Ten Sports, the six-year-old channel, has shifted its distribution and network platform to Zee Turner India Pvt Ltd, a unit of the Zee group.
The channel was launched in India first by Modi Entertainment Network, the Lalit Modi outfit that also brought ESPN to India. After three years, distribution was then entrusted to The One Alliance (now called MSMD) again for three years.
Ten said the current distribution deal with Zee Turner will be beneficial to both Zee Turner, which will adds a strong sports channel to its bouquet of 32 channels, and to Ten Sports, which will be able to leverage Zee’s reach.
Zee Telecom’s bouquet includes Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Cartoon Network, Pogo, and a clutch of regional channels that reach even the most remote of markets.
Rukin Kizibash, general manager of Taj Television India Pvt Ltd, Ten’s parent company, said Ten enjoys the highest viewership share in the sports genre and has done so for a over four years in a row now.
“As far as Indian cricket is concerned, viewers can look forward to the India tour of Sri Lanka (Idea Cup) that kicks off in mid July,” a statement quoted Kizibash as saying. “There is also the best of soccer, Moto GP, Horse Racing and Golf and non India cricket that makes the channel the best sports channel in the country.”