Screensport
Screensport was a pan-European cable and satellite sports television network that broadcast from 29 March 1984 until 1 March 1993, when it merged with Eurosport. Described as Europe's first sports channel, it was owned by WHSTV — the television arm of the retailer WHSmith — which in turn owned The European Sports Network (TESN). It broadcast in multiple languages across Europe under different names in different countries: Screensport in English, TV Sport in French, Sportkanal in German and Sportnet in Dutch.
Overview and significance
Screensport was the first channel in Europe dedicated entirely to sport, predating Eurosport by five years. It was founded in 1981 by Bob Kennedy, the broadcaster who had started up BBC Radio Leicester, Sky Channel — the operator of the UK's first satellite television network, later known as Sky One — and several independent commercial radio stations. The channel's backers included the American networks ABC and ESPN, and a programming deal with Trans World International gave it access to sporting events from around the world.
Over its nine years on air, Screensport grew from a recorded-programming service into an 18.5-hour-a-day broadcaster carrying live golf, tennis, ice hockey, basketball and motor racing, and it became a significant player in the European sports-rights market before its merger with Eurosport.
Founding and launch
Screensport was founded in 1981, three years before it began broadcasting. The channel began transmission on 29 March 1984 — the same day that Thorn EMI launched Music Box and its sister channels — with Media Communications controlling the studios and transmission facilities in Knutsford, while the administration office was based in London.
In its early months, Screensport aired only recorded programming. Its first live broadcast came on 31 August 1984, when it showed live greyhound racing from Wembley Stadium, including the St Leger. Alongside American sports, the station aired regular British sports including speedway and stock cars, establishing a mix of domestic and international coverage.
Early investors and management
By late 1984, the WHSmith Television Group had purchased a 15% stake in the company, with RCA acquiring a 10% share and other investors including Ladbrokes and the pension fund of the National Coal Board. Former BBC executive Aubrey Singer was a prominent board member. From January 1986, WHSmith took over the operations and management of the channel when ABC and Bob Kennedy pulled out, and the company later renamed itself WHSTV.
The involvement of WHSmith — then primarily known as a high-street retailer and newsagent — made Screensport one of the more unusual ventures in British broadcasting history, with a retail group operating a pan-European sports channel.
Programming growth and major rights
The channel steadily expanded its sports portfolio through the 1980s. In 1987, Screensport broadcast live coverage of the US Masters golf from Augusta, along with many other PGA Tour events. Grand Slam tennis was covered in the form of the US Open, and NHL ice hockey, NBA basketball and NASCAR racing were common items on the schedule during this period.
During the 1987–88 football season, Screensport was the only source of weekly extended English Football League highlights for UK viewers. The channel signed a deal with Thames Television, which acted as the Football League's agent for international distribution, to transmit 34 recorded matches via cable and satellite. Thames produced the programme, which was called Big League Soccer.
ESPN investment and expansion
In December 1988, ESPN increased its stake in the channel from 3.5% to 25.5% after purchasing shares from WHSmith for £4.4 million. By then, Screensport had increased its sports content to the point where it could broadcast for 18.5 hours each day, with a schedule including ice hockey, skiing, golf, tennis and yachting.
The ESPN investment gave the channel the backing of the leading American sports broadcaster and reflected Screensport's growing importance in the European market. However, the channel's finances remained difficult: by the end of 1986, the station had lost £700,000 and no longer broadcast in Sweden, resulting in the loss of 100,000 customers.
The European Sports Network and four-language operation
By 1989, Screensport was renamed The European Sports Network, reflecting its pan-European identity. The channel began broadcasting on the Astra 1A satellite in 1989, following a move of its operations from the north of England to central London after taking full control of Molinare, a television services group, in May 1989.
The consolidation allowed Screensport to operate as one channel under four different names: Screensport in English, TV Sport in French, Sportkanal in German and Sportnet in Dutch. The channel operated a single video feed, with satellite viewers able to choose between multiple language feeds for commentary, and the different names flashed up during the channel ident. Collectively, the service was known as the European Sports Network.
Rivalry with Eurosport
Screensport's principal rival was Eurosport, the pan-European sports channel launched in February 1989 by the European Broadcasting Union in partnership with Sky Television. The two channels competed directly for viewers and rights across Europe. In May 1991, Screensport filed a complaint to the European Commission over Eurosport's corporate structure, which led to Eurosport being closed down briefly; the channel was saved later that month when the TF1 Group stepped in to replace BSkyB as joint owners.
The rivalry shaped both channels' strategies. In 1992, Screensport forged an alliance with ITV Sport to bid for the rights to the newly formed English Premier League, but Sky Sports and the BBC won the contract — a defeat that weakened Screensport's position in its home market.
Merger with Eurosport and closure
By early 1993, both Screensport and Eurosport were operating at a loss, and the cost of securing sports rights had risen sharply. In January 1993, the two channels proposed a merger to provide a single channel, in the hope that a combined service would become financially profitable.
The merger took place on 1 March 1993. On that day, Screensport ceased broadcasting for good, and its operations were combined with Eurosport. Following the merger, Eurosport International was co-owned by the TF1 Group, the Canal+ Group and ESPN Inc. Five days after the merger, Screensport's transponder space was taken over by RTL II.
Languages and broadcast area
Screensport broadcast across Europe and the United Kingdom in Dutch, English, Spanish, French, German and Norwegian. Its multi-language, multi-name operation was an early example of the localised pan-European broadcasting model that later became standard for international channels. The channel's ability to serve different national audiences from a single feed anticipated the practices of the satellite channels that followed it.
Legacy
Screensport's legacy is that of Europe's first sports channel and the pioneer of pan-European sports broadcasting. It demonstrated that a dedicated sports channel could sustain a multi-country, multi-language audience, and its merger with Eurosport created the single pan-European sports outlet that dominated the market through the 1990s and beyond. The channel's nine-year run, from the early days of European satellite television to the consolidation of the 1990s, charts the transformation of sports broadcasting from a national to a continental business.
Key facts
Screensport was founded in 1981 by Bob Kennedy and launched on 29 March 1984, closing on 1 March 1993 when it merged with Eurosport. It was owned by WHSTV (WHSmith), with stakes held by ABC and ESPN Inc. Its studios were initially in Knutsford with administration in London, later moving to central London after the 1989 acquisition of Molinare. It broadcast in Dutch, English, Spanish, French, German and Norwegian under the names Screensport, TV Sport, Sportkanal and Sportnet. Its programming included the US Masters golf, the US Open tennis, NHL ice hockey, NBA basketball, NASCAR racing and English Football League highlights as Big League Soccer. It broadcast on the Astra 1A satellite from 1989 and closed after losing the 1992 Premier League rights bid to Sky Sports and the BBC.
