Swerve TV has introduced Swerve Sports, a free live-streaming women’s sports channel launching on The Roku Channel and Pluto TV with more than 30 content and distribution partners. The announcement was made today by Swerve TV Chair Christy Tanner and CEO Steve Shannon. It is now available on The Roku Channel, Free Live Sports, Lights Out Sports, and Zeam. Pluto TV will launch Swerve Sports on August 7, and Anoki along with other platforms will launch the channel later this summer.
Swerve Sports, “Where Women Rule the Game,” is exclusively focused on women’s sports and offers fans 24/7 access to the best in women’s football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, softball, gymnastics, boxing, rugby, and more. It is the second channel from the successful Swerve TV team behind “Swerve Combat,” the leading combat FAST channel with more than 200 live events and 20 million viewers in the past year, delivering year-over-year growth of 215%.
The launch of Swerve Sports by Swerve TV was driven by two clear signals of strong demand for more free, live-streaming women’s sports, particularly among Gen Z viewers. First, research conducted with Toluna shows that Gen Z sports fans want more live-streaming women’s sports, with basketball, gymnastics, and combat being the most in demand. Second, since its launch in April 2024, Swerve Combat’s weekly women’s fight night has consistently outperformed the other six nights of the week.
Swerve TV is backed by global media leaders known for building innovative, profitable startups and public companies. This includes Tanner, who has created leading live-streaming multi-platform businesses for CBS and other global media companies; Shannon, who launched Roku’s content and advertising monetization business; and Swerve Head of Content Dan Keston, an award-winning producer and media executive. The distinguished Swerve Sports Advisory Board includes Amy DuBois Barnett, Rich Battista, Nathalie Bordes, Emily Christner, Roger Jackson, Susanne Mei, Michelle Milford Morse, and Matt Singerman.
Tanner understands that this is a way to raise visibility for women’s sports: “Swerve Sports is giving fans what they want – more women’s sports, free, live-streaming, 24/7. We’re creating new opportunities for the all-stars of women’s sports while leveraging the expertise of our all-star leadership team," noted.
Meanwhile, Shannon said it is a raising of the bar regarding the possibilities of women’s sports: “With the launch of Swerve Sports, we’re applying the same innovative approach that fueled the breakout success of “Swerve Combat. We’re redefining what’s possible in women’s sports for fan engagement with athletes, teams, and leagues," expressed.
In addition to live women’s sports, Swerve Sports will also feature highlights, series, and films about women athletes and those who have been pivotal in the advancement of women in sports. Content partners include Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball, Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball, Athletes Unlimited Softball League, Women’s Football Alliance, Red Bull, Outside, USA Cheer & Stunt, Freestyle Trampoline Association, “Queen & King of the Court,” Professional Fighters League, Invicta Fighting Championships, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, and STIHL TImbersports. Swerve Sports will regularly feature programs such as “Prime Time with Athletes Unlimited,” “Lunch Break with Outside,” “Weekend Adventures with Red Bull,” and “Monday Night Football with Women’s Football Alliance.”