Sky Sports
The sports channels known as Sky Sports are part of the larger Sky Digital TV servicing United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland exclusively. British sports became a lot more popular since the launching of Sky Sports channels in 1990, given the fact that with the exclusivity rights for the Premier League and Football Leagues the channel touched on quality television making. Sky Sports include four distinct channels: 1,2,3 and an Xtra option that comes as a premium television package, additional to the basic options. Moreover, Sky Sports is also available with any satellite and cable TV service provider from UK or Ireland.
Sky Sports was not part of the initial Sky Television plan and it was originally started as part of the British Satellite Broadcasting division. It’s cousing in the Sky TV family was Eurosport that the company promoted together with other three original Sky channels. With the merging decision between Sky and British Satellite Broadcasting in 1990 Sky Sports began a new phase of evolution, the program underwent re-branding and a logo addition, with the broadcaster choosing its encryption as a means to trigger subscription usage. In the fight for transmission rights for football leagues with BBC and ITV, Sky Sports won by making a very convenient bid.
Thus, in 1993, Sky Sports increased its popularity for broadcasting the FA Premier League Football exclusively. Another event that marked the development of Sky Sports was the introduction of Soccer AM, a morning chat show that had all the international football events under discussion. Thanks to the success of the show Sky Sports still produces it today with Max Rushden as a presenter. Soccer AM remains a media phenomenon bringing the name of the Sky Sports channel group to a level of fame unprecedented before in the history of the company.
From 1998, Sky Sports switched to the digital broadcasting mode, and this change was doubled by the launch of two other Sky Sports channels from the same family: Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Xtra. The interactive features were the most appealing and newest at the time when the digital system was introduced, meaning that the viewers had the opportunity to select the camera they viewed during matches. The interactive mode find applications in other sports too, being known as Sky Sports Active. Among the sports events added on the broadcasting list we can name horse racing and cricket. From 2007, the Irish network Setanta Sports also has the right to broadcast Premier League football, thus breaking the monopole held by Sky Sports.