New Delhi: Even as it delayed the launch of its sports channel pending its case over cricket telecast rights in the Supreme Court, Zee Telefilms today emphasised that it would go ahead with the channel even if the result was not in its favour.

"We are hopeful that the Supreme Court would rule in our favour. However, the launch of the channel is not contingent upon our getting the cricket telecast rights," Essel Group vice-president (Corporate Brand Development) Ashish Kaul told PTI from Mumbai.

The channel, which was earlier slated to be launched today on Zee Telefilms' anniversary, has started test signals and the company is currently in the process of gathering content of sports programmes, other than cricket.

Zee Telefilms had said it would be investing close to Rs 200 crore for the launch of the channel. However, industry sources say the investment would fall to as low as Rs 30 crore if it failed to get cricket telecast rights.

Kaul said if Zee finally wins the case in the apex court, it would not require any programming for its channel for the next six months or so. "If we do get the rights, the next 5-6 months would be full of cricketing action and we then don't require much of programming.