Solar Sports

Solar Sports

Country	Philippines
Broadcast area	Nationwide
Programming
Language(s)	English (main) Filipino (secondary)
Picture format	Partially downscalled to letterboxed 480i SDTV
Ownership
Owner	Solar Entertainment Corporation
Sister channels	SolarFlix Front Row Channel Shop TV Solar Learning
History
Launched	January 1, 1994; 30 years ago (1994-01-01) October 30, 2002; 21 years ago (2002-10-30) (as Solar Sports)
Replaced	NBA Premium TV
Former names	Solar Entertainment Channel (1994–2002)
Links
Website	www.solarsports.com.ph

Solar Sports is a Filipino 24-hour cable TV sports channel, which serves as the flagship channel of Solar Entertainment Corporation, and based in Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The channel was launched on October 30, 2002, and is available for Sky Cable, Cablelink, G Sat, and contact for local cable operators in the Philippines and via livestreaming.

History

The channel is known for showing sports that are familiar to the Filipinos. Its main programming are the NBA games, which are shown either a game or a doubleheader each day during the season. Other NBA programming includes shows produced by NBA TV, such as the NBA's Greatest Games and WNBA games during the league's off-season. It also shows the American Super Bowl. It is also the Filipino provider of the Olympic Games.

It also shows boxing matches such as the ones from the promotions of Bob Arum, Don King and most recently, Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. From 2002 to 2006, Solar Sports would cover the fights of Manny Pacquiao, until Pacquiao signed with ABS-CBN for the rights to cover his fights. However, Solar Sports regained the broadcast rights for Pacquiao's fights since 2007 when the channel signed a deal with GMA Network.

Other sports include Volleyball and Badminton, such as the JVC Badminton tournament and the first-ever Manny V. Pangilinan Badminton Tournament, pitting players from Asia and Europe, in 2005.

The network also launched Solar Sports Desk, a late-evening sports news program, similar to ESPN, those famed American sports programs such as SportsCenter. In October 2006, Solar Sports re-launch its channel, adding local shows.

The channel is available exclusively in Metro Manila through Global Destiny Cable as of 2008. It used to be available exclusively on Sky Cable, but the two parties ceased their partnership at end of 2007 but it will be back on July 1. All cable companies in the provinces can put the channel without having to worry about exclusive rights.

On April 10, 2017, Sky Cable & Destiny Cable dropped Solar Sports along with sister channels Basketball TV (now defunct), CT (now defunct), Jack TV & NBA Premium TV (now defunct) allegedly due to Sky Cable's unpaid carriage fees. On January 1, 2019, the channel was restored on Sky Cable after 1 year of carriage disputes.^[1]

On October 1, 2019, Basketball TV ceased airing 13 years after it was first aired in 2006, which means all remaining basketball-related programs will now air on Solar Sports. Among those basketball-related programs include NBL Philippines, Liga Endesa, FIBA World Basketball and Universities and Colleges Basketball League among others.

Programs

Current

• Boxing
  • Bxstrs
  • KOTV Classics
  • KOTV Weekly
  • World Class Boxing (in cooperation with Golden Boy Promotions) (2007)
  • UKC: Ultimate Knockout Challenge
• Mixed Martial Arts
  • Professional Fighters League
  • Wednesday Warriors
• Motoring
  • Auto Focus (2007)
  • Auto Speed
  • Motoring Today (2009)
  • Mobil 1 The Grid
  • Arctic Race of Norway
  • Le Mans Classic
  • Rallye des Princesses
• Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge
• Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
• Basketball
  • Japan B.League
• Billiards
  • Cue Masters
• UCI World Tour
• Next Stop
• Marathon de Paris
• World of Free Sports
• World Sailing
• Other
  • Homecourt
  • Board Stories

Local programs

• All-Out Action (Tagalog Action Movie Block)
• EZ Shop
• Oras ng Himala
• Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup
• AsiaBasket
• National Capital Region Athletic Association
• Philippine Secondary Schools Basketball Championship
• Shakey's Super League (also broadcast on ALIW 23)
• Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League
• UGB MMA (Underground Battle MMA)
• Universal Reality Combat Championship
• Universities and Colleges Athletic League
• V-League Volleyball

Former

• ATP Tour
• WTA Tour
• Davis Cup
• Fed Cup
• World of Tennis
• FLW Outdoor Tour Bass
• IDSF: Best of Dance Sports
• Greatest Classics
• Boxing at the Bay (2009-2015)
• Saved by the Bell (2008-2018)
• Fight Night Max
• Ringside (2008-2017)
• Champions Tour
• A Round of Golf (2008-2015)
• The Haney Project
• Trump's Fabulous World of Golf
• NBA on Solar Sports (2002-2006)
• Philippine Basketball League (2002–2003)
• Undisputed
• WNCAA
• Hoop Nation
• In The Zone
• Auto Extreme (2001-2007)
• Search TV
• ECW on Sci Fi
• UFC
• German Bundesliga
• LFP
• NFL
• Gameplan (2007-2013)
• Celebrity Poker
• The Ultimate Fighter
• NASCAR
• Billiards Pinoy
• Ferrari World
• U.S. Open
• French Open
• Golf Today
• Human Wrecking Balls
• Philippine Super Liga (2013-2015)
• Poker Heaven
• Raceworld
• World Game
• Global Football
• Premier Darts
• K-1
• Smashing Action (2007-2016)
• La Liga
• Elite XC
• Liga Pilipinas (2009-2011)
• Sports Insider
• Home Shopping Network (2003-2011, 2014-2015)
• Sports Desk (2004-2007, 2012-2014)
• PGA Tour
• Jai-Alai Games (2009-2015)
• X-Play
• Versus (2008-2015)
• Pancrase
• Sports Jobs with Junior Seau
• World Strongman Super Series
• 2 Months 2 Million
• Champions League Basketball 3x3 (Australia)
• Move (Digital Series)
• Friday Fight Fest
• Basketball
  • FIBA World Basketball
  • Liga Endesa
  • The Fifth Quarter
• Sagupaan (2005-2020; now on One Sports)
• San Juan Coliseum Derby Time (2005-2020)
• Golf
  • Ladies European Tour
• Fight Zone
• Glory Kickboxing
• OZ Style
  • Perspectives (Sports Documentaries)
  • The Biggest Loser
  • Survivor
• World Baseball Classic
• World Wide Sports
• World of Athletics
• World of Badminton
• Other
  • Broken Skull
  • Exterra Adventure
  • Game Changers
  • Nomads
• Car Matchmaker
• Shifting Gears
• Trans World Sport
• BWF Super Series
• The Fighters
• Mosconi Cup
• World Cup of Pool
• World Pool Masters
• eGG Network (eSports)
• Action After Dark (Tagalog Late Night Movie Block)
• Friday Movie Timeout/Movie Timeout (Hollywood Movie Block)
• Shop TV (2015-2023)
• Business & Leisure (2007-2019)
• Philippine Collegiate Champions League (2004-2008, 2017-2018)
• Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Basketball (2021-2022)
• National Basketball League (Philippines) (2018-2022)
• Women's National Basketball League (Philippines) (2019-2022)
• National Basketball League-Youth (2018-2022)
• Pilipinas Super League (2022-2023)

Sports coverages

• AVC Asian Women's Cup
• Copa Libertadores
• Fit To Hit: Philippine Beach Volleyball Invitational
• Shakey's Girls Volleyball League (Rebisco Volleyball League)
• 2005 Manila SEA Games Coverage
• 2006 Asian Games
• 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Coverage
• 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games Coverage
• 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games Coverage
• 2012 London Olympic Games Coverage

See also

• Solar Entertainment Corporation
• Basketball TV (defunct channel)
• NBA Premium TV (defunct channel)
• S+A (defunct channel)
• 5 Plus (now One Sports)
• Balls (defunct channel)
• Liga (defunct channel)
• NBA TV Philippines
• One Sports+
• PBA Rush
• TAP Sports
• Premier Sports

External links

• Official website

References