MUMBAI: Finally shutting the tap on a proposition that just did not translate from concept note to market reality, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has reportedly initiated the process of winding up the only dedicated golf channel broadcasting in India.
“The channel Sony Marathi HD is proposed to be launched in lieu of TEN Golf HD,” Television Post quotes from the network’s reference interconnect offer (RIO) document, which lists maximum retail price (MRP) of channels and bouquet rates.
Under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) new tariff regime, TEN Golf HD was priced at Rs 35 on an la carte basis.
Content that is currently telecast on TEN Golf HD will move to SPN’s OTT platform SonyLIV, the website further reports.
SPN inherited TEN Golf when it acquired the TEN Sports Network from the Zee Group in August 2016.
TEN Golf was launched in March 2012 as a dedicated 24-hour golf channel airing a mix of live, non-live and feature programming. It was re-launched as an HD channel in October 2015.
TEN Golf HD holds the broadcasting rights for the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the official sanctioning body of professional golf in India. At the time of launch, Ten Golf entered into a licensing agreement with NBC Universal International Television Distribution, wherein it will showcase 400 hours of golf programming from the Golf Channel in the US. The content included series and news and will be telecast under the branded block called Golf Channel.
The channel also acquired the broadcasting rights for the European Tour and the Asian Tour for a period of five years, beginning 2013.
