ESPN America

ESPN America was a British-based European sports television brand that specialized in North American professional and college sports. It began broadcasting on 5 December 2002 under the name North American Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as NASN. The channel was created to serve viewers outside North America who wanted regular access to leagues and competitions that were often difficult to find on general European sports networks, including Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, National Collegiate Athletic Association competitions and the Canadian Football League. The service operated as a 24-hour digital cable and satellite channel. Its ownership initially involved Setanta Sports and Benchmark Capital Europe. In late 2006, the owners agreed to sell the network to ESPN, and the transaction was completed in March 2007 for a reported €70 million. Following the acquisition, ESPN programming that had previously disappeared from the NASN schedule returned, including studio and magazine shows such as Baseball Tonight, Around the Horn, The Sports Reporters and Pardon the Interruption. The channel adopted the ESPN America name on 1 February 2009, timed to coincide with Super Bowl XLIII. Although its branding changed, its editorial focus remained centered on North American sport rather than becoming a broad European sports outlet. Its schedule differed by territory. The British, Irish and Nordic feeds emphasized Major League Baseball, college football, college basketball, college ice hockey, arena football and lacrosse. Feeds serving continental Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Iceland also carried selected National Football League programming. The channel supplemented live events with studio analysis, highlight programmes and sports documentaries, including ESPN Films' 30 for 30 series. ESPN America expanded its technical and editorial offering during the early 2010s. It moved to a 16:9 widescreen presentation in October 2009. High-definition versions were introduced in several markets, beginning with the Nordic Canal Digital platform in March 2010 and followed by launches in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany and Italy. A European edition of SportsCenter began in March 2010, initially airing five days a week from ESPN's United States facilities. The localised format was later replaced by an edited version of an American SportsCenter broadcast, reflecting a shift toward centralised production. The network's rights portfolio changed over time. Its live and delayed National Hockey League coverage was not renewed for the United Kingdom, Ireland and Nordic countries after the 2011–12 season, although NHL coverage continued in selected continental European markets such as Germany. The American Hockey League was subsequently added for some territories. ESPN America also carried distinctive one-off and specialty events, including the Little League World Series and the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. ESPN's European television strategy changed in 2013. On 25 February of that year, BT Group agreed to acquire ESPN's UK and Ireland television channels business, including ESPN America. The transaction did not preserve ESPN America as a standalone service. At midnight on 1 August 2013, the channel ceased operations. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, much of its North American sports content moved to ESPN's local service, which later became BT Sport ESPN and is now associated with TNT Sports, while other programming was incorporated into BT Sport. In Germany, rights were transferred to Sport1 US. Some digital live and on-demand programming remained available through ESPN Player. ESPN America therefore survives as a historical sports-media brand rather than an active television channel.

ESPN America originated as the North American Sports Network, or NASN, launching on 5 December 2002 as a specialist European pay-TV service. Its purpose was to aggregate professional and collegiate sports from the United States and Canada for viewers in markets where North American competitions were not consistently available on mainstream sports channels. The initial schedule included Major League Baseball, the NBA, NCAA sports and the Canadian Football League, delivered around the clock through digital cable and satellite platforms. The network was associated with Setanta Sports and Benchmark Capital Europe during its early development. Its business model depended heavily on acquiring television rights and distributing a concentrated schedule across multiple European territories. A reported £11.6 million MLB rights agreement in March 2006 illustrated the importance of premium live sport to the service. Programming varied by country because rights availability and platform agreements differed between the United Kingdom, Ireland, Nordic countries and continental European markets. ESPN became the decisive owner in 2007. Setanta Sports and Benchmark Capital Europe agreed to sell the network in late 2006, and the transaction was completed in March 2007 for a reported €70 million. The acquisition returned several ESPN-produced shows to the channel, including Baseball Tonight, Around the Horn, The Sports Reporters and Pardon the Interruption. On 1 February 2009, the service was renamed ESPN America, aligning the network more visibly with its new parent while preserving its North American editorial identity. Under the ESPN America brand, the network carried a broad but specialized mix of live games, delayed events, highlights and studio programmes. Depending on the feed, viewers could watch MLB, NCAA football and basketball, college ice hockey, arena football, lacrosse and selected NFL programming. It also aired events with a distinctive North American character, such as the Little League World Series and the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. ESPN Films' 30 for 30 documentary series added long-form storytelling to the schedule. The service invested in presentation and distribution during the early 2010s. It introduced widescreen broadcasting in October 2009 and launched HD feeds on several European platforms from March 2010 onward. A European edition of SportsCenter began in March 2010, produced from ESPN's United States operations and initially scheduled five days per week. By 2012 ESPN had moved toward an edited American SportsCenter feed rather than maintaining a separately produced European edition, indicating greater reliance on centralized content production. Rights changes affected the channel's territorial proposition. ESPN America lost NHL rights in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Nordic countries after the 2011–12 season, although it retained NHL coverage in certain continental European markets, including Germany. The American Hockey League was added in some territories as a replacement. These changes demonstrated that ESPN America was not a single uniform pan-European feed but a family of regionally adjusted services. The channel's life ended during a wider restructuring of sports television in the United Kingdom and Ireland. On 25 February 2013, BT Group agreed to purchase ESPN's UK and Ireland television business, including ESPN America. At midnight on 1 August 2013, ESPN America stopped broadcasting. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, much of its content moved to the local ESPN service, later known as BT Sport ESPN and subsequently associated with TNT Sports, while other material was integrated into BT Sport. In Germany, rights moved to Sport1 US. ESPN Player provided digital live and on-demand access to much of the content for a period after the linear channel closed. ESPN America is consequently a defunct channel brand whose historical significance lies in creating a dedicated European distribution platform for North American sport.

• 2013

  Channel closes after BT transaction

  [1]ESPN Americaen.wikipedia.org

  BT Group agrees to acquire ESPN's UK and Ireland television business, and ESPN America ceases operations on 1 August.

• 2010

  Widescreen and HD expansion

  [1]ESPN Americaen.wikipedia.org

  The network adopts 16:9 presentation and expands HD distribution across European television platforms.

• 2009

  ESPN America brand introduced

  [1]ESPN Americaen.wikipedia.org

  NASN is renamed ESPN America on 1 February.

• 2007

  ESPN acquisition completed

  [1]ESPN Americaen.wikipedia.org

  ESPN completes its purchase of the network from Setanta Sports and Benchmark Capital Europe.

• 2006

  Major League Baseball rights deal

  [1]ESPN Americaen.wikipedia.org

  NASN pays a reported £11.6 million for rights to show ten live MLB games per week.

• 2002

  North American Sports Network launches

  [1]ESPN Americaen.wikipedia.org

  The channel begins broadcasting on 5 December as NASN, a 24-hour European service focused on professional and collegiate sports from the United States and Canada.

A specialist European pay-TV destination for professional and collegiate sports from the United States and Canada, positioned around depth of coverage rather than broad multi-sport European programming.

• Pay television sports channel · 2002

  ESPN America linear channel

  The core ESPN America service was a 24-hour digital cable and satellite channel built around live and delayed coverage of professional and collegiate sports from the United States and Canada. Its exact schedule varied by territory, but major properties included MLB, NCAA competitions, selected NFL programming, hockey, lacrosse and studio analysis. The channel operated in multiple European, Middle Eastern and North African feeds before closing in 2013.

• High-definition television feed · 2010

  ESPN America HD

  The HD version extended the channel's North American sports programming to high-definition platforms. It launched first on Canal Digital in the Nordic region in March 2010 and later appeared on platforms in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany and Italy. The HD service was part of the wider ESPN America channel operation and ended when the linear brand closed.

• Digital live and on-demand sports

  ESPN America digital coverage

  After the linear channel's closure, much of the relevant live and on-demand North American sports coverage remained available digitally through ESPN Player for a period. This offering was not a separate league or channel brand but an online continuation of access to a substantial portion of ESPN America's programming proposition.

• 2013

  Sell the UK and Ireland television business to BT GroupM&A

  Background

  ESPN reorganized its television presence in the United Kingdom and Ireland, while BT Group was expanding its sports broadcasting activities.

  Action taken

  BT Group agreed to acquire ESPN's UK and Ireland television business, including ESPN America, on 25 February 2013.

  Aftermath

  ESPN America ceased broadcasting on 1 August 2013. Content and rights were redistributed among BT Sport-related services and other regional broadcasters, including Sport1 US in Germany.

  Reported transaction value. Undisclosed; reported in the low tens of millions of pounds (2013)

  Source

• 2009

  Rebrand NASN as ESPN AmericaStrategy

  Background

  Following ESPN's acquisition of the network, the existing NASN identity was replaced with a brand connected to ESPN's international sports-media portfolio.

  Action taken

  The channel adopted the ESPN America name on 1 February 2009.

  Aftermath

  The service retained its specialist North American sports positioning while gaining stronger visual and corporate alignment with ESPN.

  Source

• 2007

  Acquire the North American Sports NetworkM&A

  Background

  ESPN sought a European distribution platform for North American sports content, while NASN already had a specialized rights portfolio and established pay-TV carriage.

  Action taken

  ESPN completed the purchase of NASN from Setanta Sports and Benchmark Capital Europe in March 2007.

  Aftermath

  The network remained focused on North American sports, but ESPN programming returned to its schedule and the service was later rebranded ESPN America.

  Reported acquisition price. €70 million (2007)

  Source

1. 1ESPN Americaen.wikipedia.org