SportsChannel America
Encyclopedia
SportsChannel America was a cable television
network
operated by Cablevision. It was the country's first regional sports network
, and thus (along with Prime Network
) an important ancestor to many of the United States' regional sports outlets, especially Fox Sports Net
and Comcast SportsNet
. SportsChannel New York
was the first of these networks and was launched in 1976. Cablevision later partnered with Fox and Liberty Media to merge the network into Fox Sports Net in early 1998.
The network obtained the National Hockey League rights from ESPN
in 1988 by offering the NHL almost triple the amount of money that ESPN was offering (a move not unlike the 2005 NHL rights grab by Comcast
/OLN
over ESPN). SportsChannel America was only in a few major markets, and reached only one-third of the households that ESPN did. After 4 seasons, the NHL ended the deal and went back to ESPN, leaving SportsChannel America with little more than outdoors shows and Canadian Football League
games. For SportsChannel, the deal was a disaster. While the cable channel three years later was available in 20 million homes, the broadcaster lost as much as $10 million on the agreement, and soon faded into obscurity. Some local SportsChannel stations – which carried NHL games in their local markets – were not affected.
and NBC
to form Prime SportsChannel Networks combining SportsChannel America with Liberty's Prime Network
. This partnership would produce NewSport
and American Sports Classics.
and Liberty Media to rebrand most of the SportsChannel America networks as Fox Sports Net
stations. The first affiliate to rebrand itself was SportsChannel New York (currently MSG+) when it became Fox Sports New York on January 27, 1998. All other SportsChannel networks except SportsChannel Florida were rebranded later that week. The last affiliate to rebrand itself was SportsChannel Florida, which became Fox Sports Net Florida (now Fox Sports Florida) in March 2000.
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
operated by Cablevision. It was the country's first regional sports network
Regional sports network
In the United States of America and Canada, a regional sports network, or RSN, is a cable television station that presents sports programming to a local market. The most important programming on an RSN consists of live broadcasts of professional and college sporting events, as those games generate...
, and thus (along with Prime Network
Prime Network
The Prime Network was a group of regional sports networks owned by Liberty Media that served several regionalized areas that was in operation between 1983 and late-1997. While Liberty owned many of these stations, some were affiliates and owned by other companies...
) an important ancestor to many of the United States' regional sports outlets, especially Fox Sports Net
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
and Comcast SportsNet
Comcast SportsNet
Comcast SportsNet is a group of regional sports networks in the United States primarily owned by the Comcast cable television company....
. SportsChannel New York
MSG Plus
MSG Plus is a regional sports network in the New York City metropolitan area, whose reach expands to cover the entire state of New York, Northern New Jersey, Southwestern Connecticut, and Northeastern Pennsylvania. The network was rebranded on March 10, 2008.Like its sister network, MSG, it is...
was the first of these networks and was launched in 1976. Cablevision later partnered with Fox and Liberty Media to merge the network into Fox Sports Net in early 1998.
Former SportsChannel Networks
- SportsChannel New YorkMSG PlusMSG Plus is a regional sports network in the New York City metropolitan area, whose reach expands to cover the entire state of New York, Northern New Jersey, Southwestern Connecticut, and Northeastern Pennsylvania. The network was rebranded on March 10, 2008.Like its sister network, MSG, it is...
(1976, now MSG+) - SportsChannel New England (acquired as PRISM New England and rebranded in 1983, now CSN New England)
- SportsChannel ChicagoFSN ChicagoFox Sports Net Chicago was a regional sports network based in Chicago, Illinois. The network carried the Chicago Cubs, the Chicago White Sox, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Chicago Bulls, the Chicago Fire, the Arena Football League's Chicago Rush, local and national collegiate sports, including those...
(acquired as SportsVision in 1984 and rebranded in 1989, became the now defunct FSN Chicago and later replaced by Comcast SportsNet Chicago) - SportsChannel Florida (1987, now Fox Sports Florida)
- SportsChannel Los AngelesSportsChannel Los AngelesSportsChannel Los Angeles aired from 1989 to 1993 in the southern California area; it was a regional sports network.-Programming:SCLA featured live play-by-play of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the California Angels, and the Los Angeles Clippers...
(1989, now defunct) - SportsChannel Ohio (1989, now Fox Sports Ohio)
- SportsChannel Bay Area (1990, now CSN Bay Area)
- SportsChannel PhiladelphiaSportsChannel PhiladelphiaSportsChannel Philadelphia was a regional sports network that served the Philadelphia area during the 1990s. The network was owned by Cablevision along with its sister-network PRISM and was part of SportsChannel America. Games from Philadelphia's sports teams were split between the two networks...
(1990, defunct, replaced by CSN Philadelphia)
Notable SportsChannel America programming
- Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
- Extreme Championship WrestlingECW Hardcore TVECW Hardcore TV was the weekly professional wrestling television program of Philadelphia-based promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling composed of footage from live shows and recorded interviews....
- National Hockey League
- NewSport Talk - A two hour sports talk show produced by the Chicago-based SportsChannel and syndicatedTelevision syndicationIn 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...
to most of the other ones. It was an original show on NewSport. - World Basketball LeagueWorld Basketball LeagueWorld Basketball League was a minor professional basketball league in the United States and Canada. It was founded as the International Basketball Association in November 1987, before changing its name prior to the 1988 season. One of the major differences between it and other leagues was that it...
- NASCARNASCAR on SportsChannel AmericaNASCAR on SportsChannel America relates to NASCAR's Busch Grand National races broadcast on the now defunct SportsChannel America television network. SportsChannel America's coverage began in 1990...
Busch Grand National races
National Hockey League
ESPN
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....
in 1988 by offering the NHL almost triple the amount of money that ESPN was offering (a move not unlike the 2005 NHL rights grab by Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
/OLN
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
over ESPN). SportsChannel America was only in a few major markets, and reached only one-third of the households that ESPN did. After 4 seasons, the NHL ended the deal and went back to ESPN, leaving SportsChannel America with little more than outdoors shows and Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
games. For SportsChannel, the deal was a disaster. While the cable channel three years later was available in 20 million homes, the broadcaster lost as much as $10 million on the agreement, and soon faded into obscurity. Some local SportsChannel stations – which carried NHL games in their local markets – were not affected.
Prime SportsChannel Networks
In 1993, Cablevision partned with Liberty MediaLiberty Media
Liberty Media Corporation is an American media conglomerate and the control is exercised by company Chairman John C. Malone, who owns a majority of the voting shares....
and NBC
NBC
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...
to form Prime SportsChannel Networks combining SportsChannel America with Liberty's Prime Network
Prime Network
The Prime Network was a group of regional sports networks owned by Liberty Media that served several regionalized areas that was in operation between 1983 and late-1997. While Liberty owned many of these stations, some were affiliates and owned by other companies...
. This partnership would produce NewSport
NewSport
NewSport was a 24 hour sports news channel that was a joint venture of Cablevision's Rainbow Media, NBC, and Liberty Media. NewSport debuted in 1993, predating ESPNews by 3 years. However, its growth was slow as it was picked up by few cable systems besides Cablevision, which owned part of both...
and American Sports Classics.
Fox Sports rebranding
In 1998, Cablevision partnered with Fox SportsFox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
and Liberty Media to rebrand most of the SportsChannel America networks as Fox Sports Net
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
stations. The first affiliate to rebrand itself was SportsChannel New York (currently MSG+) when it became Fox Sports New York on January 27, 1998. All other SportsChannel networks except SportsChannel Florida were rebranded later that week. The last affiliate to rebrand itself was SportsChannel Florida, which became Fox Sports Net Florida (now Fox Sports Florida) in March 2000.