Screensport

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Screensport

Launched	March 1984
Closed	March 1993
Owned by	WH Smith Group

Original Screensport Logo

Newer Screensport Logo, used from 1989 until the channel was closed down in 1993 by new owners, Eurosport

Screensport was a pan-European sports television channel. The network was launched as a stand-alone channel in Manchester in 1984 and later acquired by the WH Smith Television Group in 1987. In its later years, Screensport was renamed The European Sports Network, while WH Smith Television group later renamed itself WHSTV.^[1] Screensport was originally distributed to cable networks via low-powered satellites.^[2] 75% of the channel was owned by WHSTV with the remainder owned by ESPN.^[3] The channel began broadcasting on the Astra 1A satellite in 1989 following a move of its operations from the north of England to central London. It merged and was subsequently closed down by its new owner, rival sports channel Eurosport on March 1st 1993. Ironically, Its new owners were the subject of complaint in 1989 by Screensport, filed with the Commission of the European Communities, alleging that the joint purchasing scheme for sporting events by Eurosport's former owners, Sky Television plc & the EBU violated the competition (antitrust) law rules of the Treaty of Rome. After provisions were made for non-members access to the programming, the Commission granted the EBU a five-year conditional exemption from the requirements of the competition rules.

Screensport operated its one channel under four different names; Screensport in English, TV Sport in French, Sportkanal in German, and Sportnet in Dutch.