TV4 Sport

Infobox TV channel
name = TV4 Sport
logofile = TV4 Sport logo.png logosize =
logoalt =
logo2 =
launch = March 17, 2005
closed date =
picture format =
share = 0.2%
share as of = Jul '07
share source = [citation|url=http://www.mms.se/manrapp/Månadsrapport_2007-07.xls|publisher=Mediamätning i Skandinavien|title=Månadsrapport Juli 2007]
network =
owner = TV4 AB (66.2%)
Expressen(33.8%)
slogan = "Sveriges nya Sportkanal (English: Sweden's new sportchannel)"
country = SWE
broadcast area = Sweden
headquarters = Stockholm
former names = Sport-Expressen
TV4 Sport-Expressen
replaced names =
sister names =
timeshift names =
web =
terr serv 1 = Boxer
terr chan 1 = Channel 18
sat serv 1 = Canal Digital
sat chan 1 =
sat serv 2 = Viasat
cable serv 1 = Com Hem
cable chan 1 = Analogue
Digital channel 100
cable serv 2 = Tele2Vision
cable chan 2 =
cable serv 3 = Canal Digital
cable chan 3 =
adsl serv 1 = Canal Digital
adsl chan 1 =
adsl serv 2 = FastTV
adsl chan 2 =
adsl serv 3 = Telia Digital-tv
adsl chan 3 = Channel 71

TV4 Sport is a Swedish sports television channel owned by television company TV4 AB, with the tabloid news paper Expressen owning a minor share.

Overview

The channel was originally owned by Expressen who launched the channel on March 17, 2005. It was initially available in the analogue basic package from UPC cable, the digital "Medium" package from Com Hem and the "Family" package from Canal Digital on satellite. Sports rights used by the channel included matches from the football series Superettan and the Wimbledon.

In May 2006, it was announced that TV4 AB bought a majority stake in the channel. The channel relaunched as "TV4 Sport-Expressen" with a new logo on June 1. The deal meant that Sport-Expressen could use several sports rights held by TV4, including reruns of games from the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Another change was announced in May 2007. TV4 AB had increased their ownership 66.2 percent. This will see the channel relaunch in September as "TV4 Sport". With the relaunch, it will take the space in the Com Hem basic package previously occupied by Eurosport, thereby increasing the penetration for the channel while decreasing it for a major competitor. It will also get a slightly broader content by introducing series and documentaries related to sports. [cite news|url=http://dagensmedia.se/mallar/dagensmedia_mall.asp?version=112547|title=TV4 Sport-Expressen blir TV4 Sport - Kleberg blir vd|publisher=Dagens Media|date=May 30, 2007]

The change was successful in increasing the ratings for TV4 Sport. In April 2008, TV4 Sport passed Eurosport as the most watched sports channel in Sweden. In January 2008, the channel was launched on the Viasat satellite platform. [cite news|url=http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/?p=2678|publisher=Broadband TV News|title=TV4 Sport to join Viasat packs|date=November 12, 2007]

By the end of March 2008, TV4 received a license to broadcast the channel in the Swedish digital terrestrial television network. The license was valid from April 1, but it didn't launch immediately, partly due to a disagreement between TV4 and Boxer over the pricing of the channel. TV4 Sport was finally launched on May 11, 2008, after TV4 and Boxer had reached an agreement that would make the channel available until September 30. [cite press release|url=http://www.boxer.se/?page=215&display=254:2472|publisher=Boxer|title=TV4 Sport sänds hos Boxer|date=May 9, 2008]

References