For fans of the cult feature film Dodgeball, “ESPN 8: The Ocho” was created to mock the entertainment sports programming network growing niche coverage some 25 years ago. Today, ESPN 8: The Ocho exists in real life as a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel — and, as of today, as a digital multicast offering serving Central Florida, thanks to an arrangement with a Hearst Television station.
The arrangement is thanks, in part, to Hearst’s stake in The Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN brand. And, it brings the FAST channel “dedicated to quirky and unconventional sports” to WKCF-18.3 in Orlando-Daytona Beach, a DMA that also includes fast-growing Brevard County and the cities of Melbourne and Cocoa.
The arrival of “ESPN8” on WKCF DT3 comes as MediaCo’s Estrella TV network shifts to an owned property, WDYB-CD, as RBR+TVBR previously reported.
WKCF-18.3 enjoys MVPD distribution across the DMA and can be seen on Spectrum channel 464/910, DirecTV channel 442, CenturyLink Prism channel 20, and Cox Cable channel 116.
“Central Florida has an incredible passion for all manner of sports,” said John Soapes, President and General Manager of Hearst’s WKCF-TV and NBC affiliate WESH-2 in Daytona Beach. “Bringing this endlessly entertaining content to Central Florida for the first time allows us to deliver fun new sports experiences while also creating a new platform to showcase additional local and regional sports that Central Floridians enjoy.”
