Working in partnership with Imagine Media, TRACE Sports has signed a carriage deal with the Israeli DTH platform YES.
The channel will now be offered as a localised service with full Hebrew subtitles and made available for no additional fee to the 80% of YES subscribers who receive the platform’s sports package. TRACE Sports made its debut in Israel in May, when it signed an agreement with the cable operator HOT.
Commenting on the latest development, Laurent Dumeau, CEO, TRACE Sports, said: “TRACE Sports has made strong headway in a crowded pay TV market over the past year. After successful launches in Europe, Asia and Latin America, we are continuing our expansion in the Middle East, making TRACE Sports one of the fastest acquired growing channels in the world. We are delighted to be expanding our footprint in Israel with one of the country’s major operators.”
Avi Bar, CEO of Imagine Media, said: “I’m proud to partner again with the TRACE group in Israel. There is no doubt in my mind that the activity in Israel will be important and will constitute a strategic part of the brand positioning worldwide. I am sure that the collaboration between YES, TRACE and Imagine Media group will create a relevant, diverse and popular channel for Israeli sport fans.”
Dumeau continued: “To partner again with Imagine Media is part of a natural evolution for TRACE Sports. As we partner with local agents, we will build an even stronger channel that resonates better with local audiences. This partnership has proven extremely successful and is something that we’ll certainly be looking to replicate globally in the coming months.”