Sony Pictures Television (SPT), backed Multi Screen Media (MSM), plans to move Indian Premier League (IPL) matches to its newly-launched English sports and entertainment channel 'SIX', a top official said.
"Next year, we plan to move IPL to our new channel called SIX. This year, we will show merely highlights. It is also quite possible that we will launch our own events later.
"At the moment, mixed martial arts fight tournaments will be something that our tie-up with Ultimate Fighting Championship [UFC] will bring to us. Later, we plan to include soccer FA cup and NBA basketball. We are also looking at hockey," MSM's CEO Man Jit Singh said.
The channel hopes to begin accepting commercials after the three months.
"Initially, it will be a commercial free broadcast. But we will begin accepting advertisements after three months. We have still not worked out the rates," he said.
Incidentally, MSM has signed a content tie-up deal with UFC, for its newest sports entertainment channel called SIX, for a four-year period to access its library as well as live mixed martial arts fights events.
UFC is known to be the world's largest brand for events related to mixed martial arts. The channel will air live UFC events, taped specials, as ell as bouts from the vast UFC library.
"We plan to extend this beyond five years. The deal was signed a few on February 15. SIX is aimed at the youth market. It will be a combination of sports and sports based entertainment," he said.
