Building The Sports Channel® into a Leading Sports Media Brand

Introduction

Now that Urban News Networks® Broadcasting Company holds the U.S. registered trademark for The Sports Channel®, we are uniquely positioned to create a groundbreaking, athlete-driven sports media brand. With a marquee name that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with giants like ESPN and FOX Sports, we can finally build the nation's premier Black athlete-owned sports network—a platform that not only showcases sports, but reshapes the narrative around ownership, access, and equity in sports media.

The Vision

The Sports Channel® will be a disruptive, culturally grounded sports network rooted in authenticity, ownership, and innovation. Our aim is to:

• Champion athletes of color both on and off the field.

• Provide exclusive, demand-driven content by partnering directly with athletes and sports organizations.

• Create equity opportunities for professional athletes as content stakeholders and co-owners.

• Deliver live events, analysis, documentaries, talk shows, and youth/amateur coverage not seen on legacy networks.

Strategic Leverage: The Trademark Advantage

With the federal registration of the name The Sports Channel®, we now own a high-value media asset with significant brand potential. This name provides:

• Instant credibility in negotiations with leagues and distributors.

• A platform for black athletes to unify under a media brand they own.

• The legal protection needed to license, co-brand, or syndicate content at scale.

This trademark transforms our channel from a startup network into a brand platform that leagues and advertisers will need to engage with—especially given the demand for diversity in media representation.

Action Plan: Phase 1 - Athlete Ownership Circle

The launch begins by forming a founding circle of three NBA players, Three WNBA and three NFL players who:

• Serve as founding stakeholders and strategic ambassadors.

• Contribute to initial programming, including interviews, roundtables, behind-the-scenes access, and player-driven shows.

• Assist in outreach to the NBA Players Association (NBPA), NFL Players Association (NFLPA), and MLB Players Association (MLBPA).

Once this first group is in place, momentum will naturally follow. This is how:

• Athletes attract other athletes.

• Programming value increases organically.

• We gain collective negotiating power with major sports leagues for rights, access, and official content partnerships.

Phase 2: Distribution & Monetization

With founding athletes on board and content in development, we’ll focus on:

• FAST & AVOD distribution (via Roku, FireTV, AppleTV, etc.—already set up).

• Integration with platforms like FreeCast and fastchannels.tv (current partners).

• Sponsorships, ad revenue, and branded content tied to athlete segments.

• Long-term: licensing deals with sports leagues, merchandising, and gameday content rights.

Why This Will Work

• The name is iconic. “The Sports Channel®” is intuitive, memorable, and instantly credible.

• The infrastructure exists. The channel is setup and ready to go live and streaming-ready.

• The market is ready. There is growing demand for Black-owned sports media, especially from major brands and DEI-focused advertisers.

• Athletes want ownership. This gives them more than endorsement—they get equity, influence, and legacy.

Conclusion

This is the moment. With the U.S. registered trademark for The Sports Channel® in hand and a ready-made OTT network already deployed, we are poised to become the definitive sports platform owned by and for professional athletes of color. We simply need the right team of players at the table—and once that happens, the leagues and networks will follow.