Sony Sports Network: Difference between revisions

| name = Sony Sports Network HD<br> (India)

| founder = [[Sony]]

| parent = [[Culver Max Entertainment]]

| picture_format = [[1080i]] [[HDTV]]<br /><small>(downscaled to [[576i]] [[4:3]] for SDTVsSDTV simulcasts)</small>

| former_names = [[TEN SportsSPORTS]] (2002-2017)<br />SONY TEN (2017-2022)<br/>SONY SIX (2012-2022)

The '''Sony Sports Network''', formerly known as the '''Sony Pictures Sports Network''' and also known as '''Sony TEN''', is a group of [[Television in India|Indian]] [[pay television]] sports channels owned by [[Sony Pictures Networks|Culver Max Entertainment]].

The original TEN Sports channel was first established on 1 April 2002 by [[Abdul Rahman Bukhatir]]. It was acquired by the [[Essel Group]] in 2010 and was added to Essel's existing Zee Sports channel, launched in 2005. After the acquisition, Zee launched two new channels, TEN Cricket and TEN Golf, and rebranded Zee Sports as TEN Action.

In August 2016, [[Sony Pictures Networks|Sony Pictures Networks India]] acquired all of the sports channels under Zee from Essel. In 2017, the networks were formally merged with Sony's existing [[Sony ESPN]] and Sony Six channels as the Sony Pictures Sports Network, with the TEN channels rebranded as Sony TEN. The channels were then rebranded as the Sony Sports Network in October 2022, with all five channels now carrying the "Sony Sports Ten" prefix.

In January 2001, Taj Television Ltd. was formed in [[Dubai]] with [[Abdul Rahman Bukhatir]] as a backer.<ref name=":03">{{Cite web |date=16 March 2004 |title=Who owns Ten Sports? |url=https://www.rediff.com/money/2004/mar/16bspec.htm |access-date=22 October 2022 |website=[[Rediff.com]]}}</ref> Bukhatir had various business interests and was known for transforming [[Sharjah Cricket Stadium|Sharjah]] as a major international cricket venue.<ref name=":03" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Borkakoty |first=Rituraj |date=3 November 2021 |title=Meet the Kerry Packer of the Arabian Gulf |url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/cricket/meet-the-kerry-packer-of-the-arabian-gulf |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=[[Khaleej Times]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> The company launched the channel as TEN Sports (as part of its Taj Entertainment Network) on 1 April 2002.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Chakraborty |first=Alokananda |date=26 March 2002 |title=TEN Sports to hit airwaves on April 1 |url=https://www.afaqs.com/news/advertising/4124_ten-sports-to-hit-airwaves-on-april-1 |access-date=22 October 2022 |website=afaqs!}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=25 March 2002 |title=Ten Sports launching 1 April |url=https://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k2/mar/mar62.htm |access-date=22 October 2022 |website=Indiantelevision.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-03-26 |title=Bukhatir's Ten Sports To Go On Air From April 1 |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/archive/bukhatir8217s-ten-sports-to-go-on-air-from-april-1/41436/ |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]] |language=en-US}}</ref> As of March 2004, the company was headed by Chris McDonald as the CEO and had 100 employees.<ref name=":03" />

In June 2005, Zee Telefilms Limited launched Zee Sports, reportedly India's first private sports channel.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 June 2005 |title=Zee launches India's first private sports channel 'Zee Sports' |url=https://www.exchange4media.com/media-tv-news/zee-launches-indias-first-private-sports-channel-zee-sports-16523.html |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=Exchange4media |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 June 2005 |title=Zee launches its sports channel |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/zee-launches-its-sports-channel-210831 |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=[[ESPNcricinfo]]}}</ref> [[Zee Entertainment Enterprises|Zee Telefilms]] acquired a 50% stake in TEN Sports for {{Indian Rupee}}800 [[crore]] [[Indian rupee|rupees]] (₹{{Crore|800}}) in 2006, and eventually acquired the remainder of its Indian operations in 2010.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Malvania |first=Urvi |date=2016-09-01 |title=ZEE sells Ten Sports to Sony for $385 mn |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/zee-sells-ten-sports-to-sony-for-385-mn-116083100446_1.html |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=[[Business Standard]] |language=en}}</ref> The sale did not include its [[Ten Sports|Pakistani operations]], which were retained by the [[Essel Group]] via theits subsidiary, Tower Sports.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Correspondent |first=Our |date=2020-07-23 |title=Indian monopoly over Pakistan Cricket broadcast rights |url=https://www.scoreline.org/indian-monopoly-over-pakistan-cricket-broadcast-rights/ |access-date=2021-09-13 |website=ScoreLine |language=en-US}}</ref>

In August 2016, [[Culver Max Entertainment|Sony Pictures Networks India]] announced its intent to acquire Zee's sports networks for US$385 million; the first phase of the sale, which included equity stakes in the holding companies Taj Television (India) Pvt. Ltd. and part of Taj TV Limited Mauritius, was completed in February 2017 for US$350 million.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Menon|first=Bindu|title=Sony Pictures acquires Ten Sports for $385 m|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/sports/sony-pictures-acquires-ten-sports-for-385-m/article9054961.ece|access-date=2021-07-16|website=@businessline|date=31 August 2016 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-02-28|title=Zee completes 1st phase of sale of TEN sports to Sony Pictures|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/zee-completes-1st-phase-of-sale-of-ten-sports-to-sony-pictures/569838/|access-date=2021-07-16|website=The Financial Express|language=en-US}}</ref> On 18 July 2017, all of Sony's sports channels in India were rebranded as Sony TEN, and the high-definition feeds of Sony TEN 2 and 3 were also launched.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|title=Sony rebrands sports business; launches 2 new HD channels|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/media/sony-rebrands-sports-business-launches-2-new-hd-channels/articleshow/59651869.cms?from=mdr|access-date=2021-07-03}}</ref> The remainder of the sale was completed in September 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=PTI |title=Zee Entertainment completes sale of TEN Sports to Sony |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/zee-entertainment-completes-sale-of-ten-sports-to-sony/article9863353.ece |access-date=2021-07-16 |website=@businessline |date=18 September 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ZEE Entertainment Completes Sale Of TEN Sports To Sony |url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/zee-entertainment-completes-sale-of-ten-sports-to-sony-2390619.html |access-date=2021-07-16 |website=Moneycontrol |language=en}}</ref>

The networks, along with new sisters Sony Six'' and [[Sony ESPN]], were branded under the umbrella name, Sony Pictures Sports Network and began to phase in a rebranding as Sony Sports in 2020.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=14 March 2020 |title=Sony Pictures Network India to shut down Sony MIX, Sony ESPN SD and HD from 30th March |url=https://dreamdth.com/sony-pictures-network-india-to-shut-down-sony-mix-sony-espn-sd-and-hd-from-30th-march-report/ |website=DreamDTH}}</ref> Sony ESPN was shut down on 30 March 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arasu |first=Basil Kannagi |title=Sony Pictures Network India to shut down Sony MIX, Sony ESPN SD and HD from 30th March |url=https://dreamdth.com/sony-pictures-network-india-to-shut-down-sony-mix-sony-espn-sd-and-hd-from-30th-march-report/ |access-date=2022-10-31 |website=dreamdth.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

On 24 October 2022, the Sony Pictures Sports Network was rebranded as the Sony Sports Network, as part of a wider rebranding of all Sony Pictures Networks channels, under the versions of the global Sony television branding. Its channels were likewise rebranded under the new prefix '''Sony Sports Ten''', and '''Sony Six''' was brought under the Ten branding for the first time as '''Sony Sports Ten 5'''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhadra |first=Soham |title=Sony Pictures Network channels get rebranded with new logos and graphics |url=https://dreamdth.com/sony-pictures-network-channels-get-rebranded-with-new-logos-and-graphics/ |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=dreamdth.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Owned Channels ==

'''Sony Sports Ten 3''' is a [[Hindi|Hindi-language]] channel that airs cricket matches from the [[Pakistan Cricket Board|Pakistan]], [[Sri Lanka Cricket|Sri Lanka]] and [[England and Wales Cricket Board|England]] cricket boards.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22132423/wicb-signs-seven-year-tv-rights-deal |title=West Indies Cricket Board production and International broadcast rights from 2012-2019 contract |work=www.espncricinfo.com}}</ref> It also broadcasts football matches.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://sports24hour.com/ten-3-broadcast-emirates-t20-live-telecast-india-uae-pakistan-country/ |title=Ten 3 Broadcast Emirates T20 Live Telecast in India, UAE, Pakistan country |first=Kartik |last=Shah |work=Sports24Hour.com |date=23 March 2017 |access-date=3 December 2017}}.</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/channel/sony-ten-3/params/tvchannel/channelid-10000000006000000 |title=Sony Ten 3 TV Programmes, Popular Shows |work=The Times of India |access-date=22 August 2017}}</ref> Sony Ten 3 and Sony Ten 3 HD broadcasts the UFC matches in the SD and HD format respectively in the Hindi language. It also broadcasts WWE with the Hindi commentary.

[[Sony ESPN|Sony KIX]] was launched on 8 April 2015, by what is now Sony Pictures Networks India, it was the second sports television channel launched by the company after [[Sony Six]]. The channel was rebranded as Sony ESPN on 17 January 2016.<ref>{{cite web |date=11 January 2016 |title=Launch date set for Sony ESPN channels in Indian subcontinent |url=https://media.sportbusiness.com/news/launch-date-set-for-sony-espn-channels-in-indian-subcontinent |website=sports business}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Choudhary |first=Vidhi |date=7 October 2015 |title=ESPN returns to India in tie-up with Sony |url=https://www.livemint.com/Companies/x7yeIqCCTrePGqbMej5R9K/MSM-to-launch-new-channels-website-on-sports.html |website=mint}}</ref>