Next Level Sports

Next Level Sports is an American sports-oriented cable and satellite television channel. The network also operates an online presence under the alternate brand For the Fans (FTF).

Next Level Sports
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaNationwide
Programming
Language(s)English
Ownership
OwnerLax United Marketing, LLC
History
LaunchedMarch 16, 2017 (2017-03-16)
ReplacedOne World Sports
Former namesEleven Sports Network (2017–2021)
Links
Websitenlse.com
Availability
Streaming media
FuboTVpaid subscription service
Samsung TV Plus1167 (FTF)
Twitchtwitch.tv/FTFNext
The Roku Channel228 (FTF)

History
Logo 2017-2020
Logo 2020-2021

In March 2017, the U.S. international sports channel One World Sports was replaced by Eleven Sports Network with no advance announcement.[1] One World Sports' staff had been furloughed as a cost-cutting measure in November 2016, and it was reported that the network was exploring a sale.[2]

On March 16, 2017, Eleven Sports officially announced that it had acquired "certain distribution assets" of One World Sports. Financial details of the sale were not disclosed.[3] Group Marketing Director Danny Menken explained that Eleven planned to target rights to niche international sports that have fanbases in the United States (as opposed to its business model in other territories, where Eleven targets the top international sports rights in smaller markets).[4]

In response to questions surrounding employees and freelancers of One World Sports that had not yet been paid for their work, he emphasized that they had only acquired "certain distribution assets", and that "people that have issues with [GA-SW] have to contact management, but we have no shares or relationship beyond the acquisition of distribution assets."[4]

In March 2018, started to live stream on Twitch with select programing called Eleven Sports Prime.[5] It would rebrand to Eleven Sports Next by the end of the year. On March 21, 2019, it was announced Eleven Sports was added on free OTT service Xumo.[6] Pluto TV added Eleven Sports on July 23, 2019.[7] The online feeds do not carry the full Eleven Sports schedule, as several sporting events are blacked out and not allowed to be distributed online; filler programs are substituted during such programs.

Programming

Prior to the 2017 season, Eleven reached deals to broadcast Big Sky Conference, Ivy League, Southland Conference, and UMass Minutemen college football games. The UMass games are simulcast on NESN and online.[8][9][10] Eleven also reached deals to televise 14 UMass men's basketball and hockey games, with the majority airing on either NESN or NESN Plus, and one on NBC Sports Boston.[11] Eleven Sports lost the rights to UMass sports to FloSports in August 2019.[12]

Eleven's Big Sky contract includes weekly games in football and men's basketball, as well as some conference tournament games for men's and women's basketball, and women's soccer, volleyball, and softball.[13] Eleven Sports also announced a partnership with Twitter to stream 7 of its Ivy League football games during the 2017 season.[14]

The network acquired U.S. rights to Belgian First Division A soccer,[15] and Spain's Liga ACB basketball.[16] On January 9, 2018, Eleven announced a partnership to televise 120 NBA G League games in the 2017–18 season.[17]

In March 2021, the cable and satellite channel was rebranded as Next Level Sports; its online presence, which has been branded as For the Fans since 2019, retained that brand.

Broadcasting rights

Professional

College

Men

Women

Soccer

Baseball

Ice hockey

Rugby

Combat sports
  • Kings Promotions
  • Karate Combat
  • Fite TV
  • United Fight Alliance
  • OVW Wrestling

Motorsport

Esports

Others
  • Archery
  • Billiards
  • Cornhole
  • Drones DCL
  • Sports Unlimited
  • Hempel Sailing World Cup
  • Mania
  • Water Polo
  • Squash
  • Planet X

On-air staff

Current on-air staff
  • Andrew Gilford (also known as FC TIGHTO)

References
  1. "ONE World Sports Relaunches as Eleven Sports; Questions Regarding Unpaid Freelancers Remain". Sports Video Group. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  2. "One World Sports Furloughs Staff". Multichannel News. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  3. "Eleven Sports Buys One World Assets". Multichannel News. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  4. "SVG Sit-Down: Eleven Sports Managing Director Danny Menken on the Launch of America's Newest Sports Network". Sports Video Group. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  5. Bouma, Luke (2018-03-06). "Twitch Adds Cable Sports Network Eleven Sports". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
  6. Bouma, Luke (2019-03-21). "XUMO Adds Eleven Sports, CombatGo, & GustoTV". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
  7. Bouma, Luke (2019-07-22). "Pluto TV is Adding Eleven Sports Tomorrow". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved 2019-07-23.
  8. "UMass football vs. Hawaii: What to know as Minutemen approach 2017 season-opener". MassLive.com. Retrieved 2017-08-26.
  9. "Big Sky announces new TV partnership". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2017-08-26.
  10. Weitzman, Yosef. "Penn football's schedule features nine televised games". The Daily Pennsylvanian. Retrieved 2017-08-26.
  11. "UMass and Eleven Sports announce basketball, hockey broadcasts". Fight Massachusetts. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  12. "FloSports® - Official Site - Live Event Sports Streaming". 6 August 2019.
  13. "ELEVEN SPORTS TO BROADCAST BIG SKY CONFERENCE SPORTS". Big Sky Conference. Big Sky Conference. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  14. "Ivy League Football Is Coming to Twitter". Adweek. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  15. "Belgian Jupiler League comes to US TV and streaming thanks to Eleven Sports". World Soccer Talk. 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  16. "Eleven Sports to broadcast Liga Endesa". SportsPro. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  17. "NBA's G League announces broadcast partnership with Eleven Sports". USA Today. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  18. "Eleven Sports Network HD Schedule".
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