Extreme Sports Channel
| Programming | |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | English |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Extreme International Brand Owner - Confidential Channel Owner |
The Extreme Sports Channel is a European pay television channel that was launched from Amsterdam on 1 May 1999.[1] The idea and vision for the brand franchise and channel came from Alistair Gosling, an ambassador for action and adventure sports and founder of Extreme International a TV distributor and producer. The channel broadcasts in over 60 countries and 12 languages, and covers extreme sport and adventure sports which include surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, wakeboarding, motocross, BMX, FMX, music, gaming and fashion.
History
In 1998 Alistair Gosling, founder of Extreme International, started approaching potential investors to back the vision and plan for a new brand and TV network dedicated to extreme and adventure sports.[2] Extreme partnered with the European cable operator UPC and launched Extreme Sports Channel in the Netherlands on 1 May 1999, and in the UK in 2000.[3][4]
In 1999, Extreme launched its United States operations, and charged veteran producer, Lloyd Bryan Adams with the task of launching the channel in the US and heading up the North American presence. They launched EX TV, a branded block on Fox Sports Net in March 2012.
In 2005,[3] after launching the channel in over sixty countries, Extreme sold its stake in Extreme Sports Channel to John Malone's Liberty Global Inc. which had by then become owner of UPC. The channel was put under the mangament of Chellomedia.[3] As part of this transaction Extreme acquired the brand and have since gone onto develop the brand franchise across sports resorts, parks, destinations [5] marketing services and licensed products.
The channel launched in Poland in January 2006, followed by France in that same year.[3]
The UK version of the channel was free-to-air from launch until the summer of 2006, when a deal with BSkyB meant that it became encrypted.
On 28 September 2011 the channel began broadcasting in widescreen (16:9) format.
On 1 February 2012 the high-definition version of the channel began broadcasting in Italy.[6]
AMC Networks acquired Chellomedia on 2 February 2014. Chellomedia was rebranded by AMC Networks International on 8 July 2014.[7]
On 31 December 2015, the channel was removed from the Sky EPG.
On 31 August the Channel was sold to a new confidential owner.
References
- ^ "TV sport goes to extremes for teens". TheGuardian.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "Meet the Team". ExtremeSportsCompany.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d Chalaby, Jean K. (2009). Transnational Television in Europe: Reconfiguring Global Communications Networks. I.B.Tauris. pp. 148–149. ISBN 9780857717474.
- ^ "UPC, de grootste private kabelmaatschappij van Europa, begint volgende maand met twee nieuwe televisiekanalen, Extreme Sports Channel en Film1" (in Dutch). Trouw. 14 April 1999.
- ^ "Developer announced for derelict Sheffield Ski Village". BBC. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
- ^ "Extreme Sports Channel enters the Italian market". realscreen.com. 26 January 2012.
- ^ BroadbandTVNews.com: Chellomedia to become AMC Networks International
