Gray Television’s Origin Sports Network said it is launching its second original series--Origin Sports Portraits--following distribution deals that quadrupled its addressable audience size.
Portraits will look at colorful sports personalities, starting with Heisman Trophy winner and champion college football coach Steve Spurrier.
Origin’s first series, The Rise, featured conversations with sports figures talking about influences and moments that led to their athletic accomplishments. This month’s episodes will feature Herman Moore and Ralph Sampson.
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Origin Sports was launched in July on Xumo in the United States and The Roku Channel in Canada. It is also available on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Recent deals put the network on The Roku Channel in the U.S. and Samsung TV Plus.
The streaming channel is programmed by Gray’s Raycom Sports unit.
The network has adjusted its programming approach to align its classic sports programming with current events. For example Dec. 6 will be Heisman Week on Origin Sports, with games showing top performances by Bo Jackson, Matt Leinart and DeVonta Smith. Dec. 26 will be Bowl Week, with Justin Herbert’s 2020 Rose Bowl against Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor, Joe Montana's Cotton Bowl vs. Houston in 1979 and the 2017 Rose Bowl among the highlights.
“We are thrilled with the early growth of Origin Sports,” said Chad Swofford, VP of digital content at Raycom Sports. “In addition to our two compelling original content series, our responsive approach to programming has been well-received. Origin Sports’ agility has allowed us to give our audience historical perspective directly connected to what is happening in the sports world today.” ■
