Keep the sports fan happy is our motto,” says RC Venkatesh, advisor to DSport, a newly launched premium sports channel in India. DSport , which is part of the Discovery Channel, became the third sports channel to come to India following the footsteps of Star Sports and Ten Sports. The nascent channel is all set to beam the much talked about Chinese Super League soccer starting today.
When asked whether there was room for a third sports channel in the ‘saturated’ Indian sports market, Venkatesh said that most Indian sports channels were cricket oriented. “See even a cursory look at the sports channels operating in this country shows that they are mostly focusing on cricket. This is where a channel like DSport comes into play. We want to address the hard core soccer fan in India. We will be beaming the Portugese and Brazilian Leagues—which will be live in India for the very first time. I think the focus of DSport is to serve the avid sports fan,” he added.
Also DSport has ensured that the timing of the CSL, the Portugese and Brazilian Leagues will not be clashing as is the case in some other channels. “We have carefully worked out the schedules of these three main leagues and will be telecasting them at different time slots. While the Chinese Super League will be run in the afternoon, the Portugese Liga will be aired at 8.30pm, while the Brazilian League will be telecast from 11.30 pm. In this manner, we will ensure that the Indian sports fan does not suffer due to the clashing or overlapping of the various leagues,” he said.
Venkatesh added that the flair of the Brazilian and Portugese Leagues were totally different from those of the European soccer. “Rest assured that the flair, skills and finesse of the Brazilian and Portugese Leagues will come as a real treat for the Indian soccer fan. Unlike the more physical and monotonous style employed by the Europeans, these two leagues are like a whiff of fresh air,” he said.
Apart from football, DSport will be also bring in top flight live golf coverage and also the Nasscar circuit for the Indian sports fan. “In golf, we would be beaming three out of the four major golf tournaments. Only the Augusta Masters would be missing from our live feed .”
As regards Nasscar, it will be for the first time that this premier car race circuit will be beamed live in India. “Nasscar, which is a rage in the U.S., is a spectator oriented sport.
Venkatesh also opined that the Indian sports market has undergone a change and the sports buff now need quality viewing. “Gone are the days when a channel could beam any international event and be contended.
“Nowadays, we have to treat sports as a serious business for the sports fan – he wants to see the best leagues and the best players in action and that too in quality presentation. This is where DSport comes in. We want to serve the underserved sports fan,” he concludes.