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Sport Plus Launches On Dish


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Dish Network has launched the first ever Greek Sports channel - Sport Plus.  It is currently on Free preview until Sept. 10 for Dish subs and afterwards will part of the Greek Elite package.  No idea who has launched this, I suspect either NERIT or the company that owns the International rights to the Super League.  Here is the official description of the channel from Dish:

 

 

Sport Plus is the first Greek channel to broadcast non-stop top sporting events with live Superleague Greece games, live Basketleague A1 Greece games, and other international sporting events. This channel broadcasts every Superleague home game of the following teams: Olypiacos; PAOK; Asteras Tripolis; Atromitos Athens; OFI; Skoda Xanthi; Kalloni; Veroia; and Ergotelis.

 

Its about time someone launched a sports channel, hopefully they can get the rights to air Champions League or Europa League matches for the Greek teams taking part as well as Euro qualifers so we can watch the Ethniki without resorting to online streams.

 

I hope this plans on launching in Canada at some point, I have not been able to find a website but I will continue looking.

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I am really curious as to who is behind this channel. If it was NERIT (since they last owned the rights to these matches), I would have expected some type of press release on their end. Regardless though, great news for the sports fans this season! I wonder though what will happen to this channel when NERIT eventually launches an international channel?

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I wonder though what will happen to this channel when NERIT eventually launches an international channel?

 

You mean *if* the international channel ever launches because at this point I am very skeptical about whether that will happen?!  If it is NERIT who is behind this, then the launch of Sport Plus is a very good move on their part but it also weakens their international service IMO.  From what I read and heard, a lot of people who subscribed to ERT World did so for the soccer, now that this sports channel exists there is no need to subscribe to NERIT as soccer fans will get the games via ANT1 Satellite & Sport Plus.  Also, this NERIT is a whole new beast and it appears will be quite different from ERT, I am starting to lose interest and not sure I will watch.  Two of the better shows that aired on ERT World (Stin Ygeia Sas & Diaspora) have moved to Alpha TV.

 

I think it also possible that the rights holder (TAF Sports) might be behind this, they have the rights so might as well do something with them and get back the money they paid to acquire the rights.

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I have my doubts that NERIT will be able to launch an international channel anytime soon, seeing how much difficulty they are having with their various tenders and launching N2 for that matter. You are right about NERIT being different than ERT. Thanks to Johnny Kalimeris being at the helm of Alpha, they really did take some great shows from ERT; and it was announced that they just booked "Kyriaki Sto Horio" as well, another strong show from ERT/ET3. (albeit under a new name and host) Eventually NERIT will book its own new (and hopefully interesting) shows, but it remains to be seen how they will evolve. They already started a "Stin Ygeia Sas" knockoff, but of course its not as good as the original now on Alpha, and also faces competition from another knockoff on E Channel.

 

Sports is a big draw, and NERIT sees that now even in Greece as they have decided to bid on sports rights. (some of the same people that complained ERT was wasting money on sports rights, now are changing their tunes....) I would be shocked if they let the international rights slip away from them, but then again maybe they are just so disorganized that they let it happen. I want to believe that Sports Plus is a temporary channel so the matches can be broadcast while NERIT is still figuring out what they need to figure out, but the DISH description also mentions post-game interviews and shows. Seems like something more permanent in my opinion.

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The website for Sport Plus is www.thesportplus.com

 

Through some Whois digging, the site was registered on August 7 by Sports.Comm. (www.sports-comm.gr) The Sports.comm website is pretty generic though, but it appears they provide broadcast services and mobile solutions related to sports. It appears that they have worked with NOVA in the past amongst others. Sports Plus appears to be broadcasting some Nova programing, so maybe Nova is behind this channel? If it was though, I would think they would brand it as such. (like "NOVA Sports Plus" for example) Plus it looks like NOVA related channel websites are usually registered directly by Nova parent FORTHNET. So maybe whoever is behind this channel is just licensing Nova programing to fill the channels schedules? With all this in mind, we so far know that they are using this Sports.comm company to run the channel's content, they are using some Nova content, and it appears to be based in Athens.

Edited by Grk101
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The website for Sport Plus is www.thesportplus.com

 

Nice work Grk101!

 

How did you find the website, I tried different name combinations but didn't come up with anything.  I should have known 'the' would be part of it, Greek Cinema's web address also starts with 'the'- what is with these Greek broadcasters and the word "The"?!? :huh: :D

 

I think the Sports.Comm company is a telecommunications company that the owner of Sport Plus partnered with to create the channel.  In any event, I hope this channel is a permanent one and the owner (whomever it is) adds more content, specifically qualifying games for the National team.

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How did you find the website, I tried different name combinations but didn't come up with anything.  I should have known 'the' would be part of it, Greek Cinema's web address also starts with 'the'- what is with these Greek broadcasters and the word "The"?!? :huh: :D

 

After pressing Dish Network customer service and getting a lot of generic responses, I finally got the correct one. :D

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  • 4 weeks later...

It looks like Sport Plus is coming to Canada.

 

An application from OTN was posted on the CRTC website today, requesting addition of the channel to the approved list of foreign channels.  In the list of documents filed it states that this channel airs live soccer, basketball and volleyball from Greece.  However, in the sample schedule they submitted I also see sailing as well as old super league games- how many will want to watch old games which I noticed go back at least 3 seasons?!

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HellasHab, could this be the mystery channel Bell told you they were working on getting?

 

The most interesting thing about the filing is that we found out some "Artmer LTD" controls (at least) the worldwide distribution rights for this channel. They appear to be based in Cyprus..... I can't find anything about them, but their address corresponds to some Fine Life Group that provide financial and legal services... Furthermore, the Director that signed the paperwork on behalf of Artmer, shows up working in the Accounting department for Fine Life....

 

This is all interesting, because there was a similar off-shore setup by a Cypriot lawyer for EPSILON channel under the no-name company "A-Orizon Media LTD". It equally caused suspicion as to who is behind it. So I wonder who is really behind Sport Plus? If it were Nova or even the long shot NERIT as was initially suspected, I can't see why they would go through so much trouble in setting up an off-shore company to control the channel. Also it looks like this channel is here to stay.

 

 

EDIT:

I found an article from last year, mentioning that Fine Life had bought 27% into Forthnet Group (Nova's parent), becoming the second largest stakeholder. What gets confusing, is that other articles mention that Fine Life is controlled by lawyer Fotos Pittadjis, and it was unclear if it was a legitimate financial investment on Fine Life's behalf or if he was acting on behalf of another investor. The widely reported suggestion was that he could be working on behalf of Milos, an investment company controlled by former head of WIND Hellas, Socrates Kominakis. (In a bid for a potential hostel takeover, but that is saved for another thread....)

 

I'm not sure what to make of all this. :ph34r:

Edited by Grk101
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Sport Plus will be launching in Canada on Feb. 19 on Bell Fibe, according to an ad that just started airing on Odyssey.

 

It will be interesting to see how many subscribe to this, I wonder if they will try and obtain the rights to all super league matches once they are up for renewal?!

 

Anyone from the USA who can comment on the quality of this channel, is it worth subscribing to?!  Do Super League games air in HD in Greece, if so these guys need to start airing them in HD here too.

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I'm wondering how Bell & OTN will package this channel? Will it be by itself or will it be offered with OTN?

Also will it be available on BTV? Maybe? How about Rogers? I noticed they are now carrying Greek Cinema?

 

In any case when it shows up on Bell Fibe expect to see it between 2760 & 2779.It'l probaslly be on free preview for a while. If so I'll watch it and give my opion of the channel.

 

I still can't understand why Bell Fibe has re-alined all their ethnics to the 2000 range it would make it so much easier to find  your ethnic service if they where all grouped together instead of sopread all over the place.

Edited by MCIBUS
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So come Feb 19 the Greek Line up will look like this on Bell Fibe TV(as to why they don't group them together is beyond me, would make it more easier to locate)

 

652 NGTV(Still says Skai on IPG)

653 Greek Music(still says Mad World on IPG)

888 MEGA

?889 Odyssey 1

890 Greek Cinema(Still says ERT SAT)

891 Alpha TV

892 CHTO

2760  4E

2761 RIK SAT

2762 Star

2763 Sports Plus

2779 CHIR

 

I eventually seeing the line up being like this(only a guess when they re-aline the channels)

 

2760 4E

2761 RIK SAT

2762 Star

2763 Sports Plus

?2764 ODYSSEY 1(ANT  )

2765 Mega

2766 Alpha TV

2767 NERT

2768 NGTV

2769 Greek Music

2770 Greek Cinema

2771 TBA

2772 TBA

2773 TBA

2774 TBA

2775 ANTENNA Radio

2776 Rythmos Radio

2777 Super Sports FM

2778 CHTO

2779 CHIR

 

I'm not sure what other 4 Greek Channels not on that list might come here, but who knows anything possible.

Edited by MCIBUS
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Do Super League games air in HD in Greece, if so these guys need to start airing them in HD here too.

 

I believe they do on the premium networks (OTE, NOVA) but I highly doubt we will see an HD feed here anytime soon.

 

Good news on the Canada launch though! Now the only big "piece" left is Australia....

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Well its the Feb 18. we'll see Sports Plus on Fibe tomorrow and I'll report how the PQ is and such and if any other "Mystery" Greek channels show up.Remember SKAI & MAD World popped up with out any warning.

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What leagues does Sports+ show?

 

They air Super League (they have the rights to the teams that ERT World had the rights to), Football League, A1 Basketball and some volleyball.

 

 

Hope they don't, as that would limit the live coverage of the games. I think the current arrangement with two broadcasters sharing the coverage is fine.

 

I agree, if Sport Plus were to acquire exclusive rights to the Super League then at least half the games would be shown tape delayed every week.  Exclusive rights would bring them more subscribers and expanded coverage (right now they are only available on 1 provider in the USA and 1 in Canada), which is why they are probably looking into acquiring the rights to all teams.

 

The present situation with ANT1 & Sport Plus airing games is the best for soccer fans IMO.  However, both of these broadcasters need to start airing games in HD- are any Super League matches aired in HD in Greece?!  Sport Plus should have launched in HD, what kind of sports channel launches in this day and age and broadcasts in standard definition?!  At the very least both ANT1 Satellite and Sport Plus should upgrade their signal and transmit in widescreen format if not outright HD.

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