Sports radio network TalkSport has partnered with LG Channels, FireTV, Apple TV, Google TV, and Samsung TV Plus, bringing its sports coverage to the majority of smart TVs in the UK.
The move will see TalkSport launch a 24/7 FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channel on LG Channels and Samsung TV Plus, while debuting a new app on FireTV, Apple TV, and Google TV, with more partners due to be announced in the coming weeks.
“TalkSport is one of the biggest sports media brands in the world, with audiences hungry for its brilliant presenters and pundits, breaking news and always-contentious opinion,” said Scott Taunton, EVP, President Broadcasting at News UK. “Making TalkSport available through this raft of smart TV partnerships, broadcasting from our state-of-the-art audio-visual studios, underlines our commitment to innovate and drive a new chapter of growth as TalkSport celebrates its 25th birthday.”
TalkSport will also launch a slate of original video programming, including weekly women’s football show The Kick Back and club-specific shows Inside Devils, Inside Gooners, and Inside Chelsea. These will be joined by the Final Whistle show and the introduction of TalkBoxing.
Launch partners already signed up include Monzo, the sponsor of TalkSport’s Live Transfer Deadline Day show with Jim White on Monday 3 February.
All programmes will be distributed across smart TV, radio, and YouTube, where the network already attracts 150 million monthly views.
“TalkSport is already a huge hit on YouTube – attracting over 150 million views of its brilliantly visualised content every month,” said Liam Fisher, Head of TalkSport. “These partnerships with the leading smart TV operators in the UK open the door to new audiences and ensure fans can experience the very best in sports content like never before. Our peerless line-up – including Alan Brazil, Ally McCoist, Jeff Stelling, Simon Jordan, Jim White, Lianne Sanderson, Andy Goldstein, Darren Bent, and Shebahn Aherne – will be available on the big screen in high definition. You have been warned!”
*News UK (owner of TalkSport) is a client of Bluestripe Communications, owned by Bluestripe Group, publisher of NDA
