Sports boost for Sky Deutschland with iPad app and ESPN HD

German pay-TV operator Sky Deutschland plans to launch its Sky Sports HD 1 and Sky Sports HD 2 channels on the Apple iPad at the end of October. Separately, international sports channel ESPN America HD is to launch in Germany and Austria after striking a deal with Sky Deutschland.

The iPad app, which will provide access to a range of sport including Bundesliga football, UEFA Champions League football, the DFB Cup, tennis and hockey in HD, will be free of charge to Sky subscribers until the end of this year. The app will deliver ports news, video clips and statistics and profiles as well as live feeds.

ESPN’s move meanwhile will see the high-definition launch on the News Corp-backed service next month. It will allow subscribers in Germany and Austria to watch over 500 top US sports events including NFL American football, Major League Baseball and NHL ice hockey. The existing standard definition ESPN America channel is currently available on Sky Deutschland’s Sky Welt service.

Separately, Sky Deutschland is to launch a new Saturday primetime sports show, Samstag Live!, this weekend. The show, which will air between 20:45-22:45, will be hosted by sports broadcasters Jessica Kastrop and Simon Südel.