The European Squash Federation (ESF) has teamed up with leading sport streaming platform provider Sportall to launch its own digital platform, European Squash TV.
European Squash TV will give the ESF and its 46 member nations control over their own online squash content, allowing them to build their fan base across Europe and beyond. It will raise the profile of Europe’s elite squash players, ESF competitions and the sport of squash in general.
Squash is a sport on the up, with increased participation in many major nations and the exciting prospect of its forthcoming Olympic debut at the LA2028 Games.
European Squash TV undertook a successful pilot from 2-6 January when it screened five days of live coverage from the European junior circuit’s platinum event, the British Junior Open in Birmingham.
The ESF’s media team used the live streaming to produce edited highlights which were distributed on social media and to member nations for their own use.
European Squash TV also features a library of previous tournaments which all ESF member nations can access to use and distribute as they wish.
The vision is for all 46 member nations to have their own European Squash TV landing page which they can design and organise to their own requirements. They will have easy access to all European Squash TV content from which they can select matches involving their own players, tournaments they have hosted or anything else they wish to use.
ESF President Thomas Troedsson said: “We are delighted to launch European Squash TV in what is an important period for squash and our organisation in the run-up to the 2028 Olympic Games. This will be a vital resource for our member nations and will help to raise awareness of our wonderful sport and athletes.”
The project is being led by ESF Vice-President Otto Kalvo, who said: “Owning our own content is crucial to the future of the European Squash Federation, our member nations and the sport of squash.
“Once we have custody of our content, it opens up potential to do all kinds of value-adding by editing, distributing, embedding with advertising and much more.
“Our aim is to build a catalogue of as much high quality content as possible, which is continually updated and augmented by professional live coverage – which our Championships and circuit of junior and Masters events has needed and deserved for many years.”
Thierry Boudard, Sportall’s CEO, added: “We are proud to help an international federation of a new Olympic sport increase its global digital visibility and to support European Squash Federation in opening their streaming platform to their member nations.”