Mizlou Television Network
Encyclopedia
The Mizlou Television Network was an early syndicator
of sports television in the United States
. It was founded in 1961 by brothers Claude and Vic Piano
. Its first telecast was of the 1968 Peach Bowl
football
game.
, ABC
or CBS
. Rather, it produced sports and entertainment television shows and offered it to an "ad hoc" set of affiliates set up on an event by event basis. It was seen on affiliates of all three networks, and on independent television stations as well.
In an era long before satellite
distribution of television signals, Mizlou had, outside of the major networks, the only system capable of distribution of signals to television stations on a nationwide basis in that era, via a nationwide system of land lines and microwave facilities.
in 1980. They also covered college basketball
, NASL
soccer
, Arena Football League games, boxing
, and LPGA
golf
. In the 1980s, Mizlou gave NASCAR
its first regular national television coverage and was a telecasting pioneer of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
as well. Mizlou also used its system to facilitate distribution of live events like Jerry Lewis
' MDA Telethon
.
, Howard David
, Duane Dow, Jim Karvellas, Steve Grad, Vince Bagli, Don Tollefson, Charlie Harville, Leslie Calloway, Joe Dean, and Don Earle
. Former Dallas Cowboys' star RB Don Perkins (he of the 1967 Ice Bowl fame) was a color analyst/commentator for many years. Another former Cowboy RB, Walt Garrison, also did color commentary, including the 1977 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl (he worked this one with Karvellas and Tollefson).
and with the development of easy satellite distribution of syndicated sports, which rendered its exclusive land based system of distribution obsolete. (ESPN actually syndicated some Mizlou programs, including the 1984 Holiday Bowl
in which BYU beat Michigan
to clinch the national championship
.)
In the early 1990s, Mizlou dropped out of the syndication business and sold its programming library to Margate Entertainment
and launched an all-sports news network (Mizlou Sports News Network), which was the precursor to ESPNEWS. Margate Entertainment now owns SNN and is transmitting sports news worldwide on a 24/7 basis.
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
of sports television in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was founded in 1961 by brothers Claude and Vic Piano
Vic Piano
Vic Piano, along with his brother Claude, was the founder and the operator of the Mizlou Television Network, a leading Independent TV Network that was started in 1968. The Network was founded by Piano to offer the Peach Bowl college football game to Independent Stations...
. Its first telecast was of the 1968 Peach Bowl
Chick-fil-A Bowl
The Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly called the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and before that simply called the Peach Bowl, is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. The first three Peach Bowls were played at Grant Field on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta....
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game.
Differences between Mizlou and "The Big Three"
The network was not a full-time network like NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
or CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. Rather, it produced sports and entertainment television shows and offered it to an "ad hoc" set of affiliates set up on an event by event basis. It was seen on affiliates of all three networks, and on independent television stations as well.
In an era long before satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
distribution of television signals, Mizlou had, outside of the major networks, the only system capable of distribution of signals to television stations on a nationwide basis in that era, via a nationwide system of land lines and microwave facilities.
Notable programming
Mizlou covered more college bowl games than any other network in its era, well notably, the Miracle BowlMiracle Bowl
The 1980 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 19, 1980 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. The game is famous due to a furious fourth quarter rally - including a last-second "miracle" touchdown - that gave the BYU Cougars a...
in 1980. They also covered college basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, Arena Football League games, boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, and LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. In the 1980s, Mizlou gave NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
its first regular national television coverage and was a telecasting pioneer of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is an organization whose members compete in rodeos throughout North America, primarily in the United States. The PRCA sanctions rodeo venues and events through the PRCA Circuit System. Its championship event is the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo...
as well. Mizlou also used its system to facilitate distribution of live events like Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
' MDA Telethon
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
The MDA Labor Day Telethon is an annual telethon in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association . The first MDA telethon was during the Thanksgiving Day weekend of 1952 and titled Party for MDA. It has been held annually since 1966...
.
Notable announcers
Play-by-play announcers who appeared on Mizlou include Eddie DoucetteEddie Doucette
Eddie Doucette is the president of Doucette Promotions Inc. He is a former television and radio announcer. He was the original radio voice of the Milwaukee Bucks where he broadcast games for 16 years. He also broadcast games for Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Portland...
, Howard David
Howard David
-Biography:Over the years, David has been the radio play-by-play man for several pro sports teams including the NBA's New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Boston Celtics, and the NFL's New York Jets and Miami Dolphins...
, Duane Dow, Jim Karvellas, Steve Grad, Vince Bagli, Don Tollefson, Charlie Harville, Leslie Calloway, Joe Dean, and Don Earle
Don Earle
Donald Earle Clement was an American ice hockey announcer.Earle, who got his start broadcasting high school hockey games on radio, called Boston Bruins games on WSBK-TV from 1967-1971....
. Former Dallas Cowboys' star RB Don Perkins (he of the 1967 Ice Bowl fame) was a color analyst/commentator for many years. Another former Cowboy RB, Walt Garrison, also did color commentary, including the 1977 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl (he worked this one with Karvellas and Tollefson).
Technical innovations
Mizlou was also known for many technical innovations under the direction of Roger Schwing. Most enduring was the Iso-Lite Replay, which enabled a fan to see a specific portion of what was then the innovative ability to show an instant replay of the action.Decline
The business fell on hard times with the birth of all-sports networks like ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and with the development of easy satellite distribution of syndicated sports, which rendered its exclusive land based system of distribution obsolete. (ESPN actually syndicated some Mizlou programs, including the 1984 Holiday Bowl
1984 Holiday Bowl
The 1984 Holiday Bowl was one of the games that determined the national championship in college football for the 1984 season. Played on December 21, 1984 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California, it pitted the BYU Cougars against the Michigan Wolverines; BYU won the game, 24-17...
in which BYU beat Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
to clinch the national championship
Mythical National Championship
A mythical national championship is a colloquial term used to question the validity of national championship recognition that is not explicitly competitive...
.)
In the early 1990s, Mizlou dropped out of the syndication business and sold its programming library to Margate Entertainment
Margate Entertainment
Margate Entertainment LLC is a worldwide communications company based in Henderson, Nevada. Operated by Tom Ficara and Charry Kennedy, it supplies sports and entertainment programming to new electronic media distributors from its 10,000 title program library...
and launched an all-sports news network (Mizlou Sports News Network), which was the precursor to ESPNEWS. Margate Entertainment now owns SNN and is transmitting sports news worldwide on a 24/7 basis.