Reliance Viacom18 has announced the launch of its Hindi sports channel, which will be available free-to-air (FTA). Sports18 Khel, as previously reported by InsideSport, will be the channel’s name. The corporation had previously launched its pay-TV channel Sports18 on April 15th.
Announcing the Hindi Sports Channel
Fans will be able to watch their favorite sports in Hindi thanks to Sports18 Khel. This covers NBA, Abu Dhabi T10 League, Road Safety World Series, and Santosh Trophy highlights, among others. Prasar Bharti’s DTH provider DD FreeDish will carry the channel.
In an official release, a Viacom18 spokesperson said: “Viacom18 secured a slot on DD FreeDish to make sports content easily accessible and expand the consumption of the genre across a wider audience. Sports18 Khel will offer content relevant to the FTA subscribers across a range of sports in Hindi. This is also an opportunity to funnel a new audience to the pay-TV segment.”
Effective Monday, Sports18 Khel is available on Channel Number 25 on DD FreeDish. Sports18 SD, Viacom18’s English language channel, is available on Channel Number 488 on Tata Play, 293 on Airtel Digital TV, 262 on JioTV +, and Sports18 HD on Channel Number 261 JioTV +.
Viacom and Sports18
Sports18 is a sports channel owned by Viacom18 that debuted in April 2022. Fans may watch FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, NBA, LaLiga, Ligue 1, Serie A, Abu Dhabi T10, BWF, and ATP matches LIVE on the channel.
Reliance prepared up for the commercial launch of its sports channel on April 15 last year, in the midst of the IPL 2022. According to the patent filing, the channel’s name was Sports 18. It was a subsidiary of Reliance Industries’ Network18, which also owns Viacom and recently earned FIFA World Cup broadcasting rights.
On April 15, 2021, the station debuted on all major DTH and cable providers alongside Sports 18 1, Sports 18 1 HD, Sports 18 2, Sports 18 2 HD, and Hindi channel Khel18. With the introduction of that channel, Viacom, which is backed by Reliance, was expected to enter the IPL Media Rights market.
