Krafty Entertainment picks up minority stake in global FAST channel Sports First TV

UK unscripted prodco Krafty Entertainment (KE) has finalised its acquisition of a minority stake in global sports content channel Sports First TV.

Frank Brown

The strategic investment by the sports-skewing indie sees it take a 17.5% equity stake in the Sydney-based company.

Sports First was launched last year on free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platforms in the US by Frank Brown, the former CEO of Viacom International Media/MTV Networks. It is claimed to be the first dedicated FAST channel to carry content from major sports leagues.

Covering US and European sports, the channel features thousands of hours of content from SNTV, a provider of sports video news and highlights, as well as other outlets.

KE produces factual sports content such as soccer documentary Local Heroes and boxing feature doc Hatton Mayweather: The Full Story. It is currently in production on On a Wing & a Prayer: Who Killed Emiliano Sala?, about the tragic death of the Argentinian striker in a 2019 plane crash.

John Warrington, CEO of KE, said: “This strategic investment provides an outlet for our content library and future sports programming globally.

“This partnership will help to insulate us against future market turbulence and drive our business growth. We will continue to consider further strategic investments and partnerships as long as they align with our core business.”

Brown, CEO of Sports First TV, said: “Krafty Entertainment’s involvement will accelerate our growth as we continue to redefine how global sports news content is delivered to audiences worldwide.”