• Sport1 GmbH is discontinuing the pay-TV channels SPORT1+ and eSPORTS1 with effect from January 1, 2025
• Sportdigital will ensure the continued existence of the established content of the pay-TV channels on the platforms
• The agreement with Sportdigital TV Sende- und Produktions GmbH is an initial success in the repositioning of Sport1 Medien AG

Ismaning | Hamburg, November 13, 2024 – Sport1 GmbH is discontinuing its pay-TV channels SPORT1+ and eSPORTS1 at the end of the year. The content of the channels is to be maintained by Sportdigital TV Sende- und Produktions GmbH on the distribution platforms via Sportdigital1+ and eSportsONE. The discontinuation of the pay-TV channels of Sport1 GmbH and the associated transaction with Sportdigital is part of the long-term strategy of Sport1 Medien AG to focus on the core business areas of free-TV (with the channel SPORT1) and digital (with the SPORT1 online and social media platforms). The transaction is therefore a first success in the recently announced repositioning of Sport1 Medien AG.

Since the launch of SPORT1+ in 2010 and eSPORTS1 in 2019, Sport1 GmbH can look back on a long and successful history of excellent cooperation with platforms and licensors. Both established channels are available in all major pay-TV packages in German-speaking countries. Sportdigital will continue to maintain the essential content of the channels to ensure content continuity for platforms, users and fans.

Sportdigital1+ plans to continue to offer top sports rights such as Major League Baseball (MLB), rugby (National Rugby League, Australian Football League, Betfred Super League), motorsports (NASCAR Cup Series) or ice hockey (Swedish Hockey League) for Sportdigital’s TV and streaming services. In addition, top football competitions such as the South American CONMEBOL Libertadores (Copa Libertadores) and the Asian AFC Champions League (One and Two) as well as the Belgian Jupiler Pro League will continue to round off the program. With eSportsONE, Sportdigital offers viewers 24-hour programming with a focus on so-called national and international eSports. With the expansion of the pay business, Sportdigital plans to show eSportsONE esports in the areas of strategy (DOTA2, Starcraft II), shooters (Counterstrike) and sports (EA FC25) as well as additional content (e.g. Fortnite, mobile games) and much more.

The launch of the two new channels of Sportdigital TV Sende- und Produktions GmbH is planned for January 1, 2025 and is subject to the approval of the relevant authorities. In the meantime, Sport1 GmbH will work closely with Sportdigital to ensure that program quality is maintained.

Andreas Gerhardt, Chief Distribution Officer and Lead Pay-TV at SPORT1 GmbH: “We are very pleased to have found the perfect partner for our pay-TV channels, their content and distribution platforms in Sportdigital. After a long and successful journey since 2010, the time has come to develop the channels elsewhere. As part of the repositioning, we believe that the operation of pay-TV channels is better suited to our partner Sportdigital. Sportdigital will continue to develop the two channels and offer them strong prospects for the future. At the same time, the transaction will enable SPORT1 to focus on its core business areas of free-TV and digital channels, so that the audience can continue to be offered a wide range of sports and entertainment content.”

Gisbert Wundram, Managing Director of Sportdigital TV Sende- und Produktions GmbH: “The expansion of our pay-TV activities in the sports sector and the associated expansion of our Sportdigital program portfolio in German-speaking countries is a very important milestone in our company's history, which we are delighted about. We would like to thank the SPORT1 management and its shareholders for their trust and will thus continue to develop the pay-TV business with our proven ‘Sportdigital philosophy’ in order to inspire even more people beyond soccer for the live sports we curate in the future!”

About Sportdigital TV Sende- und Produktions GmbH

As a specialist in sports TV channels and sports media services, Sportdigital TV Sende- und Produktions GmbH has been operating several pay-TV channels in Germany, Austria and Switzerland since 2007 from its base in Hamburg.

Its core competencies include the marketing of media services via distribution partners on all relevant media platforms, linear or non-linear, free or pay, online, live, VOD and via mobile apps. For Sportdigital, B2B partnerships with the various distribution platforms in Germany, Austria and Switzerland always come first, because these are responsible for the end customer business with Sportdigital subscribers.

Currently, Sportdigital operates four different linear pay-TV channels in the DACH region. Sportdigital FUSSBALL was and is the first linear pay-TV channel in Europe to exclusively show everything related to international football. In addition, Sportdigital TV Sende-und Produktions GmbH operates Sportdigital EDGE, an action and outdoor pay-TV sports channel, as well as a purely monothematic equestrian sports TV channel in close cooperation with ClipMyHorse, Europe's largest equestrian sports portal.

About SPORT1 MEDIEN Group

Sport1 Medien AG is an internationally operating media company based in Ismaning near Munich. With its subsidiaries Sport1 GmbH, Magic Sports Media GmbH, Match IQ GmbH and PLAZAMEDIA GmbH, the SPORT1 MEDIEN Group covers the entire value chain in the sports and entertainment sector: SPORT1 as the leading multi-channel sports platform in German-speaking countries with its TV, digital, audio and social media channels, MAGIC SPORTS MEDIA as a marketing company in the areas of betting, poker and casino, the full-service sports event and consulting agency Match IQ as a partner of federations, leagues and clubs in internationalization, matchday management and the organization of friendly matches, tournaments, training camps and trips abroad, as well as PLAZAMEDIA as a leading content solutions provider in the sports and entertainment sector for all media channels and Jackpot50 as iGaming platform operator. This market positioning offers unique opportunities for customers and partners, including advertising companies and agencies, media houses, platform providers, sports associations, leagues and clubs.

Attached are photos of Andreas Gerhardt (Copyright: SPORT1) and Gisbert Wundram (Copyright: Sportdigital) for free use in the context of editorial reporting.

Further information on the SPORT1 MEDIEN Group is available on the Group website www.sport1-medien.de verfügbar.