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Hub AI
Sony Sports Network AI simulator
(@Sony Sports Network_simulator)
Hub AI
Sony Sports Network AI simulator
(@Sony Sports Network_simulator)
Sony Sports Network
The Sony Sports Network, also known as Sony TEN, is a group of Indian pay television sports channels owned by Culver Max Entertainment.
The original TEN Sports channel was first established on 1 April 2002 by Abdul Rahman Bukhatir. It was acquired by the Essel Group in 2010 and was added to Essel's existing Zee Sports channel, launched in 2005. After the acquisition, Zee launched two new channels, TEN Cricket and TEN Golf, and rebranded Zee Sports as TEN Action.
In August 2016, Sony Pictures Networks India acquired all of the sports channels under Zee from Essel. In 2017, the networks were formally merged with Sony's existing Sony ESPN and Sony Six channels as the Sony Pictures Sports Network, with the TEN channels rebranded as Sony TEN. The channels were then rebranded as the Sony Sports Network in October 2022, with all five channels now carrying the "Sony Sports Ten" prefix.
In January 2001, Taj Television Ltd was formed in Dubai with Abdul Rahman Bukhatir as a backer. Bukhatir had various business interests and was known for transforming Sharjah as a major international cricket venue. The company launched the channel as TEN Sports (as part of its Taj Entertainment Network) on 1 April 2002. As of March 2004, the company was headed by Chris McDonald as the CEO and had 100 employees.
In June 2005, Zee Telefilms Limited launched Zee Sports, reportedly India's first private sports channel. Zee Telefilms acquired a 50% stake in TEN Sports for ₹800 crore (₹8,000,000,000) in 2006, and eventually acquired the remainder of its Indian operations in 2010. The sale did not include its Pakistani operations, which were retained by the Essel Group via its subsidiary, Tower Sports.
In 2010, Zee rebranded Zee Sports as Ten Action which featured adventure sports and non-cricket content. In 2011 Zee launched a new channel called Ten Cricket, exclusively for cricket matches. In March 2016, all channels in the Zee network were rebranded as Ten 1, Ten 2, and Ten 3 respectively.
In August 2016, Sony Pictures Networks India announced its intent to acquire Zee's sports networks for US$385 million; the first phase of the sale, which included equity stakes in the holding companies Taj Television (India) Pvt Ltd and part of Taj TV Limited Mauritius, was completed in February 2017 for US$350 million. On 18 July 2017, all of Sony's sports channels in India were rebranded as Sony TEN, and the high-definition feeds of Sony TEN 2 and 3 were also launched. The remainder of the sale was completed in September 2017.
The networks, along with new sisters Sony Six and Sony ESPN, were branded under the umbrella name, Sony Pictures Sports Network and began to phase in a rebranding as Sony Sports in 2020. Sony ESPN was shut down on 30 March 2020.
Sony Sports Network
The Sony Sports Network, also known as Sony TEN, is a group of Indian pay television sports channels owned by Culver Max Entertainment.
The original TEN Sports channel was first established on 1 April 2002 by Abdul Rahman Bukhatir. It was acquired by the Essel Group in 2010 and was added to Essel's existing Zee Sports channel, launched in 2005. After the acquisition, Zee launched two new channels, TEN Cricket and TEN Golf, and rebranded Zee Sports as TEN Action.
In August 2016, Sony Pictures Networks India acquired all of the sports channels under Zee from Essel. In 2017, the networks were formally merged with Sony's existing Sony ESPN and Sony Six channels as the Sony Pictures Sports Network, with the TEN channels rebranded as Sony TEN. The channels were then rebranded as the Sony Sports Network in October 2022, with all five channels now carrying the "Sony Sports Ten" prefix.
In January 2001, Taj Television Ltd was formed in Dubai with Abdul Rahman Bukhatir as a backer. Bukhatir had various business interests and was known for transforming Sharjah as a major international cricket venue. The company launched the channel as TEN Sports (as part of its Taj Entertainment Network) on 1 April 2002. As of March 2004, the company was headed by Chris McDonald as the CEO and had 100 employees.
In June 2005, Zee Telefilms Limited launched Zee Sports, reportedly India's first private sports channel. Zee Telefilms acquired a 50% stake in TEN Sports for ₹800 crore (₹8,000,000,000) in 2006, and eventually acquired the remainder of its Indian operations in 2010. The sale did not include its Pakistani operations, which were retained by the Essel Group via its subsidiary, Tower Sports.
In 2010, Zee rebranded Zee Sports as Ten Action which featured adventure sports and non-cricket content. In 2011 Zee launched a new channel called Ten Cricket, exclusively for cricket matches. In March 2016, all channels in the Zee network were rebranded as Ten 1, Ten 2, and Ten 3 respectively.
In August 2016, Sony Pictures Networks India announced its intent to acquire Zee's sports networks for US$385 million; the first phase of the sale, which included equity stakes in the holding companies Taj Television (India) Pvt Ltd and part of Taj TV Limited Mauritius, was completed in February 2017 for US$350 million. On 18 July 2017, all of Sony's sports channels in India were rebranded as Sony TEN, and the high-definition feeds of Sony TEN 2 and 3 were also launched. The remainder of the sale was completed in September 2017.
The networks, along with new sisters Sony Six and Sony ESPN, were branded under the umbrella name, Sony Pictures Sports Network and began to phase in a rebranding as Sony Sports in 2020. Sony ESPN was shut down on 30 March 2020.