ESPN celebrates 10 years of ESPN Classic in Europe
ESPN is celebrating ten years of broadcasting in Europe as ESPN Classic celebrates a decade on air.
The channel has brought fans some of sport’s greatest moments, memories and legends from the world’s most famous and iconic events. ESPN Classic aired its first programme in France on March 4th 2002, screening the 1983 French Open Final between Yannick Noah and Mats Wilander.
ESPN Classic is now among the leading sports channels with five networks spanning the UK, France, Italy and pan-European and Middle Eastern feeds. The network is available in more than 40 countries, securing agreements with global sporting associations, such as FIFA, UEFA, IRB and movie film production companies, such as Paramount, Fox and Warner.
“After a decade of broadcasting in France, ESPN Classic has earned its place in the minds of sports fans by providing viewers with a diverse range of timeless sporting moments around contemporary events. This has evolved along the way to create a unique identity that enlightens the viewers’ experience. It has established an identity as a place where fans can find context and a celebration of the culture, legends and heritage of sport” said Ross Hair, Managing Director, ESPN, Europe, Middle East and Africa.
The broadcaster say their success has been down to bringing context and perspective to the contemporary sporting landscape and that ESPN Classic continues to offer its viewers a unique insight to the heritage of sport.
Programming has screened some of the world’s major sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup, the Tour de France, France’s Six Nations Grand Slam triumph in 2010, as well as the country’s hosting of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
