Šport

Šport is a Slovak sports television channel operated by STVR, Slovakia's state-funded public broadcaster. It began broadcasting on 20 December 2021, returning sports-channel programming to the Slovak public-service broadcasting system roughly a decade after the closure of the earlier channel Trojka. The channel was created to provide a dedicated home for sports rights held by the public broadcaster and to broaden the range of sports content available to Slovak audiences. The channel's development followed an earlier attempt by the broadcaster's predecessor, Slovenská televízia, to establish a sports service. That channel, Trojka, began broadcasting on 8 August 2008 but ceased operations on 31 May 2011 because of financial constraints. A new sports channel was considered again around 2020. The relaunch process was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and by the postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympics, which caused several changes to the proposed timetable. Test transmissions were reportedly considered for May 2021, but the final launch took place later in the year. On 25 November 2021, RTVS announced that the new service would launch under the name Šport on 20 December 2021. At launch, the channel was intended to make use of the broadcaster's sports-rights portfolio and to provide a substantial schedule of live and recorded sporting events. Plans for the 2022 calendar year called for approximately 3,600 hours of sports coverage, alongside programming focused on healthy lifestyles and documentaries about Slovak sporting figures. The launch operating budget was reported as approximately €11 million for the channel; this figure relates to the reported launch period rather than a current annual budget. Šport's role is broader than that of a purely event-based sports outlet. Its programming concept combines live competitions, sports news and analysis, feature material, historical or biographical documentaries, and lifestyle content. The focus reflects the public-service mission of its owner: in addition to carrying sports that attract large national audiences, the channel can give visibility to Slovak athletes, domestic competitions, and disciplines that may receive less space on commercial television. The channel belongs to the public broadcaster's television portfolio rather than operating as an independent commercial company. RTVS was the operator at the time of launch; following the institutional reorganization that created STVR in 2024, Šport became part of the STVR broadcasting group. Its principal market is Slovakia, and its programming is primarily intended for Slovak viewers. The supplied reference material does not establish a separate international distribution strategy, a current executive roster, or a current financial performance record.

Šport is the dedicated sports television channel of Slovakia's public-service broadcaster. It launched on 20 December 2021 under RTVS and later became part of STVR following the reorganization of the Slovak public broadcaster. The service was established to provide a continuous public-service platform for sports rights, sports journalism, athlete profiles, documentaries, and lifestyle content. Its institutional background reaches back to Trojka, an earlier Slovak public-service sports channel. Trojka began broadcasting on 8 August 2008 under the predecessor system associated with Slovenská televízia. The channel was intended to expand the broadcaster's sports offering, but it stopped broadcasting on 31 May 2011 because the broadcaster could not sustain its budget. The closure left the public-service system without a dedicated sports channel for roughly ten years. The idea of restoring such a service was revisited around 2020. The proposed relaunch encountered delays connected with the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games. Because major sports events and their schedules were disrupted, the channel's expected timetable changed several times. Test transmissions were considered for 17–20 May 2021, and subscription-television operators were reportedly informed about that possibility, but the service did not formally launch during that window. On 25 November 2021, RTVS publicly announced the new name, Šport, and set 20 December 2021 as the launch date. The concept was not limited to a stream of live competitions. For 2022, the broadcaster planned roughly 3,600 hours of sports events from its rights portfolio. It also planned programmes about healthy living and documentaries focused on Slovak sporting legends. The reported launch operating budget was €11 million, a figure associated with the channel's establishment and early operations. The service's public-service positioning distinguishes it from a narrowly commercial sports network. Its intended role is to make sports coverage available through the national broadcaster while supporting Slovak athletes, domestic sporting culture, and educational or lifestyle themes. Event coverage forms the core of the schedule, but documentary and magazine formats allow the channel to present context, history, and personal stories around sport. Šport operates primarily for audiences in Slovakia. The supplied reference material does not identify a founder, a separately incorporated legal entity, named channel executives, or an independently reported revenue stream. The channel should therefore be understood as a broadcasting brand within the STVR group rather than as a separately listed company or standalone consumer-product corporation.

• 2024

  Transfer into the STVR structure

  [1]Šport (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  After the public broadcaster's institutional transition from RTVS to STVR, Šport continues within the new broadcaster's television portfolio.

• 2021

  RTVS announces Šport

  [1]Šport (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  RTVS announces on 25 November that the new sports service will launch under the name Šport on 20 December.

• 2021

  Šport launches

  [1]Šport (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  Šport begins broadcasting on 20 December as a dedicated sports channel in Slovakia's public-service television portfolio.

• 2020

  A new public-service sports channel is reconsidered

  [1]Šport (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The Slovak public broadcaster revisits the idea of creating a dedicated sports channel, although the project is subsequently affected by pandemic-related disruption and Olympic postponement.

• 2011

  Trojka closes

  [1]Šport (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  Trojka ends its broadcasts on 31 May 2011 because of budget limitations.

• 2008

  Trojka begins broadcasting

  [1]Šport (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor public-service sports channel Trojka starts broadcasting in Slovakia on 8 August 2008.

A Slovak public-service sports channel combining live event coverage with sports journalism, documentaries, national sporting stories, and healthy-lifestyle programming.

• Sports television channel · 2021

  Šport television channel

  The core Šport service is a Slovak public-service television channel devoted to sports. Its schedule is designed around live and recorded event coverage, supplemented by sports journalism, analysis, documentaries, athlete profiles, and programmes connected with healthy living. The channel uses sports rights held by the public broadcaster and is intended primarily for viewers in Slovakia.

• Documentary programming · 2021

  Sports documentaries and athlete profiles

  Šport's planned programming mix includes documentaries about Slovak sporting legends and feature material that places sporting events and careers in a broader historical and cultural context. These programmes extend the channel beyond live competition and support its public-service role.

• Lifestyle television · 2021

  Healthy-lifestyle programming

  The channel's launch concept included programmes related to healthy lifestyles. This strand complements event coverage with public-interest content about physical activity, wellbeing, and participation in sport.

• 2021

  Launch of the Šport channelProduct launch

  Background

  RTVS sought to restore a dedicated public-service sports channel after the closure of Trojka in 2011. Earlier launch planning was disrupted by the pandemic and the postponement of the Olympic Games.

  Action taken

  RTVS announced the Šport name on 25 November 2021 and launched the channel on 20 December 2021.

  Aftermath

  Šport became the public broadcaster's dedicated sports outlet, combining event rights with documentary, lifestyle, and Slovak sports programming.

  Reported launch operating budget. €11 million (At launch in 2021; reported in connection with the channel's early operations)

  Source

1. 1Šport (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2RTVS television websitertvs.sk