ESPN today announced it has agreed to acquire NASN, the only European channel dedicated to North American sports, from Setanta Sport Holdings Ltd and Benchmark Capital Europe. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, and the deal is expected to close early next year subject to regulatory approvals.
“Growing our business in Europe is a key strategic initiative for us,” said Russell Wolff, managing director of ESPN International. “We expect NASN, which has performed well and created a unique market position, to be a strong addition to our portfolio. ESPN has a leadership position in sports media around the world, and we look forward to bringing the same passion, quality, excitement, and insightful journalism to sports fans in Europe.”
NASN is the only network in Europe completely dedicated to North American Sports. ESPN’s future plans include bringing ESPN branding to the network. The channel today reaches over 6 million households in 26 European countries.
Source: NASN via Ray Woodward/R Netherlands Media Network)