'Time' Launching 'Sports Illustrated' OTT Video Service on Amazon Channels

15 Nov, 2017 By: Erik Gruenwedel

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Platform also streaming sports-themed movies and TV shows

Time Nov. 15 announced the launch of Sports Illustrated TV (SI TV), an over-the-top streaming service available Nov. 16 on Amazon Channels. The SVOD joins People TV as Time’s second streaming network.

SI TV bows with a slate of 130 hours of on-demand programming, including original documentary series, weekly studio shows and acquired sports movies, documentaries and TV shows.

In a rapidly crowding OTT video market, Time is joining brands such as HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and Starz partnering with Amazon Channels to showcase platforms to Amazon Prime members. Disney next year bows ESPN Plus, a standalone SVOD service.

Domestic Prime members can subscribe to Sports Illustrated TV for $4.99 per month after a seven-day free trial and can access the content through the Prime Video app on TVs, streaming media players, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick and Fire tablets or online at Amazon.com/amazonhannels.

The OTT video service hopes to meld the iconic Sports Illustrated magazine with much of the original show content. The magazine’s award-winning sports producers and editorial staff will develop original SI TV shows at Time’s in-house production facility.

SI TV also inked deals with Oscar-nominated sports filmmaker Mike Tollin, co-chair of Mandalay Sports Media, and 10-time Emmy winner Jonathan Hock, for two different sports documentary projects slated for the early half and latter half of 2018, respectively.

“Sports Illustrated TV is a new home for sports lovers who want to go beyond sports highlights and heated debates with distinctive, immersive and entertaining original programming curated through the trusted SI lens,” Rich Battista, CEO of Time, said in a statement.

Indeed, original content includes new Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue content exclusive to SI TV with a series on the first-ever open casting call model search for the 2018 SI swimsuit issue in February. At launch, there will be a trove of SI swimsuit shows going back to 1994.

“SI Now,” the daily show that airs on SI.com and features guests, including Russell Wilson, John Cena, Aly Raisman, Von Miller, Kate Upton and Ice Cube, will also boost the offerings.

The five original shows for SI TV include the following:

“The Vault” revisits the most impactful of these stories and brings them to life with new on-camera interviews.

“SI: Under the Cover” features interviews with high-profile athletes like Julio Jones to an inspiring one-handed football linebacker.

Original weekly studio shows include:

“The Crossover” features discussions about the players, games, culture, fashion and memes. Hosted by SI.com writers Matt Dollinger and Rohan Nadkarni.

Soccer writer Grant Wahl interviews guests from Europe and the Americas on “Planet Futbol.” “The Line” covers sports wagering and daily fantasy.

Acquired movies include: Rocky (1–5), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Teen Wolf, Kickboxer (1–5), Pride (2007), Ladybugs, Bad News Bears (1975), The Cutting Edge, Diggstown, Drift, Eight Men Out, Rollerball (1975) and North Dallas Forty.

Documentaries include: Michael Jordan: Come Fly With Me, Racing Dreams, America's Parking Lot, In Football We Trust, Brooklyn Castle, Outlaw: Life, Death & Texas Football, The Sheikh, 2016 NBA Champions: Cleveland Cavaliers, 2015 NBA Champions: Golden State Warriors, Let's Ball (University of Kentucky Basketball), The Roughnecks, Positive Vibration, Strongman, Occupation Fighter and The Great Chicken Wing Hunt.

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