Live streaming will be on Sony Liv.
Q. What kind of a revenue growth are you looking at from IPL season 9?
We are in the process of selling commercial airtime. We are looking at strong growth, but a clear picture will emerge by the middle of February. Even in the last three years, IPL viewership has continued to grow. We have also seen new category of advertisers come in last year.
www.televisionpost.com/interview/th...e-launch-in-sports-will-be-branded-sony-espn/
