ESPN Classic

ESPN Classic is an American digital cable and satellite television network that is owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Corporation (which owns 20%). The channel features rebroadcasts of famous sporting events, sports documentaries and sports-themed movies. Such programs include biographies of famous sports figures or a rerun of a marquee World Series or Super Bowl game, often with added commentary on the event.

As of February 2015, ESPN Classic is available to approximately 25,516,000 television households (21.9% of households with at least one television set) in the United States.

On October 1, 2014, ESPN Classic began a gradual transition into a video on demand-only service, with Dish Network becoming the first to discontinue carriage of the linear channel and carry it as a VOD service on that date. Other providers will follow suit on an unknown timetable.

History

The channel was launched in 1995 as the Classic Sports Network; it was founded by Brian Bedol and Steve Greenberg (son of Hank Greenberg), both of whom went on to launch College Sports Television (now CBS Sports Network)), with partial funding from Allen & Company. In 1997, ESPN, Inc. purchased Classic Sports Network for $175 million and relaunched it as ESPN Classic the following year. Throughout its history, dating back to its existence as Classic Sports Network, the channel's logo has incorporated a stylized silhouette intending to resemble a boxer.

ESPN Classic (Italy)

The Italian version of ESPN Classic launched on July, 2002 on Tele+ Digitale (now SKY Italia on Channel 216), the first channel in Italy under the ESPN branding. It broadcasts a range of archive sports coverage, with an emphasis on Soccer, Boxing, Cycling and much more. Offer also a Video on demand service on TV di FASTWEB service. The channel ceased operations on July 31st 2013 due to decision of ESPN to close all channels in Europe, Africa and Middle East.

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ESPN Classic (Canada)

ESPN Classic is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by CTV Speciality Television Inc. (Bell Media (80%) and ESPN (20%). ESPN Classic broadcasts a range of archive sports coverage, talk shows, documentaries and films.

History

ESPN Classic was licensed as Classic Sports in November 2000 by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), and was launched on September 7, 2001 as ESPN Classic Canada. A few years after its launch, "Canada" was dropped from its name and logo to "ESPN Classic". ESPN Classic is the only ESPN-branded channel broadcasting in Canada, although in addition to owning a stake in the Canadian version of ESPN Classic, ESPN is part-owner of TSN (which uses on-air branding similar to the flagship ESPN channel in the U.S.), along with Bell Media.

Programming

ESPN Classic features various archive sporting events including hockey, Canadian football, basketball, curling, boxing and various other sports events as well as other sports related programming including films.