News Corp to drop ESPN brand across Asia

As News Corp completes the acquisition of Disney's 50% stake in the ESPN STAR Sports, the media group has announced it will stop using the ESPN brand in most Asia markets from next year.News Corp was not available to comment on the move, but it is widely understood that the Fox Sports brand will replace ESPN in most Asia markets.But before that major move takes place, News Corp has kick started the task of integrating Disney's 50% share of ESPN STAR Sports into the Fox International Channels Asian business.In the coming months, all ESS teams, excluding India, will be fully integrated into FIC Asia, effectively becoming the sports division of FIC Asia. ESPN STAR Sports India will be integrated into Star India.The process of integration is likely to take six to 12 months.After the dust settles, News is widely tipped to up the ante on its sports properties across the region with more channels, more HD, more non-linear and more local productions.The moves in Asia also mirror similar moves around the world, particularly for Fox Sports US, Sky Sports in UK, Germany, Italy and Fox Sports Australia.During 2012, News Corp has invested to buy out the minority shareholders of Fox Sports Latin America and fully integrate the operation into the FIC Latam business; launch Fox Sports in Brazil; buy 100% of ESS; form a JV with Softbank in Japan to launch Fox Sports Japan next February and buy the majority of the Dutch Football League channel business.