TRACE Sports, a new format channel dedicated to revealing intimate, behind-the-scenes views of the world’s favourite sporting heroes, will be launching on DStv Channel 129 on Tuesday 17 April 2012. The channel will be exclusively available to DStv Premium subscribers.

TRACE Sports targets sports fanatics and sports consumers of both genders between the ages of 15 and 49 who are interested in stories about sports icons – legends and rising stars. The channel will give DStv Premium subscribers exclusive access to sports celebrities by letting them into the private lives of champions and champions in the making through exclusive profiles, gossip, news, documentaries and entertainment shows.

“Sport is an important genre to pay television. TRACE Sports is a channel which takes a unique view on sports stars, giving our subscribers access to content that is not currently available on DStv. We are confident that this channel will be a big hit with our subscribers,” said Aletta Alberts, General Manager Content, MultiChoice.

Olivier Laouchez, Chairman and CEO, TRACE Group, said: “The launch of TRACE Sports in South Africa is a major milestone for our Group. TRACE Sports will bring the DStv audience a great mix of content where sport meets glamour, where athletes reveal their real life and personality. We are excited to be launching the channel exactly 100 days before the Olympics as we believe that our content will allow DStv subscribers to connect more with featured Olympians.”

Alongside features of global sporting icons such as Usain Bolt, Lewis Hamilton and Roger Federer, TRACE Sports will also broadcast exclusive content with South African stars such as Bryan Habana, Oscar Pistorius, Aaron Mokoena, Natalie du Toit and Schalk Burger.

Programme highlights on the channel include: Up Close With where the champions get to choose the location of their interview; Entourage which focuses on the companions or parents of sports celebs, getting to know the champions through the eyes of their inner circle; Legends which gives a strong documentation of the real lives of those who got to write their names in gold letters in the history of their sports. Joelle Kayembe, the African supermodel and new face of TRACE and TRACE Foundation, will present the signature show In the Name of Good, which depicts the involvement of great champions in causes that are important to them.