ABS-CBN Sports and Action

S+A

Type	Broadcast television network
Branding	S+A
Country	Philippines
Slogan	Sumasaludo sa Pusong Palaban ng Lahing Pilipino
TV stations	List of stations
Headquarters	ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center, Mother Ignacia Street, corner Sgt. Esguerra Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Broadcast area	Nationwide
Owner	ABS-CBN Corporation AMCARA Broadcasting Network
Key people	March Ventosa (Head, ABS-CBN Narrowcast) Dino Laurena (Head, ABS-CBN Sports) Vince Rodriguez (Head, S+A) Jojo Estacio (Head, S+A HD)
Launch date	January 18, 2014; 2 years ago (terrestrial) July 10, 2015 (international) January 1, 2016 (high-definition)
Former names	Studio 23 (1996–2014) Balls (2008–2015; cable/HD channel)
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Sister network	ABS-CBN
Official website	sports.abs-cbn.com/SportsAndAction
Language	Filipino (main) English (secondary)

S+A
Launched	July 10, 2015
Owned by	ABS-CBN
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
Slogan	"Work Hard. Play Harder"
Country	United States
Language	Filipino English
Broadcast area	Worldwide
Headquarters	150 Shoreline Drive Redwood City, California 94065-1400
Formerly called	Pinoy Central Kapamilya Channel Bro
Sister channel(s)	ABS-CBN News Channel, Cinema One, Cine Mo!, Lifestyle, Myx TV, The Filipino Channel
Website	www.tfc-usa.com

ABS-CBN Sports and Action (stylized as ABS-CBN Sports+Action or simply S+A or S and A),^[1] is a Filipino commercial broadcast television network based in Quezon City. It is owned and operated by ABS-CBN Corporation with some of its programs produced and licensed by ABS-CBN Sports. In Metro Manila, Sports + Action is being broadcast terrestrially and thru digital terrestrial television through DWAC-TV (UHF channel 23), the frequency once used by the defunct national television network Studio 23 until its closure on January 16, 2014.^[2][3] It began its operations on January 18, 2014, yet it did not became the company's sole channel for sports until the shutdown of cable counterpart Balls by the end of 2015.^[4][5][6] Its high-definition channel is exclusively available in SKYcable, Destiny Cable and Sky Direct subscribers since 2016 while its international feed (carried with the same channel name) is being carried worldwide through The Filipino Channel (cable, satellite, IPTV, online video streaming, and video on demand). Sports + Action's programming is composed primarily of sports coverage such as UAAP, NCAA, UFC (until 2015, which the broadcast rights acquired by TV5's sports division Sports5),^[7] Top Rank boxing, ONE Championship, BVR, V-League, Palarong Pambansa, URCC, FIFA, AFC, and Azkals football matches, and ABL. The program line up of Sports + Action also includes action movies targeted to male audiences as well as other sports-related programs, news coverage (simulcast from ABS-CBN) and blocktimers.

Background

Logo from January 18, 2014 to August 28, 2016. Still used in International markets.

According to ABS-CBN Narrowcast Head March Ventosa, the division started developing the concept of a sports channel of free television for a year. Also with its launching, the management decided to drop the strong Studio 23 branding for it is well associated with entertainment programs of which the former channel only carries 30 percent of sports related / male-dominant content.^[8][9]

Launching

The channel was officially launched in Glorietta 3, Ayala Center, Makati on January 16, 2014.^[8] The event was attended by several well known Filipino athletes including Marlon Stockinger, Donnie Nietes, the Azkals team, Jeron Teng, and some ABS-CBN executives and personalities.^[1] The event also provided a glimpse of its program lineup which includes sports coverage of UAAP, Top Rank and Pinoy Pride boxing bouts, and the Azkal's football matches.^[4]

A test broadcast was done a day prior to its official launching on January 18, 2014.

The network's newest station ID featuring the dedication and spirit of the Filipino athletes was launched during It's Showtime last May 24, 2014. The song "Ito ang Ating Sandali", composed and performed by former Rivermaya vocalist Rico Blanco was used for the station identification.^[10]

International feed

ABS-CBN Sports+Action was launched internationally in June 2015 via TFC, as the replacement of the BRO channel, the channel broadcasts several sports coverages, programs which also aired on Channel 23 and carry-up shows including leisure, comedy and action-packed movies.^[11]

High-definition channel

On January 1, 2016, ABS-CBN Sports+Action, launched their high-definition cable channel (formerly known as Balls HD) on SkyCable and Destiny Cable Channel 166 owned by ABS-CBN Cable Channels. Program line-up includes HD sports coverages of the UAAP, NCAA, Pinoy Pride, US Open, UEFA and FIVB matches. Unlike ABS-CBN HD which is a HD simulcast feed from ABS-CBN, ABS-CBN Sports+Action HD is a separated feed from its SD counterpart which shows exclusive live events and other programs.^[12]

2016 relaunch

On August 29, 2016, in time with the National Heroes Day celebration, ABS-CBN Sports+Action debuted its new logo and station ID campaign entitled "Sumasaludo sa Pusong Palaban ng Lahing Pilipino" or "Salute to the Defiant Heart of Filipino Generation", in line with the network's continuous advocacy on promoting sports development and supporting the Filipino athletes and sporting teams that made pride and glory to the Filipino sporting community and its values and hardwork. The song "Tibay", performed by singer/songwriter Quest, was used in the station ID, which featured athletes from the sports coverages covered by ABS-CBN Sports+Action, such as UAAP, NCAA, boxing and MMA events.^[13]

Programming

According to Sports Interactive Network, 70 percent of its contents will be about sports, with the remaining of it covering Filipino action films, English television series, news updates, and other entertainment, informative & religious programs such as blocktimers.^[14][15] Several programming of the now-defunct Balls channel (which ended transmission on December 31, 2015) were absorbed by ABS-CBN Sports+Action.

References

1. Dyan Castillejo (January 17, 2014). "Mga dapat abangan sa bagong sports channel ng ABS-CBN". TV Patrol (in Filipino). ABS-CBN News. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
2. Reuben Terrado (January 14, 2014). "Studio 23 to become an all-sports channel on free TV after reformatting". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
3. Eunice Blanco (January 17, 2014). "ABS-CBN turns Studio 23 into sports channel, launches 'Sports & Action'". The Philippine Star. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
4. Dennis Gasgonia (January 16, 2014). "ABS-CBN launches new sports channel". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
5. Rowena Tan (January 17, 2014). "ABS-CBN launches Sports+Action". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
6. "ABS-CBN Sports+Action, All New Sports Destination For Kapamilya Sports Fans". ABS-CBN Corporation. January 18, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
7. "TV5 gets rights to air UFC fights as Balls Channel announces it is going off the air". Spin.ph. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
8. Arniel C. Serato (January 17, 2014). "Studio 23 goes off the air; ABS-CBN launches new sports channel". Philippine Entertainment Portal. pp. 1–2. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
9. Kane Errol Chua (February 2, 2014). "A new home for sports & action programs". The Philippine Star. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
10. "ABS-CBN Sports+ Action SID "Ito ang Ating Sandali"". ABS-CBN. YouTube. May 24, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
11. "ABS-CBN SPORTS + ACTION, NOW AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE VIA TFC". ABS-CBN PR. ABS-CBN PR. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
12. "ON JANUARY 1, ABS-CBN SPORTS + ACTION HD LAUNCHES ON SKYCABLE". Mysky. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
13. "S+A HIGHLIGHTS PINOY ATHLETES' VALUES ON NATIONAL HEROES DAY". ABS-CBN Social Media Newsroom. August 26, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
14. Reuben Terrado (January 16, 2014). "After launch of sports channel, ABS-CBN official says PBA games an 'enticing content'". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
15. Reuben Terrado (January 17, 2014). "ABS-CBN sports channel committed to live airing of top events, says officials". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved January 18, 2014.

External links

• sports.abs-cbn.com