Discovery takes Eurosport to US

Discovery Communications is taking Eurosport to the US for the first time as part of a branded programming block on its male-skewing Velocity channel.

Eurosport on Velocity will air on Saturday afternoons from 13.00 to 15.00 (ET/PT) with repeats on Sunday morning.

The block will feature motorsport highlights from events including the FIA European Rally Championship, the British Superbikes competition and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

The move follows Discovery’s €170m (US$222m) deal with France’s TF1, signed in December last year, for stakes in a number of its channels including 20% of Eurosport.

The deal has an option for Discovery to raise its stake in the sportscaster to a controlling 51% next year if it so chooses, at which point TF1 can choose to transfer its remaining 49% interest to the US firm.

Eurosport Group CEO, Jean-Thierry Augustin, comments, “This is the first programming agreement with Discovery since our partnership was forged end of 2012. It’s a great example of the powerful synergies and opportunities we can create together.”