Polish public-service broadcaster TVP has abandoned plans to launch a second sports channel, according to president Jacek Kurski.
Kurski told the Wirtualnemedia.pl website that TVP will instead seek to develop its existing TVP Sport channel, which is currently distributed via cable and satellite operators in Poland. This could involve the addition of a high-definition version of the channel.
In August, Kurski said TVP would seek to launch a second sports channel and make TVP Sport available via digital terrestrial television. Kurski said the change was likely to happen in February, adding that a second channel, entitled TVP Sport Max or TVP Sport Premium, was set for launch.
Kurski said the move has been made possible due to the growing amount of sports content TVP holds. TVP’s last significant rights deal came last month as it acquired rights for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, an international ice hockey tournament, as well as the NHL North American ice hockey league.
The NHL deal will run for four seasons, from 2016-17 to 2019-20.