Al Jazeera America closes sports unit

The Al Jazeera America division of Qatari pay-television broadcaster Al Jazeera has disbanded its sports unit.

Al Jazeera America launched in the US in August 2013 as a news channel, but also provided sports coverage.

However, the Variety newspaper said AJA executives decided that this content had “no traction” with the Los Angeles Times adding few viewers were coming to the network for scores and highlights.

Along with closing its sports unit, AJA is said to have laid off “a few dozen” freelancers who were hired last summer ahead of the channel’s launch.

AJA’s sister channel beIN Sports has been present in the US since 2012.