Match! Game
A Russian pay television channel focused on sports programming and live sporting events.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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History
Match! Game began broadcasting on April 4, 2011, when the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company launched the service as Sport-2. It was established as a Russian pay television channel with a sports-focused programming remit. The early service carried coverage of domestic and international sporting events and complemented live broadcasts with magazine and studio content. The channel's documented programming during its early years covered a broad range of sports. Football output included the Football Championship of the National League. Other broadcasts included the 2011 Russian Biathlon Championship, Russian men's and women's volleyball championships, the 2011 European Figure Skating Championships, and the 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships. The channel also showed the Russian Bandy Super League and motorsport competitions including the Russian Circuit Racing Series and the SMP Formula 4 Championship. Its non-event schedule included Vsyo Vklyucheno, translated as Everything Included, a program originating from Russia-2. On August 13, 2012, Sport-2 was renamed Sport. This was the first major public identity change recorded in the channel's history. The new name continued to present the service as a dedicated sports outlet while separating it from the numbered Sport-2 designation used at launch. A second major transition occurred in October 2015, when Gazprom-Media acquired the channel. The acquisition brought the service into Gazprom-Media's media portfolio and preceded a further reorganization of its public identity. On January 25, 2016, the channel was renamed Match! Game. The new name connected it with the Match! sports-media branding used by Gazprom-Media. The available reference describes Match! Game as broadcasting in standard-definition 4:3 format. It identifies the service as a Russian pay TV channel but does not provide enough information to confirm its current distribution, present schedule, headquarters, management, or operational status. Accordingly, the channel's historical development is clear through its three documented names—Sport-2, Sport, and Match! Game—while its current condition remains unverified.
- 2016
Match! Game identity introduced
[1]The channel was renamed Match! Game on January 25, 2016.
- 2015
Gazprom-Media acquisition
[1]Gazprom-Media acquired the channel in October 2015.
- 2012
First channel rebrand
[1]Sport-2 changed its name to Sport on August 13, 2012.
- 2011
Sport-2 launches
[1]The All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company founded and launched the Russian sports pay TV channel under the name Sport-2 on April 4, 2011.
Products and positioning
A Russian pay television channel positioned around sports-event coverage, sports programming, and access to competitions across football, biathlon, volleyball, figure skating, athletics, bandy, and motorsport.
Pay television sports channel · 2011
Match! Game television channel
The core offering is a Russian pay television channel devoted to sports programming. Its documented schedule included live and recorded coverage of football, biathlon, volleyball, figure skating, athletics, bandy, and motorsport, as well as sports-oriented magazine and studio content. The channel is described in the reference as using standard-definition 4:3 broadcasting.
Sports television program
Vsyo Vklyucheno
Vsyo Vklyucheno, translated as Everything Included, was a documented program associated with the channel's earlier Sport identity. The program originated from Russia-2 and formed part of the channel's non-event sports programming alongside its competition broadcasts.
Brand decisions
2016
Rename Sport as Match! GameStrategyBackground
Following Gazprom-Media's October 2015 acquisition, the channel was incorporated into the group's Match! sports-media identity.
Action taken
The channel was renamed Match! Game on January 25, 2016.
Aftermath
The service became known by the Match! Game name, although the available reference does not document its later distribution or operational status.
2015
Gazprom-Media acquisitionM&ABackground
The channel was operating as Sport when Gazprom-Media acquired it in October 2015.
Action taken
Gazprom-Media acquired the channel.
Aftermath
The acquisition was followed by a rebranding as Match! Game in January 2016.
2012
Rename Sport-2 as SportStrategyBackground
The channel had operated under the Sport-2 name since its launch in April 2011.
Action taken
The service changed its name to Sport on August 13, 2012.
Aftermath
The channel continued as a sports-focused pay television service under the Sport identity until its subsequent ownership and branding transition.
Recent events
- 2016
Sport is renamed Match! Game[1]
Other
The channel adopted the Match! Game name on January 25, 2016, following its acquisition by Gazprom-Media.
- 2015
Gazprom-Media acquires the channel[1]
M&A
Gazprom-Media acquired the sports channel in October 2015, according to the reference account.
- 2012
Sport-2 is renamed Sport[1]
Other
The channel changed its public name from Sport-2 to Sport on August 13, 2012.
- 2011
All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company launches Sport-2[1]
Product launch
The broadcaster founded a Russian pay television sports channel under the name Sport-2 on April 4, 2011.
Sources2 sources
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