Xsports

Xsports
TypeBroadcast television network
Country
Brazil
First air date
August 6, 2025
AvailabilityNationwide, via free-to-air television and direct-to-home services.
FoundedAugust 6, 2025
(pre-launch)
August 16, 2025
(launch)
by Grupo Kalunga
MottoSintonize no esporte. Acerte na X.
HeadquartersAv. Prof. Alfonso Bovero, 52 - Sumaré, São Paulo
OwnerJosé Roberto Garcia
Paulo Sérgio Garcia
ParentID TV S.A.
(Legal name of the television network)
Key people
Plínio Shiguematsu
(Chairman)
Launch date
August 16, 2025
32 UHF (Palmas and São Paulo)
Channel 11
Channel 522 (HD)
(São Paulo)
Channel 28
Channel 16
Official website
www.xsports.com.br
LanguagePortuguese

Xsports is a Brazilian television network based in São Paulo, the capital of the homonymous state. It operates on channel 32 (31 UHF digital) and is owned by Grupo Kalunga, which also includes Loading. The channel was officially launched on August 16, 2025, following a pre-launch on August 6, 2025.[1][2] Xsports is the first Brazilian over-the-air TV network with a 100% sports programming lineup.[3]

History

Background

Following the closure of MTV Brasil on September 30, 2013—due to the return of the brand to Viacom (now Paramount Global)—Abril Radiodifusão relaunched Ideal TV at around midnight on October 1. Originally a subscription channel from 2007 to 2009 focused on entrepreneurship, Ideal TV began broadcasting reruns of its earlier programming after the relaunch. The channel also aired brief weather forecasts and daily news segments without narration, using only visuals and background music.[4] On December 18, 2013, Grupo Abril announced the sale of Ideal TV's frequencies to Grupo Spring de Comunicação, a company owned by José Roberto Maluf, former vice president of SBT and Band.[5] On June 26, 2014, the Garcia brothers, José Roberto and Paulo Sérgio, owners of Kalunga, became partners with José Roberto Maluf in Spring Televisão S/A, which owned Ideal TV, broadcasting on UHF channel 32 and digital channel 31.[6] In December 2017, José Roberto Maluf sold his stake in Spring Televisão S/A—the parent company of Ideal TV—to brothers José Roberto Garcia and Paulo Sérgio Garcia, who had been involved in management since June 2014.[7][6] On December 7, 2020, the infrastructure previously used by Ideal TV began carrying the new channel Loading, which launched on over-the-air television and via retransmitters on the same day. Ideal TV continued to operate exclusively on analog satellite television.[8] On May 27, 2021, the channel Loading laid off all its employees and ceased original programming, switching to reruns and third-party content.[9] Six months later, on November 28, 2021, the channel was discontinued, and Ideal TV resumed broadcasting in its place, using the same transmitters on the same day.[10] From May 28, 2021, until the end of its broadcasts on August 6, 2025, Ideal TV rebroadcast third-party programming and fulfilled a two-hour daily mandatory news requirement. During these years, the station leased 22 hours of its daily schedule to Rede Mundial, a network owned by Valdemiro Santiago, founder of the Igreja Mundial do Poder de Deus.[11]

Pre-launch and launch of Xsports

On 13 November 2024, Brazilian media reported that brothers José Roberto Garcia and Paulo Sérgio Garcia, owners of the Kalunga Group's Ideal TV channel, were planning to launch a new sports channel named Xsports.[12] According to reports by Flávio Ricco, a columnist for the Léo Dias portal, the proposed channel would replace Ideal TV, which broadcasts on UHF frequency 32 in São Paulo via open and satellite signals. During Sportel, a sports media trade fair held in Monte Carlo in October 2024, the group reportedly expressed interest in acquiring broadcasting rights. If launched, Xsports would become Brazil’s first open-television channel dedicated to sports.[12][13]

In December 2024, Grupo Kalunga launched the website Xsports.com.br, accompanied by the announcement, "A New Sports Channel Is Coming". The statement fueled speculation and raised public expectations for the channel’s planned mid-2025 debut.[14] However, by February 2025, reports indicated that the initiative faced challenges, including high operational costs and limited availability of desirable broadcasting rights. Sources stated that the group was exploring alternatives such as airing matches from the lower divisions of the Campeonato Brasileiro and collaborating with independent producers and journalists to develop programming. Additionally, the channel intended to integrate existing YouTube content, including podcasts and specialized sports programs, into its lineup.[15][16]

On June 9, 2025, the Garcia family confirmed advanced negotiations with ESPN Brazil for a strategic partnership to facilitate the transition of the Ideal TV channel to Xsports, with a planned launch in August 2025. The agreement involves Xsports inheriting Ideal TV’s infrastructure, including its satellite distribution network. ESPN is expected to provide selected content for free-to-air broadcasting, including matches from major European football leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A. Henrique Meira, formerly of BandSports, has been appointed as the director of sports for Xsports. Reports also indicate that the channel has secured sponsorship from a betting company, though details about the sponsor remain undisclosed.[17][18][19][20]

On July 24, 2025, Grupo Kalunga and ESPN Brasil announced an agreement for programming that resulted in the rebranding of the Ideal TV channel to Xsports.[21][22] Inspired by the now-defunct Esporte Interativo, the channel adopts the slogan “Emoção de Verdade,” promising 24-hour sports programming. The new programming is set to begin on August 16, 2025, focusing on sports content, especially soccer. Xsports sublicenses the broadcasting rights for various soccer competitions, including the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Primeira Liga, EFL Championship, Copa del Rey, and DFB-Pokal. ESPN has priority in selecting the games to be aired, while a dedicated team from Xsports is responsible for managing the channel's content. The programming lineup includes shows such as SportsCenter, Linha de Passe, Bola da Vez, and Resenha ESPN.[21][23][24][25][26][27]

On August 6, 2025, Channel 32, the defunct MTV Brasil, ceased operations as Ideal TV and the broadcast of the Worldwide Church of God’s Power. From that date, a looping vignette for Xsports went on air, announcing the channel's new programming, with the official launch scheduled for August 16, 2025. At that time, the programming included 22 hours of church content. The launch campaign was promoted through digital media and out-of-home (OOH) advertising in the capitals of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.[28][29][2]

On August 16, 2025, Xsports officially launched at 10 a.m. local time, beginning its inaugural broadcast with the program Tapete Verde. The channel's first live soccer transmission, featuring the Premier League match between Tottenham and Burnley, started at 11 a.m. Brasília time.[30][31] Xsports occupies broadcast frequencies previously assigned to Ideal TV, including UHF digital channel 32 in Greater São Paulo. The channel is also available in other regions via digital satellite antennas and subscription television services, and is accessible across multiple digital media and streaming platforms.[32] Headquartered in the building formerly occupied by MTV Brasil in São Paulo, Xsports operates 24 hours a day, providing live sports coverage and sports-related programming.[33] On the same day, August 16, 2025, commercial director Thiago Garcia introduced Xsports, the first over-the-air television channel in Brazil dedicated exclusively to sports broadcasting. Garcia stated that negotiations for the rights to major football leagues—including those of England, Spain, Italy, and Germany—were initiated at international events such as Sportel in Monaco and Miami. The channel currently airs events such as Novo Basquete Brasil, NASCAR Cup Series, the Copa Argentina, and the J1 League.[34] On its premiere day, Xsports beat TV Gazeta in open television ratings.[35] During its debut, it tied with Redevida and TV Aparecida, ranking close to RedeTV! and reaching fourth place at several points throughout the day.[36] At its peak, it tied with RedeTV!, registering a 0.2 audience point during the broadcast of the German Super Cup.[37] From 16 to 18 August 2025, Xsports drew a total audience of 2.5 million viewers, averaging 3.1 household rating points. The peak audience was 0.41 rating points on 18 August, surpassing the previous record of 0.33 set on 17 August during the broadcast of Alverca v Braga in the Portuguese Championship.[38]

References

  1. ^ Conte, Mateus (August 6, 2025). "Novo canal de esportes na TV aberta já tem data para estrear no Brasil". Revista Oeste (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on August 6, 2025. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Esportivo, MK (August 6, 2025). "Xsports estreia na TV aberta com programação esportiva 24 horas por dia". www.mkesportivo.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on August 13, 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  3. ^ Barbosa Harfush, Vinicius (August 6, 2025). "O que esperar da Xsports, primeira emissora 100% esportiva na TV aberta brasileira". Lance. Archived from the original on August 20, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  4. ^ Online, Folha (April 28, 2009). "Ideal TV oferece programação para "atravessar a crise econômica". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on November 4, 2024. Retrieved August 10, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ Castro, Daniel (December 18, 2013). "Abril vende canal da MTV para editora da revista Rolling Stone". Notícias da TV. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Ricco, Flávio (June 26, 2014). "Donos da Kalunga são sócios da ex-MTV". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  7. ^ Jucesp, Junta Comercial do Estado de São Paulo (January 24, 2018). "Declaração de sócios da Ideal TV". www.jucesponline.sp.gov.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved August 10, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ Sacchitiello, Bárbara (December 7, 2020). "Com foco nos jovens e geeks, canal Loading estreia na TV". Meio & Mensagem (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  9. ^ F5, Por (May 28, 2021). "Canal Loading encerra produção de conteúdos inéditos". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved August 11, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ UP, Line (November 28, 2021). "Notícias Em Destaque | Line-UP". www.lineup.tv.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on November 6, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ^ Santana, André (November 30, 2021). "Fim definitivo da Loading deixa a TV aberta mais pobre". Observatório da TV (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  12. ^ a b Xavier, Ribamar (November 13, 2024). "Ideal TV pode se transformar em canal esportivo, diz colunista". Mídia Esportiva. Archived from the original on April 16, 2025. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  13. ^ Ricco, Flávio (November 13, 2024). "Quem aparecer no especial da Record garante vaga na programação 2025". portalleodias.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 13 November 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  14. ^ Liniker, Deivison (December 12, 2024). "Ideal TV aposta alto: Site da XSports já está no ar". Htech. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  15. ^ Vaquer, Gabriel (April 12, 2025). "Grupo Kalunga tenta lançar novo canal esportivo na TV aberta, mas enfrenta dificuldades". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 12 April 2025. Retrieved May 5, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. ^ Xavier, Ribamar (April 12, 2025). "Grupo Kalunga quer lançar canal de esportes, mas enfrenta dificuldades com direitos de transmissão". Mídia Esportiva. Archived from the original on April 13, 2025. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  17. ^ Ricco, Flávio (June 9, 2025). "Band precisa buscar novo jeito de superar seus problemas". Portal Léo Dias. Archived from the original on June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  18. ^ Redação, Por (June 9, 2025). "ESPN Brasil negocia parceria com X-Sports para transmissões de ligas europeias na TV aberta, diz colunista". Bahia Notícias. Archived from the original on June 10, 2025. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  19. ^ Tavares, Karoline (June 9, 2025). "ESPN na TV aberta? Entenda o acordo com a X-Sports". Sporting News (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  20. ^ Forato, Thiago (June 9, 2025). "Nova ESPN? Acordo com X-Sports discute porcentagem e pode gerar entrave com operadoras". NaTelinha (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  21. ^ a b Toledo, Mariano (July 24, 2025). "Novo canal XSports estreia no dia 16 de agosto". Tela Viva. Archived from the original on July 25, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  22. ^ Félix, Victor (July 24, 2025). "Grupo Kalunga e ESPN fecham parceria para o X-Sports, novo canal esportivo em TV aberta". portal dos Jornalistas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  23. ^ Ricco, Flávio (July 15, 2025). "Não tem sentido a Globo transmitir só metade do Mundial em 2026". Portal LeoDias (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  24. ^ Redação, Por (July 16, 2025). "X-Sports: detalhes do novo canal de esportes na TV aberta". www.sportingnews.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  25. ^ Nery, José Carlos (July 23, 2025). "Existência da quase centenária "Voz do Brasil" é bem discutível". Portal LeoDias (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved July 23, 2025.
  26. ^ Lance!, Por (July 23, 2025). "ESPN fecha parceria, e TV aberta no Brasil ganhará novo canal esportivo". Lance (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  27. ^ Santos, Guilherme (July 28, 2025). "X-Sports: Afinal, o que é este novo canal esportivo?". Além da Tela. Archived from the original on July 28, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  28. ^ Monteiro, Thaís (August 4, 2025). "Xsports quer ampliar oferta de esporte na TV aberta". Meio & Mensagem. Archived from the original on August 5, 2025. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  29. ^ Line UP, Por (August 6, 2025). "IDTV - Deixa de operar como IDTV". Line UP (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  30. ^ Xsports, Por (August 16, 2025). "Nasceu! Começou a nova era na televisão brasileira!". X.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  31. ^ Mundo, Esporte News (August 16, 2025). "Novo canal de esportes estreia na TV aberta; veja como sintonizar". Terra. Archived from the original on August 16, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  32. ^ "Novo canal de esportes na TV Aberta já tem data para estrear no Brasil". Revista Oeste. August 6, 2025. Archived from the original on August 16, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  33. ^ Leister Filho, Adalberto (August 6, 2025). "Xsports lança 1º canal esportivo 24 horas na TV aberta do Brasil". Máquina do Esporte. Archived from the original on August 16, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  34. ^ Oliva, Rafael (August 16, 2025). "Diretor abre o jogo sobre estratégias da Xsports, novo canal esportivo". www.itatiaia.com.br. Archived from the original on August 16, 2025. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  35. ^ Redação, Por (August 18, 2025). "Estreia em São Paulo coloca XSports à frente da Gazeta na audiência". O Planeta TV. Archived from the original on August 18, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  36. ^ TV, Comentando (August 18, 2025). "A emissora aberta XSports estreou neste sábado (16) e conseguiu o 4º lugar na Grande São Paulo". X.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  37. ^ Xavier, Ribamar (August 18, 2025). "Estreia da X Sports na TV aberta registra pico de audiência e empata com RedeTV!". Mídia Esportiva. Archived from the original on August 18, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  38. ^ Redação, Por (August 19, 2025). "Xsports estreia na TV aberta com mais de 2 milhões de telespectadores em três dias". Tela Viva. Archived from the original on August 20, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.