Horse & Country to Launch New Free Streaming Channel
Friday 06 December 2019
Horse & Country, the leading international equestrian sports network, announced the launch of a new 24/7 channel scheduled for early 2020. Named H&C Free, the service will be completely free to view worldwide, featuring programmes from H&C’s four core genres: Sport, Training & Learning, Entertainment and Documentary.
H&C Free will be distributed through Horse & Country’s own digital platforms, and third-party platforms. The channel will be available at horseandcountry.tv and through H&C’s own iOS and Android apps, as well as a wide range of streaming platforms including Roku, FireTV, Apple TV and AndroidTV.
H&C Free will be advertising supported, offering a major new opportunity to equestrian brands to reach a global audience. H&C Free will be able to accommodate digital banner advertising, as well as video ads inserted into the stream. To date advertisers could only reach consumers in those markets where H&C had conventional satellite or cable distribution.
Commenting on the launch, H&C’s Chairman and CEO, Heather Killen, said, “The rise of streaming services such as Netflix has had a dramatic impact on viewing behavior. Viewers are now accustomed to seeking out TV content online and via apps, and the recent launches of Disney+ and Apple TV+ show these trends are accelerating. We expect H&C Free to achieve even wider viewership than any of our pay-TV channels have delivered to date.”
H&C Free will sit alongside H&C’s subscription services, which offer live streaming of sports and other events, and exclusive premium content such as clinics and masterclasses with top riders, in addition to a programmed channel. H&C’s subscription services continue to grow strongly, fueled by increased volumes of live sport over the past 12 months.
Viewers have been able to watch major events such as Les Etoiles de Pau and the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping and Dressage at Hickstead, with more top events in the pipeline for 2020. As a result, subscriber numbers have grown by 35% over the last six months. H&C has also partnered with a number of venues, including Arena UK, to show a wide range of classes and championships from five star to grass roots. Subscribers have access to an ever-growing catalogue of exclusive premium content such as the forthcoming Isabell Werth Masterclass series.
“The launch of H&C Free represents a major step forward in our ambitions to become the go-to place for quality sport and entertainment video for the passionate equestrian community worldwide”, continued Killen. “With our Free and Subscriber services sitting alongside each other at horseandcountry.tv, we’re offering real choice to a high value sector which has been dramatically underserved.”
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