Fans are being urged to boycott Arsenal Football Club after its owner launched a 'sickening' bloodsport channel in the UK.

Billionaire Stan Kroenke was today slammed by animal rights campaigners for launching what is billed as the Netflix of the hunting world.

Online Streaming Service My Outdoor TV (MOTV) features 'big game' — everything from elephants to antelopes — killed for sport and was launched in the UK at Game Fair in Hertfordshire last weekend.

Despite a furious backlash on social media from the likes of Ben Fogle and Robert Peston, the channel's spokesman Simon Barr told The Times: 'MOTV will present ethical, fair chase hunting and as long as it's legal it will be on there.

Mr Kroenke's online-based video streaming service is already up and running in the US and was launched in the UK at Game Fair in Hertfordshire over the weekend

Kroenke was slammed by animal rights groups. The channel claims to show 'ethical, fair chase and legal' hunting. Phillipa King, chief operating officer of the League Against Cruel Sports said: 'Most people won't agree that trophy hunting is in any way ethical'

Jana Waller, a presenter of one of the shows on the channel, regularly posts pictures of herself posing with animals she has hunted

Ms Waller is pictured posing with a black bear that was shot dead during a hunting expedition. She is pictured right alongside another hunter posing with another hunted bear

'I'm sure people won't like all the content on MOTV, but it won't be censored.

'On every film there's an explanation of what hunting does for the local community.'

But animal rights groups, charities and celebrities have slammed MOTV and Mr Kroenke, who owns LA Rams NFL team, and have called for fans to boycott his football club.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, himself an Arsenal fan, said: 'I’m appalled at the glorification of killing wild and rare animals on this TV channel.

Jeremy Corbyn said: 'As an Arsenal fan I’m disgusted that Stan Kroenke is involved in such a brutal, unethical and unnecessary activity'

The Labour leader is pictured with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan outside the Barclays Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London

'As an Arsenal fan I’m disgusted that Stan Kroenke is involved in such a brutal, unethical and unnecessary activity

'This is not sport. Kroenke should stick to football if he wants to be involved in sport.

'In my mind "blood sport" is a contradiction and there should be no place on television or anywhere else for it.'

Taking to Twitter, ITV political editor Robert Peston commented: 'As an #Arsenal supporter I have to pay money to this person. I feel sick.'

Presenter Ben Fogle added: 'Boycott Arsenal for these comments.'

Robert Peston and Ben Fogle were among those who called for Arsenal fans to boycott the club

Dozens of other users have also voiced their objection to the channel's UK launch.

One wrote: 'I'm absolutely horrified. As a wildlife & nature photographer & supporter of @Arsenal this news is nothing short of shocking and sickening.'

Amie Christie added: 'How can this happen? What is wrong with people!?'

Another said: 'Despicable human beings.'

MOTV is part of the Outdoor Sportsman Group, which is owned by Kroenke Sports Entertainment.

Some of the shows feature big game hunting and see huntsmen shoot dead bears, lions and even an endangered African elephant.

In one episode titled Dark Continent Quest, presenter Jana Waller uses a bow and arrow to take down a hartebeest in South Africa.

'It's a good shot. Definitely, some liver and some lungs hit,' comments Waller's professional guide as they wait for the creature to bleed out.

Waller says: 'The shot was a little far back for me, but one shot did it,' says Miss Waller before holding up the animal's horns.

'Shoot it!: An overly excited guide is heard encouraging the hunter to take the shot as he lines the lion up in his sights in one of the channel's shows

While some big game hunters also call themselves conservationists as well, animal charities say studies have debunked the claim that 'blood money' goes towards supporting conservation

The hunters are seen congratulating one another and even shaking hands after shooting the lion dead

Those in favour of big game hunting claim the controversial bloodsports raise huge sums of cash for conversation. They say it draws in tourists to areas where wildlife is otherwise scarce.

While MOTV insist the bloodsports are legal, animal rights and conservations groups branded the channel 'sickening'.

Phillipa King, chief operating officer of the League Against Cruel Sports, said the Arsenal boss scored a 'massive own goal'.

'We're living in a world now where most people can see how brutal and shameful trophy hunting is, yet the Arsenal boss is choosing to launch his sick TV channel in the UK.

'The channel claims to show 'ethical, fair chase and legal' hunting.

'Most people won't agree that trophy hunting is in any way ethical, and studies have debunked claims that most of the blood money goes towards supporting conservation.'

In this clip which hunters can be seen releasing dogs from the rear of a truck as they pursue a bear which is hiding up a tree

Some of the shows' presenters described themselves as both hunters and conservationists. But the channel has been slammed by animal rights campaigners

A bear hides up a tree as it tries to evade advancing hunters and their dogs. The channel claims to show 'ethical, fair chase and legal' hunting

'I'm not sure in what way an idiot with a gun against an elephant is a fair chase.

'And yes, the hunting they show might be legal – though if they start showing hunting in the UK they'll have to tread very carefully.

'Hunts claim to be trail hunting when they chase foxes, stags and hares, but we've shown that the vast majority of trail hunting is just a false alibi for the actual hunting and killing of animals.

'If this channel starts showing trail hunting, they'll be on very rocky ground.

'Mr Kroenke could do the world a great favour by stopping pedalling this kind of sickening TV and turning his focus on helping the animals he apparently likes to see killed.'

Other people expressed their outrage on Twitter and said the boss should retract his statement

Fiona Pereira, campaign manager at Animal Aid, commented: ‘There’s nothing sporting or ethical about killing animals for pleasure.

'Every animal, regardless of species, values his or her life as much as you or I value ours.

'The notion of spending time and money in the pursuit of destroying another animal’s life, is warped beyond belief.

'If people want to contribute to conservation schemes – ether financially or by volunteering, then they should do just that – and not expect to be able to exercise their blood lust in return.’

Mr Kroenke, whose estimated worth is £5.6billion, also owns the Los Angeles Rams American football team

'An RSPCA spokesman added: 'We do not condone trophy hunting or hunting animals for "sport".

'There is strong opposition around the world to the needless killing of these animals.

'We hope people across the globe will continue to support animal welfare work internationally, as well as domestically in England and Wales where the RSPCA continues to help animals in need and protect them from cruelty and suffering.'

Mr Kroenke, whose estimated worth is £5.6billion, also owns the Los Angeles Rams American football team.

Under Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, the billionaire also owns the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, Colorado Avalanche of the NHL, Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer and Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League.

A PETA spokesman added: 'Unlike footballers, who spend years mastering their sport, there's no skill required to kill an animal who's simply trying to survive: it involves only the movement of a finger.

'Except for those dead in heart and head, everyone understands that lions, elephants, deer, and other animals are feeling individuals, not simply bodies waiting for their heads to be shot off and displayed on a wall.

'Stan Kroenke's attempt to profit from crude bloodlust will no doubt disgust Arsenal fans and players.'

In a statement Jim Liberatore, President and CEO Outdoor Sportsman Group said: ' MyOutdoorTV is a subscription, video-on-demand service that caters to viewers that enjoy outdoor lifestyle content.

'We advocate and televise only legal, ethical and fair-chase hunting, while also educating viewers about conservation practices and game management that are underlying elements of the programming.

'We want to assure animal rights activists and hunting enthusiasts alike that we will continue to adhere to these standards.'