Sony ESPN was a sports channel owned by Sony Pictures Networks India, under licence from ESPN. Launched in April 2015 as Sony Kix, it rebranded in January 2016 to Sony ESPN.
After rival broadcaster Star (which used the ESPN brand in India until 2013) was acquired by The Walt Disney Company (which owns the ESPN brand internationally) in March 2019, it was announced on 14 March 2020 that Sony ESPN SD and HD would be discontinued on 30 March along with Sony Mix, a Hindi music channel. Sony ESPN was ultimately replaced by Sony Ten 4, which launched on 1 June 2021.
Sony Kix[]
2015–2016[]
Sony Kix was Sony Pictures Networks India's second sports channel after Sony Six, which was launched in 2012. Sony Kix was launched on 8 April 2015 in advance of Season 8 of the Indian Premier League. This launch came two days after that of sister channel AXN HD.
Sony ESPN[]
2016–2020[]
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In late 2015, ESPN re-entered the Indian subcontinent in partnership with Sony Pictures Networks India (its previous Indian venture, ESPN Star Sports, was disbanded in 2013). Therefore, the Sony Kix name turned out to be short-lived, as it was rebranded to Sony ESPN on 17 January 2016.
An HD feed was launched on the same day.
Later, on 18 July 2017, all of Sony Pictures Networks' sports channels, consisting of Sony Six and the Ten Sports Network (Ten 1, Ten 2, Ten 3 and the now-defunct Ten Golf HD) that SPN had acquired from ZEEL in March 2017, rebranded to follow this logo format, with the word Sony on top and the name of the channel in a white rectangle below.
Sony ESPN ceased broadcasting on 30 March 2020, along with its HD version and sister channel Sony Mix. These shutdowns are similar to the shutdowns of Sony Le Plex HD, Sony Rox HD and Sony Ten Golf HD on New Year’s Eve 2018. A de facto replacement, Sony Ten 4, was launched on 1 June 2021.
Part of Sony Pictures Entertainment
Indian TV channels: Hindi: Entertainment: Sony TV HD, Sony Sab HD and Sony Pal | Movies: Sony Max HD (Other), Sony Max 2 (classic movies) and Sony Wah | Kids: Sony Yay Sony Sports Network: Sony Sports Ten 1 HD, Sony Sports Ten 2 HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 HD (Tamil and Telugu), Sony Sports Ten 5 HD International channels: SET (Asia) | Sony KAL Video-on-demand: SonyLIV Defunct channels: Content production arm: Studio NEXT
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Current franchises: Chennai Super Kings | Delhi Capitals | Gujarat Titans | Kolkata Knight Riders | Lucknow Super Giants | Mumbai Indians | Punjab Kings | Rajasthan Royals | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Sunrisers Hyderabad Former franchises: Broadcasters (Indian subcontinent): |
Owners: The Walt Disney Company (80%) | Hearst Communications (20%) U.S. networks:
U.S. radio stations International: Canadian networks (Co-owned with Bell Media): Japanese networks (J Sports) Current ventures: Defunct ventures: U.S. sports broadcasting rights: Other properties: Current programming: Former programming: Notes
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