GiantsVision
GiantsVision[1] was a pay-per-view television service for Major League Baseball games featuring the San Francisco Giants.[2] GiantsVision[3] was in operation for four seasons, from 1986[4] to 1989.[5] Prior to this, the team's only local television outlet was KTVU, which had been broadcasting Giants games since 1961.
Country | United States |
---|---|
Broadcast area | San Francisco Bay Area |
Network | Pay-per-view |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English |
Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
Ownership | |
Owner | Bay Area Interconnect |
History | |
Launched | 1986 |
Closed | 1989 |
Replaced by | SportsChannel Bay Area |
Background
GiantsVision was managed by San Jose-based Bay Area Interconnect. It was headed by Robert Hartzell[6] and Mike Shapiro.[7][8] Subscription costs began at $5.95 per game, with a full 45-game package available for $154. GiantsVision garnered an average viewership of 22,000 per game through the first two months of the 1988 season.[9]
GiantsVision was shut down at the conclusion of the 1989 season when it was purchased by SportsChannel and floated as SportsChannel Bay Area after the merger.[10] By 1990, at least 105 San Francisco Giants games had been televised, far more than the approximately 55 games that GiantsVision offered.[11]
Commentators
Joe Morgan,[12][13] Duane Kuiper,[14][15][16] and Phil Stone[17] were principal announcers for GiantsVision. Kuiper's brother, Jeff,[18] was the producer of the broadcasts. David Koppett[19] produced features for GiantsVision and later SportsChannel telecasts of Giants games. He also served as associate producer and graphics operator on Giants telecasts.
References
- "GIANTS VISION - Trademark Details". Justia.
- "1989 SF Giants Information Guide". scribd.com.
- Smith, E. Stratford (December 13, 1989). "Edward Allen". The Cable Center.
- Moody, Darrell (February 19, 2008). "Giants broadcast duo covers plenty of topics". Nevada Appeal.
- "Marysville Yuba City Appeal Democrat" (Original newspaper). September 19, 1989.
- "Robert Hartzell - Obituary". Legacy. February 29, 2012.
- "Mike Shapiro Named Pacific Association Executive of the Year". Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs. November 30, 2015.
- Schmidt, Danny (July 30, 2016). "Former Giants broadcaster Greenwald honored at Pacifics game". Marin Independent Journal.
- Murray, William D. (August 26, 1988). "Sports and the wide world of cable TV Sunday, Aug 28 Duplicates item moved on financial wire as bc-bizworld-sportscable".
- More sports for the Bay Area (PDF). American Radio History. January 22, 1990. p. 46.
- Jackel, Peter (December 25, 1993). "Broadcasting reunites former Case stars". The Journal Times.
- "Baseball Great Joe Morgan To Speak At Baseball Clinic Weekend". Old Dominion University Athletics. September 23, 2007.
- "ESPN Classic". ESPN. November 19, 2003.
- Cohn, Grant (June 19, 2013). "Giants play-by-play voice Kuiper calls it fun". The Press Democrat.
- Guardado, Maria (May 4, 2020). "Bobby Bonds left; Kruk, Kuip & an MVP arrived". MLB.com.
- Brown, Daniel; Cepeda, Orlando. Big 50: San Francisco Giants: The Men and Moments that Made the San ...
- Jenkins, Bruce (April 4, 2015). "Matt Cain a reassuring sight on AT&T mound". SF Gate.
- Castiglione, Joe; Lyons, Douglas B. Broadcast Rites and Sites: I Saw It on the Radio with the Boston Red Sox. p. 26.
- "David Koppett - Vice President, Content Production & Strategy ..." Linkedin.