Sky set to add a fifth sports channel with Sky Sports 4

by Mark Banham, Brand Republic 09-Jun-06, 11:00

LONDON - Sky is mulling the launch of a fifth sports channel to add to its Sky Sports 1, 2 and 3 and Sky Sports Xtra channels.

The media regulator Ofcom has awarded the network a new television licence, which has been registered under the name Sky Sports 4, for a cable and satellite-only service and not for Freeview applications, meaning Sky could not explore the option of broadcasting selected football Premiership matches or highlights on a free-to-air basis.

Sky already has a Premiership rights package, which was extended last month. It also has the rolling sports news channel Sky Sports News, which, as well as being broadcast on satellite and cable channels through Sky, is also broadcast on Freeview channel 83. In addition to Premiership football rights, Sky's live sports coverage includes cricket, rugby, golf and boxing.

The network is believed to be keen to find ways to transmit some of its live Premiership football coverage on the Freeview platform, possibly through a pay-per-view method.

Last month, Sky was awarded 92 Premier League matches a season as part of a new contract, with 46 matches a season awarded to Irish broadcaster Setanta for a three-year period starting with the 2007-2008 season.

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