Regional sports network
In the United States and Canada, a regional sports network (RSN) is a cable television channel (many of which are also distributed on direct broadcast satellite services) that presents sports programming to a local market or geographical region.
Historically, some RSNs originated as premium channels; since the 1990s, however, they have commonly been distributed through the expanded basic-programming tiers of cable and IPTV services, packaged alongside other national basic cable networks, and local broadcast stations and public, educational, and government access channels. Satellite providers often require subscribers to purchase a higher programming tier or a specialized sports tier to receive local and out-of-market regional sports networks.
Overview
The most important programming on a regional sports network (RSN) consists of live broadcasts of professional and collegiate sporting events, as those games generate an overwhelming percentage of an RSN's advertising income, in addition to viewership. During the rest of the day, these channels show other sports and recreation programming (such as news programs covering local and national sports; magazine and discussion programs relating to a team or collegiate conference; fishing and hunting programs; and in-studio video simulcasts of sports radio programs); rebroadcasts of sports events that aired as late as the day prior and paid programming may also be shown. These channels are often the source content for out-of-market sports packages.
Regional sports networks are generally among the most expensive channels carried by cable television providers, due to the expense of rights to the local sports they carry; this higher subscriber fees received by television providers through retransmission consent carriage agreements coupled with percentages of other forms of revenue are used to pay local and regional teams for the right to broadcast their games. A typical RSN, as of 2012, carries a monthly retransmission fee of $2 to $3 per subscriber,[1] lower than the rates providers charge to carry ESPN and premium channels but higher than the rates for other cable networks. These high prices are supported by demand for the often-popular local sports teams they carry (particularly those that are member franchises of larger sports leagues such as Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League, as well as college teams that have large and loyal fanbases); carriage disputes between distributors and RSNs are often controversial and protracted. The expense of the per subscriber rate led some major providers such as Time Warner Cable and Verizon FiOS to begin incorporating a fixed "regional sports network fee" as a separate surcharge within its billing statements as early as 2013.[2][3]
Most regional sports networks in the United States are either affiliated with Fox Sports Networks or the NBC Sports Regional Networks, which produce and distribute supplementary programming – including professional and college sports events involving out-of-market teams, and sports-centered reality and documentary series – for their individual owned-and-operated member networks and any RSNs not under common ownership that receive their "nationally" distributed programming through affiliation agreements. in the past, some RSNs also carried supplemental programming from networks such as America One, AMGTV or ESPNews, though vertical integration and the impact of streaming services removing game broadcasts from low-tier broadcast networks has effectively ended this practice.
In Canada, Sportsnet operates four regional sports networks, and the otherwise nationally distributed TSN also maintains some regional operations. This differs from the operational structure of RSNs in the United States, which are independently operated from national sports networks (Fox Sports Networks and NBC Sports Regional Networks, for example, do not receive any programming from their respective sister national networks such as Fox Sports 1 and NBCSN, and are run as technically separate entities within their parent companies' sports divisions).
An increasing trend is for the teams whose games make up the lucrative programming to own the RSN themselves. This serves two purposes: first, the teams make more money operating an RSN than they would collecting a licensing fee from an individual network or a group, such as Fox Sports Net. Second, by owning their own RSN, teams that must share revenues with other members of their league can mask its broadcast-related profits. Under the old model, a team collects a large fee for licensing its games to the RSN. That fee would then be disclosed and shared with the other teams in the league. Under the new, team-owned RSN model, the team demands only a nominal fee, so the profits for local broadcasts stay with the team. The owned-and-operated RSN model generally works best in the largest markets where advertising and cable revenue is larger; in smaller or fringe markets, the sale of rights fees is more lucrative.
For example, the New York Rangers and New York Knicks have long co-owned their RSN, MSG; however, they also have purchased the rights to their rivals, the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils. MSG also owns the rights to the Buffalo Sabres, however the team and ownership controls game production and that has since evolved into a separate MSG sub-channel for the Sabres market called MSG Western New York which is dual-controlled and programmed by MSG and Pegula Sports and Entertainment, owners of the Sabres effectively making it an owned and operated RSN. The Sabres once had their own owned-and-operated RSN before, Empire Sports Network, however instability in the Sabres and channel's ownership at the time led to difficulties and Empire was shut down in 2005 in favor of selling the Sabres' rights to MSG.
United States
Fox Sports Networks
For years, the default RSN for many markets was owned by Fox Sports. Fox Sports Networks, which launched on November 1, 1996 as Fox Sports Net,[4] was created through former parent News Corporation's October 1995 purchase of a 50% equity stake in Liberty Media-owned Prime Sports Networks, co-founded in 1988 by Bill Daniels and Liberty's then-sister company Tele-Communications Inc.[5] The group expanded further in June 1997, Fox/Liberty Networks, the joint venture company operated by News Corporation and Liberty Media, purchased a 40% interest in the Cablevision-owned SportsChannel group.[6][7] Fox Sports Networks serve as the regional counterparts to their national sister networks Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2.
As part of a rebranding effort, the collective branding of the networks – which eventually became "FSN (Region/City)" in 2004 – was extended to Fox Sports (Region/City) (also used from 1996-2000) with the start of the 2008 college football season. The networks that currently maintain affiliations with or are owned by Fox Sports Networks, and the major teams and athletic conferences the regional networks broadcast are as follows:
Current owned-and-operated outlets
| Channel | Region served | Team broadcast rights | Non-professional sports broadcast rights | Former names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Sports Arizona | Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Southern Nevada | Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Arizona Coyotes (NHL), Phoenix Suns (NBA), Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) | Arizona State Sun Devils sports, Pac-12 Conference sports | Prime Sports Arizona |
| Fox Sports Carolinas | North Carolina, South Carolina | Carolina Hurricanes (NHL), Charlotte Hornets (NBA), Carolina Panthers (NFL) (team-related programs only), Atlanta Braves (MLB) (via Fox Sports South), Cincinnati Reds (MLB) (via Fox Sports Ohio) | Atlantic Coast Conference sports, Southeastern Conference sports | |
| Fox Sports Detroit | Michigan, northwestern Ohio, northeastern Indiana, northeast Wisconsin | Detroit Tigers (MLB), Detroit Lions (NFL) (team-related programs only), Detroit Pistons (NBA), Detroit Red Wings (NHL) | Mid-American Conference men's basketball, Detroit Titans men's basketball, Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketball, Michigan High School Athletic Association championships (for all sports), football playoffs, and girls' and boys' basketball state finals | |
| Fox Sports Florida | Florida, southern Alabama, southern Georgia | Florida Panthers (NHL), Miami Marlins (MLB), Tampa Bay Rays (MLB), Orlando Magic (NBA) | American Athletic Conference sports, Atlantic Sun Conference sports, Conference USA sports, Atlantic Coast Conference sports | SportsChannel Florida |
| Fox Sports Indiana | central Indiana | Indiana Pacers (NBA), Indiana Fever (WNBA), Cincinnati Reds (MLB) (via Fox Sports Ohio), Indianapolis Indians (IL), Indy Fuel (ECHL), Indianapolis Greyhounds sports, Wabash Little Giants sports, Franklin Grizzlies sports (mostly football), Marian Knights sports (mostly football), Indiana High School Athletic Association sports events | Big 12 Conference sports, Conference USA sports, Southeastern Conference sports, Western Athletic Conference sports, Missouri Valley Conference sports, Horizon League sports | |
| Fox Sports Kansas City | Kansas City metropolitan area, western and central Missouri, Kansas, eastern Nebraska, Iowa | Kansas City Royals (MLB), Sporting Kansas City (MLS), St. Louis Blues (NHL) (via Fox Sports Midwest), Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA) (via Fox Sports Oklahoma) | Big 12 Conference sports (University of Kansas and Kansas State University), Missouri Tigers sports, Missouri Valley Conference basketball and championships, Missouri State High School Activities Association championships | |
| Fox Sports Midwest | Missouri, central and southern Illinois, southern Indiana, eastern Nebraska, eastern Kansas, western Kentucky, northern Arkansas | Sporting Kansas City (MLS) (via Fox Sports Kansas City), St. Louis Cardinals (MLB), St. Louis Blues (NHL) | Saint Louis Billikens sports, Missouri Valley Conference basketball, Missouri Tigers sports, Kansas State Wildcats basketball, Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball | Prime Sports Midwest |
| Fox Sports New Orleans | Louisiana | New Orleans Pelicans (NBA), Dallas Stars (NHL) (via Fox Sports Southwest), Texas Rangers (MLB) (via Fox Sports Southwest) | Southeastern Conference sports (via Fox Sports South), Louisiana High School Athletics Association championships (rights shared with Cox Sports Television), Conference USA sports | |
| Fox Sports North1 | Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota | Minnesota Twins (MLB), Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA), Minnesota Wild (NHL), Minnesota Lynx (WNBA) | Minnesota Golden Gophers sports, Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season games and championships, Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs sports, North Dakota Fighting Sioux sports, Minnesota State Mavericks sports, St. Cloud State Huskies sports | WCCO II Midwest Sports Channel |
| Fox Sports Ohio | Ohio, eastern Indiana, Kentucky, northwestern Pennsylvania, southwestern New York | Cincinnati Reds (MLB), Cleveland Browns (NFL) (team-related programs only), Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA), Cleveland Monsters (AHL), Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL) | Cincinnati Bearcats sports, Xavier Musketeers sports | SportsChannel Ohio |
| Fox Sports Oklahoma | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA), Dallas Stars (NHL) (via Fox Sports Southwest), Texas Rangers (MLB) (via Fox Sports Southwest) | Oklahoma Sooners sports, Oklahoma State Cowboys sports, Big 12 Conference sports | |
| Fox Sports San Diego | San Diego metropolitan area | San Diego Padres (MLB), Los Angeles Clippers (NBA) (via Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket), Los Angeles Kings (NHL) (via Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket), Anaheim Ducks (NHL) (via Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket) | ||
| Fox Sports South2 | Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky | Atlanta Braves (MLB), Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Atlanta United FC (MLS), Cincinnati Reds (MLB) (through Fox Sports Ohio), St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) (through Fox Sports Midwest) | Southeastern Conference sports, Atlantic Coast Conference sports, Conference USA sports, Southern Conference sports, Big South Conference sports | SportSouth |
| Fox Sports Southeast | Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, parts of North Carolina, Elizabeth City micropolitan area, Outer Banks | Atlanta Braves (MLB), Atlanta Dream (WNBA), Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Atlanta United FC (MLS), Carolina Hurricanes (NHL), Charlotte Hornets (NBA), Memphis Grizzlies (NBA), Nashville Predators (NHL), Cincinnati Reds (MLB) (through Fox Sports Ohio), St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) (through Fox Sports Midwest) | Southeastern Conference sports, Atlantic Coast Conference sports, Conference USA sports, Southern Conference sports, Big South Conference sports | SportSouth |
| Fox Sports Southwest3 | northern and eastern Texas, northern Louisiana, New Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma | Texas Rangers (MLB), Dallas Mavericks (NBA), San Antonio Spurs (NBA), Dallas Stars (NHL), Dallas Wings (WNBA) | Big 12 Conference sports, Conference USA sports | Home Sports Entertainment Prime Sports Southwest |
| Fox Sports Sun | Florida | Miami Heat (NBA), Miami Marlins (MLB), Orlando Magic (NBA), Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL), Tampa Bay Rays (MLB) | Southeastern Conference sports, Florida Gators sports, Florida State Seminoles sports, Florida High School Athletic Association football and basketball state finals | Sunshine Network Sun Sports |
| Fox Sports Tennessee | Tennessee, northern Alabama | Memphis Grizzlies (NBA), Nashville Predators (NHL), Cincinnati Reds (MLB) (via Fox Sports Ohio), St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) (via Fox Sports Midwest), Atlanta Braves (MLB) (via Fox Sports South) | Southeastern Conference sports | |
| Fox Sports West Prime Ticket | Southern California, Southern Nevada, Hawaii | Anaheim Ducks (NHL), Los Angeles Clippers (NBA), Los Angeles Angels (MLB), Los Angeles Kings (NHL) | Big West Conference sports, West Coast Conference sports | Fox Sports West: Prime Ticket Prime Sports West Prime Ticket: Fox Sports West 2 |
| Fox Sports Wisconsin | Wisconsin, western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, eastern Minnesota, northwestern Illinois, Iowa | Milwaukee Brewers (MLB), Milwaukee Bucks (NBA), Minnesota Wild (NHL) (via Fox Sports North) | Wisconsin Badgers hockey, Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference sports, Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association tournaments, Big East Conference football and basketball) ((through FSN and ESPN Plus), Big 12 Conference football and basketball) (through FSN and ESPN Plus), Pac-12 Conference football and basketball) ((through FSN and ESPN Plus) | Wisconsin Sports Network Midwest Sports Channel (WI feed) Fox Sports North (WI feed) |
| SportsTime Ohio | Ohio, eastern Indiana, Kentucky, northwestern Pennsylvania, southwestern New York | Cleveland Indians (MLB), Ohio Machine (MLL) | Mid-American Conference sports, Notre Dame Fighting Irish football and basketball, University of Akron football, Cleveland State Vikings basketball, Horizon League basketball, Ohio High School Athletic Association playoff and championship events | |
| YES Network | New York metropolitan area, northern New Jersey, northeastern Pennsylvania, southern Connecticut | New York Yankees (MLB), Brooklyn Nets (NBA), New York City FC (MLS), Staten Island Yankees (New York-Penn) | Ivy League football and basketball, Big 12 Conference basketball (through ESPN Plus), Atlantic Coast Conference football and basketball (through FSN) | |
Notes:
- ^ Originally launched in 1985 by Midwest Radio and Television, as WCCO II (a spin-off cable channel of CBS affiliate WCCO-TV) and was later relaunched as Midwest Sports Channel in 1989; National Sports Partners (a holding company owned by News Corporation, Liberty Media and Cablevision) acquired the network from Viacom in 2000, as part of its swap of Washington, D.C.-based Home Team Sports to Comcast.
- ^ Originally owned by Turner Broadcasting System and Liberty Media, News Corporation purchased Turner's interest in 1996, relaunching it as Fox Sports South in 1997. As part of the sale, Turner was prohibited from owning another RSN, but used a loophole (by airing some non-sports programming) to launch Turner South, which, on October 13, 2006, was sold to Fox and took on the SportSouth name.
- ^ Originally launched in 1983 as Home Sports and Entertainment, the network eventually joined the Prime Sports group in 1990 (as an affiliate; it became an owned-and-operated network in 1994).
Current affiliates
| Channel | Owner | Region served | Team broadcast rights | Non-professional sports broadcast rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MASN2 | Baltimore Orioles (90%) Washington Nationals (10%) | Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, eastern and central North Carolina, West Virginia, south central Pennsylvania, Delaware | Washington Nationals (MLB), Baltimore Orioles (MLB) (serves as overflow network for both teams) |
See MASN |
Former Fox Sports affiliates
Some current networks were once owned-and-operated by Fox Sports Net, and continue to carry Fox Sports Networks-distributed national game telecasts and non-event programs, since the markets they serve do not have an FSN affiliate:
| Channel | Notes | Former names |
|---|---|---|
| Fox Sports Houston | Shut down in 2012, after losing the broadcast rights to the Houston Rockets and Houston Astros to Comcast SportsNet Houston (which was later relaunched as Root Sports Southwest, although not an FSN affiliate, in 2014). | |
| FSN Bay Area | Sold to Comcast and relaunched as Comcast SportsNet Bay Area in 2008, now NBC Sports Bay Area. | Pacific Sports Network SportsChannel Bay Area SportsChannel Pacific (a merger of Pacific Sports Network and SportsChannel Bay Area) |
| FSN Chicago | Shut down in 2006, after losing the broadcast rights to the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls to Comcast SportsNet Chicago, now NBC Sports Chicago. | Sportsvision Chicago SportsChannel Chicago |
| FSN New England | Sold to Comcast and relaunched as Comcast SportsNet New England in 2008, now NBC Sports Boston. | PRISM New England SportsChannel New England |
| FSN New York | Sold to Cablevision and relaunched as MSG Plus in February 2008; now owned by The Madison Square Garden Company. | Cablevision Sports 3 SportsChannel New York |
Fox Sports Ohio
Fox Sports Ohio is unique among the regional Fox Sports Networks as it operates in two full-time 24-hour feeds, one for Cleveland and one for Cincinnati (some television providers improperly refer to the latter "Fox Sports Cincinnati" to avoid confusion among viewers); the Cincinnati feed formerly operated as a separate channel, SportsChannel Cincinnati, until it was converted into a subfeed of Fox Sports Ohio following Fox's acquisition and integration of the SportsChannel group into FSN in 1998. National programming is exactly the same on both feeds. However, only the Cincinnati feed carries Reds games, which are prohibited from airing in most of northeast Ohio because of territorial restrictions. Both feeds carry Columbus Blue Jackets and Cleveland Cavaliers broadcasts, although not all air on both because of conflicts. Reds games televised by the Cincinnati feed are also broadcast on Fox Sports Indiana and Fox Sports Tennessee.
Subfeeds and overflow feeds
Some Fox Sports affiliates maintain subfeeds to eliminate scheduling conflicts when two teams that the individual network has rights to are playing at the same time, in order to air both games at once. Fox Sports affiliates that operate these alternate feeds are:
| Channel | Subfeed(s) |
|---|---|
| Fox Sports South | Fox Sports Tennessee, Fox Sports Carolinas |
| Fox Sports Southwest | Fox Sports Oklahoma, Fox Sports New Orleans |
Some Fox Sports affiliates have alternate (or overflow) feeds for the same purpose, named after the host network with "Plus" as a suffix (for example, Fox Sports Detroit Plus). In most cases, subfeeds and alternate feeds are only used during live game telecasts, and are replaced with the main feed's programming the rest of the time; however, these alternate feeds may provide sports-related programming (such as analysis programs that are not aired as a pre-game or post-game show) which may be exclusive to that feed.
Some affiliates once operated merely as subfeeds, but have since become full-fledged regional channels in their own right. Fox Sports Kansas City and Fox Sports Indiana were once subfeeds of Fox Sports Midwest, and Fox Sports Wisconsin once operated as a subfeed of Fox Sports North.
NBC Sports Regional Networks
Seeing an opportunity to serve sports fans on a more local level and generate profits, cable conglomerate Comcast began creating their own RSN – Comcast SportsNet (CSN) – in the late 1990s. The groundwork of this group was laid as a result of Comcast's March 1996 purchase of 66% equity in Philadelphia-based event organizer Spectacor, automatically giving it ownership of its two professional team franchises;[8][9] this led to the creation of Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, which launched on October 1, 1997.[10]
Ironically, CSN would purchase a small number of RSNs previously owned by Fox Sports Networks, and acquired the local rights to professional teams that FSN regional networks carried (in two markets, the latter situation resulted in Fox Sports shutting down their networks). The January 2011 Comcast merger with NBCUniversal allowed NBC Sports to take operational control of these networks and they are expected to become more integrated with their sister national sports network, NBCSN.
In April 2017, Comcast SportsNet's California and Bay Area networks were rebranded under the NBC Sports brand; NBC Sports Regional Networks adopted the "NBC Sports" moniker on its other regional channels on October 2, 2017.[11]
| Channel | Region served | Team broadcast rights | Non-professional sports broadcast rights | Notes | Former names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NBC Sports Bay Area | San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California, Central California, Southern Oregon, Nevada | San Francisco Giants (MLB), Golden State Warriors (NBA), San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) | Stanford Cardinal sports, California Golden Bears sports, Pac-12 Conference sports, West Coast Conference sports, Mountain West Conference sports, Western Athletic Conference sports | Serves the San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose area. | Pacific Sports Network SportsChannel Bay Area SportsChannel Pacific (a merger of Pacific Sports Network and SportsChannel Bay Area) Fox Sports Bay Area Comcast SportsNet Bay Area |
| NBC Sports California | northern California, central California, parts of Oregon, parts of Nevada | Oakland Athletics (MLB), Sacramento Kings (NBA), San Jose Sharks (NHL), San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) | California Golden Bears sports, San Francisco Dons sports, Sacramento State Hornets sports, Saint Mary's Gaels sports, UC Davis Aggies sports, Pacific Tigers sports, Nevada Wolf Pack sports, San Jose State Spartans sports | Based in Northern California; sister channel of NBC Sports Bay Area. | Comcast SportsNet West Comcast SportsNet California |
| NBC Sports Chicago | Chicago metropolitan area, northern and central Illinois , Iowa, northern Indiana, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, southwestern Michigan | Chicago White Sox (MLB), Chicago Blackhawks (NHL), Chicago Bulls (NBA) | Northern Illinois Huskies football, Illinois State Redbirds basketball, UIC Flames basketball | Owned by Comcast subsidiary NBCUniversal (25%), Chicago Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf (50%), and Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz (25%). | Comcast SportsNet Chicago |
| NBC Sports Washington | Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., southern Pennsylvania, eastern West Virginia, southern Delaware, Hampton Roads, Outer Banks | Washington Capitals (NHL), Washington Wizards (NBA), Washington Football Team (NFL) (preseason games only), D.C. United (MLS), Washington Mystics (WNBA), Chesapeake Bayhawks (MLL) | Atlantic Coast Conference football and basketball, Colonial Athletic Association sports | Based in Washington, D.C. | Home Team Sports Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic |
| NBC Sports Boston | Massachusetts, eastern and central Connecticut, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island | Boston Celtics (NBA), New England Revolution (MLS), Boston Cannons (MLL), Maine Red Claws (NBA G League) | PRISM New England SportsChannel New England Fox Sports New England Comcast SportsNet New England | ||
| NBC Sports Northwest | Washington, Oregon | Portland Trail Blazers (NBA), Portland Timbers (MLS), Portland Winterhawks (WHL), Vancouver Canucks (NHL) (through Sportsnet Pacific), Portland Thunder (AFL), Tacoma Rainiers (PCL) | University of Oregon Ducks sports | Based in Portland, Oregon. | Comcast SportsNet Northwest |
| NBC Sports Philadelphia | Philadelphia metropolitan area, eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey | Philadelphia Phillies (MLB), Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), Philadelphia Union (MLS), Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) (team-related programs only) | Philadelphia Big 5 basketball, Atlantic 10 Conference football and basketball, Colonial Athletic Association sports | Formed in 1997, effectively replacing SportsChannel Philadelphia (an RSN which first launched in 1990) and PRISM (a premium channel that first launched in 1976).[10] It was the first Comcast SportsNet channel to launch and (through its ownership by Flyers and 76ers parent Comcast Spectacor) was a pioneer in team-owned sports networks. | Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia |
| SportsNet New York | New York metropolitan area, New York State, Connecticut, northern New Jersey | New York Mets (MLB), New York Jets (NFL) (team-related programs only) | Big East Conference sports, Sun Belt Conference sports, University of Connecticut Huskies sports | Owned by the New York Mets (65%), Charter Communications (27%) and Comcast (8%). | |
Alternate feeds
As with FSN, most NBC Sports Regional Networks affiliates have alternate/overflow feeds to avoid conflicts when two sports teams that the respective regional network has rights to broadcast are playing simultaneously, in order to allow both games to air simultaneously. These feeds are named after the host network with the suffixed "Plus" at the end of the name (for example, NBC Sports Chicago Plus). The alternate/overflow feeds are only used during live game telecasts and are replaced with the main feed's programming at all other times. NBC Sports Chicago also maintains a second alternate feed called NBC Sports Chicago alternate or Plus 2. NBC Sports Chicago Plus now operates as a full-time channel, with repeats of programs previously broadcast on the main feed when a live event is not being telecast.
The NBC Sports alternate channels are also used to show college football and basketball games distributed by Fox Sports Networks.
San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento Valley
Since a large number of sports teams exist within the San Francisco Bay Area and the rest of Northern California, NBC Sports Regional Networks maintains two owned-and-operated outlets which split coverage of local sports: NBC Sports California and NBC Sports Bay Area. It is the only market served by NBC Sports Regional Networks where two 24-hour, full-time NBC Sports affiliates operate. Due to the territorial rules set by the National Basketball Association, Golden State Warriors games do not air in the Sacramento–Stockton–Modesto television market on NBCS Bay Area, while for the same reason, NBCS California cannot air Sacramento Kings telecasts in the San Francisco–Oakland–San Jose market.
AT&T Sports Networks
In May 2009, DirecTV Group Inc. announced that it would become a part of Liberty Media's entertainment unit, with some of the group's assets subsequently being spun off as a separate company under the DirecTV banner; the Fox Sports Networks outlets that became part of the Liberty Sports unit (which was renamed DirecTV Sports Networks on November 19, 2009) were rebranded under the new name "Root Sports" on April 1, 2011.[12][13]
DirecTV Sports Networks would be acquired by AT&T Inc. in 2015, as a byproduct of its acquisition of DirecTV. The renamed RSN unit, AT&T Sports Networks, would eventually announce on June 12, 2017, that it would rebrand most of its regional sports networks – with the exception of Root Sports Northwest, due to its ownership being majority controlled by the Seattle Mariners – under the AT&T SportsNet banner on July 14, 2017.[14] AT&T Sports Networks continues to broadcast various sports magazine and documentary programs and select sporting events broadcast by Fox Sports Networks through an affiliation agreement with its former parent group; with the exception of AT&T SportsNet Southwest, which does not carry these programs due to the presence of a Fox Sports-owned subfeed network in its home market, these channels largely continue to carry the same local teams and national Fox Sports Networks programs as they did under FSN ownership.
In September 2018, AT&TSN will be transferred to Turner Broadcasting System.
Current owned-and-operated networks
| Channel | Owner | Region served | Team broadcast rights | Non-professional sports broadcast rights | Former names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root Sports Northwest | Seattle Mariners (60%) AT&T Sports Networks (40%)[15] | Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Montana, western Idaho | Seattle Mariners (MLB), Seattle Seahawks (NFL) (team-related programs only), Seattle Sounders FC (MLS), Portland Timbers (MLS), Utah Jazz (NBA) (via AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain) | Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball, Big Sky Conference football, Mountain West Conference football and basketball, West Coast Conference men's basketball Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association football, boys' and girls' basketball | Northwest Cable Sports Prime Sports Northwest Fox Sports Northwest |
| AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh | AT&T Sports Networks | Western, central and northeastern Pennsylvania, West Virginia, eastern and central Ohio, western Maryland, western New York state | Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB), Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL), Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) (team-related programs only) | Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League high school football West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission high school football, boys' and girls' basketball championship events West Virginia Mountaineers athletics, Northeast Conference basketball, ACC, Big 12, and Big East athletics | Pirates Cable Network KBL Entertainment Network Prime Sports KBL Fox Sports Pittsburgh Root Sports Pittsburgh |
| AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain | AT&T Sports Networks | Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Southern Idaho, northwestern Arizona, western and central New Mexico, northwestern Nebraska, western South Dakota parts of eastern California, including the Sierra Nevada region | Colorado Rockies (MLB), Utah Jazz (NBA) Vegas Golden Knights (NHL) Las Vegas Aces (WNBA) | Big Sky Conference sports, Mountain West Conference sports | Prime Sports Network Prime Sports Rocky Mountain Fox Sports Rocky Mountain Root Sports Rocky Mountain |
| AT&T SportsNet Southwest | AT&T Sports Networks | Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, eastern New Mexico | Houston Astros (MLB), Houston Rockets (NBA) | Mountain West Conference football and basketball Southland Conference football and basketball Southwestern Athletic Conference football | Comcast SportsNet Houston Root Sports Southwest |
Subfeeds and overflow feeds
Currently, only one AT&T SportsNet affiliate maintains subfeeds to eliminate scheduling conflicts when two teams that the individual network has rights to are playing at the same time, in order to air both games at once:
| Channel | Subfeed(s) |
|---|---|
| AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain | AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain Utah AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain West |
Spectrum Sports
Spectrum Sports is the collective name for a group of regional sports networks that are primarily owned and operated by Charter Communications through its acquisition of Time Warner Cable in May 2016.
| Channel | Owner | Region served | Team/conference broadcast rights | Notes | Former names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Sports | Charter Communications | Kansas City metropolitan area, Lincoln, Nebraska | Kansas Jayhawks sports, Big 12 Conference sports, Missouri Valley Conference sports, Summit League sports, NAIA sports | Metro Sports Time Warner Cable SportsChannel | |
| Spectrum Sports | Charter Communications | Ohio, parts of northern Kentucky, western Pennsylvania | Columbus Crew (MLS), Columbus Clippers (IL), Toledo Mud Hens (IL), Dayton Flyers basketball, Miami RedHawks hockey, Mid-American Conference college football and basketball, Ohio High School Athletic Association sports | TWTV (Cincinnati) Time Warner Cable Sports 24 Time Warner NE Ohio Network (NEON) (Cleveland, Akron and Canton) Central Ohio Sport! Television (Columbus) Time Warner Cable SportsChannel | |
| Spectrum Sports | Charter Communications | Wisconsin | Milwaukee Panthers sports | Time Warner Cable Sports Milwaukee Time Warner Cable Sports 32 Time Warner Cable Sports Channel | |
| Spectrum SportsNet | Los Angeles Lakers (50%) Charter Communications (50%) | Southern California, Central California, Las Vegas Valley, Hawaii | Los Angeles Lakers (NBA), Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA), LA Galaxy (MLS) | Launched in October 2012, these RSNs were formed from a 20-year broadcast agreement by the Lakers and Time Warner Cable (the primary cable operator in Southern California) on February 14, 2011, in which all Lakers games not slated to be nationally televised by ABC or TNT would air locally on two new channels with separate English and Spanish-language broadcast teams. The two networks are also available on Cox Communications, DirecTV, AT&T U-verse, and Frontier FiOS. The Spanish-language version called Spectrum Deportes, formerly Time Warner Cable Deportes, was shut down in 2018. | Time Warner Cable SportsNet |
| Spectrum SportsNet LA | Guggenheim Baseball Management (50%) Charter Communications (50%) | Greater Los Angeles Area, Coachella Valley, Hawaii | Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB) | Launched in February 2014, SportsNet LA was formed out of a 25-year broadcast agreement signed by the Dodgers and Time Warner Cable on January 28, 2013, in which all Dodgers games not nationally televised by Fox or ESPN would air locally on a dedicated network.[16] | Time Warner Cable SportsNet LA |
Independent regional sports networks
The following is a list of regional sports channels that are not part of a larger national network:
| Channel | Owner | Region served | Team/conference broadcast rights | Notes | Former names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altitude Sports and Entertainment | Kroenke Sports & Entertainment | Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming | Colorado Avalanche (NHL), Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Mammoth (NLL), Colorado Rapids (MLS), Calgary Flames (NHL) (through Sportsnet West), Edmonton Oilers (NHL) (through Sportsnet West), Colorado Springs Sky Sox (PCL), Colorado Eagles (AHL), North Dakota State Bison sports, Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference sports | Network also broadcasts other Denver and Rocky Mountain area sports, and general interest programming. Altitude operates an alternate (or overflow) feed known as Altitude 2. | |
| Buckeye Cable Sports Network | Block Communications | Toledo, Ohio | Toledo Mud Hens (IL), Toledo Walleye (ECHL), Bowling Green Falcons sports, Toledo Rockets sports, Local high school and rec league sports | ||
| Comcast Television/Comcast Television 2 | Comcast | Michigan | Central Collegiate Hockey Association regular season and playoff games, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football, Mid-American Conference football, Michigan High School Athletic Association sports | Available exclusively on Comcast-operated systems in Michigan; Comcast Television also carries college and high school magazine shows, Your Tiger Ticket (the Detroit Tigers' monthly magazine program), as well as outdoor sports programs. | |
| Cox Sports Television | Cox Communications | Louisiana, Texas, Florida, Arkansas | New Orleans Baby Cakes (PCL), New Orleans Saints (NFL) (preseason games only), Southern Conference sports, Louisiana High School Athletics Association championships | Was formerly the television home of the NBA's New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans), from 2002 to 2012; the team signed a new broadcast agreement with Fox Sports in 2012, helping launching Fox Sports New Orleans. Based in New Orleans. | |
| Image Sports Network | Erie, Pennsylvania | Erie Explosion (PIFL), Gannon Golden Knights sports, Mercyhurst Lakers sports, Edinboro Fighting Scots sports | |||
| Marquee Sports Network (MSN) | Chicago Cubs Sinclair Broadcast Group | Northern and Central Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska (Mainly the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro and the Sioux City Metro), and Northern and western half of central Indiana |
Chicago Cubs (MLB), |
Marquee only transmits the Chicago Cubs and its affiliated teams, Iowa Cubs and South Bend Cubs. They are the only team that is broadcast on this channel which was speculated that the Ricketts Family would created their own TV Network in 2020 after the WGN-TV deal ends in 2019.[17] The Channel was created in February 2020. Exclusively for the Chicago Cubs. Sinclair owns half of the Fox Sports Networks via Diamond Sports Group in joint venture with Entertainment Studios. Affiliated with also the YES Network as Sinclair owns (20%). The channel has the Stadium and the Tennis Programming to fill the schedule as Sinclair owns Stadium and the Tennis Channel. | . |
| Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) | Baltimore Orioles (90%) Washington Nationals (10%) | Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, eastern and central North Carolina, West Virginia, south central Pennsylvania, Delaware | Washington Nationals (MLB), Baltimore Orioles (MLB), Baltimore Ravens (NFL; preseason games and team-related programs only), Georgetown Hoyas sports, George Mason Patriots sports, UNC Wilmington Seahawks sports, Big South Conference sports, Big East Conference football and men's basketball | The channel televises all Orioles and Nationals not broadcast on a national network (around 320 games annually). Televises more than 520 live major sporting events annually. MASN operates an alternate feed, MASN 2. MASN also simulcasts a 20-game package of Orioles games on Baltimore CBS O&O station WJZ-TV, as well as a 20-game package of Nationals games on Washington, D.C. CBS affiliate WUSA-TV. | |
| Midco Sports Network | Midcontinent Communications | South Dakota, North Dakota, western Minnesota | South Dakota Coyotes sports, South Dakota State Jackrabbits sports, University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks sports (via Fighting Sioux Sports Network) | Midco Sports Network also broadcasts sports events from many other smaller colleges in the Dakotas and Minnesota; the network maintains two overflow feeds. | MC23 |
| MSG Network | The Madison Square Garden Company | New York metropolitan area, New York State | New York Knicks (NBA), New York Rangers (NHL), New York Liberty (WNBA), New York Red Bulls (MLS), Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference basketball, Northeast Conference basketball, America East Conference basketball, Atlantic Coast Conference basketball | Launched in 1977, as the second regional sports network in the United States. MSG 2 serves as an alternate (or overflow) feed. | UA-Columbia/MSG Madison Square Garden Network |
| MSG Western New York | The Madison Square Garden Company / Pegula Sports and Entertainment | Western New York | Buffalo Sabres (NHL), Rochester Americans (AHL), Buffalo Bills (NFL) (Preseason and team-related programs only), New York Knicks (NBA) (via MSG Network) Monsignor Martin Athletic Association football | Launched in 2016. Replaced MSG in the Buffalo Sabres broadcast market. Jointly managed/programmed by MSG, PSE and Entercom. MSG WNY Sabres telecasts are shown in Canada on a standalone channel. | MSG Zone 3 of MSG Sabres (game-only channel) |
| MSG Plus | The Madison Square Garden Company | New York metropolitan area, New York State | New York Islanders (NHL), New Jersey Devils (NHL), New York Lizards (MLL) | MSG Plus 2 is the network's main overflow feed. | Cablevision Sports 3 SportsChannel New York Fox Sports New York |
| New England Sports Network (NESN) | New England Sports Ventures (Fenway Sports Group (80%) Delaware North (20%) | New England | Boston Red Sox (MLB), Boston Bruins (NHL), Pawtucket Red Sox (IL), Beanpot tournament, Boston College Eagles basketball, Quinnipiac Bobcats sports, Hockey East college hockey, Atlantic Coast Conference football and basketball (via Fox Sports Networks), Conference USA sports (via the American Sports Network), Patriot League sports (via the American Sports Network) | Operates an overflow feed known as NESN Plus. A national feed (known as NESN National) that blacks out Bruins & Red Sox broadcasts is also available on select cable systems. | |
| Spectrum OC16 | Charter Communications | Hawaii | Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football | Maintains a channel devoted to Hawaiian athletics, exclusive broadcaster for the University of Hawaii. | OC16 |
| SWX Right Now | Cowles Publishing Company (The KHQ Television Group) | Inland Northwest | Spokane Empire (IFL), Spokane Chiefs (WHL), Eastern Washington Eagles football and basketball, Gonzaga Bulldogs men's and women's basketball, Idaho Vandals football, Whitworth University football and basketball, Big Sky Conference football | Network also broadcasts high school sports events and local minor league baseball, hockey and horse racing events. | |
| TV2 Sports | Service Electric | Lehigh Valley | Lehigh Valley IronPigs sports, Reading Phillies sports | Also broadcasts local high school sports involving eastern Pennsylvania schools. | |
| YurView California | Cox Communications | Southern California | Mountain West Conference sports, West Coast Conference sports | Formerly carried San Diego Padres games from 1997 to 2011. | KCOX 4 Channel 4 San Diego (4SD) |
College networks
| Channel | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ACC Network (ACCN) | ESPN Inc. (The Walt Disney Company, 80%; Hearst Corporation, 20%) | Dedicated to sports events and other programming relating to the Atlantic Coast Conference. |
| Big Ten Network (BTN) | Big Ten Conference (49%) Fox Corporation (51%) | Dedicated to sports events and other programming relating to the Big Ten Conference. It operates four overflow feeds for overlapping football telecasts. |
| BYU TV | Brigham Young University | BYU TV airs sporting events involving the schools of Brigham Young University, including the Brigham Young University Cougars (the school's football team is an FBS independent and sold the television rights for its games to ESPN. BYU TV exclusively airs one game per-season, as well as shoulder programming and encores), BYU-Idaho and BYU-Hawaii. It otherwise airs a mix of entertainment and lifestyle programming, including programming relating to the university and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. |
| Pac-12 Networks | Pac-12 Conference | Dedicated to sanctioned sporting events and other programming involving the Pac-12 Conference. It consists of a national feed (Pac-12 Network), as well as six regional networks, including Pac-12 Los Angeles (dedicated to the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California), Pac-12 Washington (dedicated to University of Washington and Washington State University), Pac-12 Oregon (dedicated to University of Oregon and Oregon State University), Pac-12 Bay Area (dedicated to the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University), Pac-12 Arizona (dedicated to the University of Arizona and Arizona State University), and Pac-12 Mountain (dedicated to the University of Colorado and the University of Utah).[18] The national network was available in at least 48 million homes at time of launch,[19] while the regional networks are available throughout their respective region within the Pac-12's designated territory.[20] The Pac-12 Networks are the first owned fully by a conference without support from outside groups (Big Ten Network is a joint venture with Fox Sports, and MountainWest Sports Network was owned in conjunction with CBS Corporation and Comcast). |
| Longhorn Network | University of Texas at Austin ESPN IMG College | The network is dedicated to sports events and other programming relating to the Texas Longhorns. The arrangement has caused controversy among other members of the Big 12 Conference and by Texas A&M University, alleging the network could give UT-Austin a perceived recruiting advantage, and lead to ESPN placing a bias on the team in its coverage. Proposals to air University Interscholastic League high school football games on the network were shelved due to these factors. |
| SEC Network | ESPN Inc. (The Walt Disney Company, 80%; Hearst Corporation, 20%) | The Southeastern Conference first explored starting its own 24-hour cable network in 2007,[21] however a content deal between the University of Florida and Fox-owned Sun Sports,[22] and a long-term deal between the SEC and ESPN Inc.[23] suspended the proposal. ESPN later reached an agreement with the SEC to broadcast conference football and basketball games via the syndicated SEC TV package (initially named SEC Network), under an arrangement basically identical to that of past SEC rightsholder Raycom Sports. As part of a 20-year broadcast agreement reached between the SEC and ESPN in May 2013, ESPN launched the SEC Network, as a cable/satellite network devoted to Southeastern Conference sports, on August 14, 2014.[24] |
Defunct networks
| Channel | Owner | Region served | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Sports Programming Network/"Cox 9" | Cox Communications | Phoenix, Arizona | Named for its designated channel slot on local cable providers, ASPN/Cox 9 (owned by Cox, the dominant cable operator in the Phoenix area) aired Phoenix Firebirds baseball and Phoenix Suns NBA home games throughout its history. In 2003, the channel removed some of its professional sports telecasts and became Cox7 (moving to basic cable channel 7), with Fox Sports Arizona acquiring the regional cable television rights to the events. |
| BlazerVision | Portland, Oregon | A pay-per-view network which aired Portland Trail Blazers games as late as 2000. It was then replaced by the Action Sports Cable Network, which carried other sports events, in addition to Blazers telecasts. The channel folded permanently in November 2002. | |
| Carolinas Sports Entertainment Television (C-SET) | Robert L. Johnson Time Warner Cable | Charlotte, North Carolina | Operating from October 2004 to June 2005, the channel mainly broadcast NBA games involving the Charlotte Bobcats. |
| Columbus Sports Network (CSN) | United Media Acquisitions | Columbus, Ohio | The channel broadcast events, features, highlights and news on professional, collegiate, scholastic and amateur sports teams in the Columbus area; CSN ceased operations in 2008 and was replaced by an all-infomercial service. |
| Comcast Local (CL) | Comcast | Michigan Indiana | Operating from 2004 to 2008, the channel aired professional, collegiate and high school sports throughout most of Michigan and Indiana. Comcast Local held the rights to a number of Big Ten Conference and Mid-American Conference sports telecasts, as well as games from the Detroit Ignition of the MISL and Canadian Football League. It was merged into a similar Michigan-based channel, Comcast Television, in March 2008. |
| Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) | Comcast (50%) Charter Communications (50%) | Alabama Arkansas Florida Georgia Kentucky Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia West Virginia | Launched in 1999 and based in Atlanta, the network carried sporting events from the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA, the Gwinnett Braves and its parent minor league, the Southern League as well as the South Atlantic League as well as college sports events from the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Sun Belt Conference, Conference USA and Atlantic Sun Conference. Distributed exclusively to cable providers, the network also maintained sub-regional feeds throughout its coverage area. The former Comcast "crescent C" corporate logo was used for the channel's logo despite Charter's co-ownership. Comcast Sports Southwest operated as a subfeed that mainly broadcast in the Houston area. Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast shut down on June 1, 2014, following the loss of its marquee Southeastern Conference sports programming to the SEC Network.[25] |
| Empire Sports Network | Adelphia Communications Corporation | Upstate New York parts of northern Pennsylvania parts of eastern Ohio | Operated from 1991 until March 7, 2005, folding upon the collapse of its parent company Adelphia Communications and the sale of the channel's principal sports team, the Buffalo Sabres.[26][27] |
| ESPN West | ESPN Inc. (The Walt Disney Company, 80%; Hearst Corporation, 20%) | unlaunched | A proposed network that was to have televised games featuring the Anaheim Angels and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim; both teams and the network were owned at the time by ESPN majority parent The Walt Disney Company. The Los Angeles Clippers were also approached to join the network, but ultimately elected to remain with Fox Sports' Southern California networks. Announced in late 1997, the network folded in 1998 prior to launch.[28] |
| Grizzlies Regional Sports Network | unlaunched | A proposed network that was slated to carry NBA games and related programming on the Memphis Grizzlies; it folded before its first scheduled game, and the team opted to instead renew its contract with Fox Sports South. | |
| Hawkvision | Bill Wirtz | Chicago metropolitan area | Operating for several months in 1992, Hawkvision was a subscription television service that carried NHL games from the Chicago Black Hawks, after network founder Bill Wirtz halted local broadcasts of home games on the belief that it would broadcasting the regular season events was unfair to the team's season-ticket holders.[29] |
| Hometown Sports Indiana | Webstream Productions | Indianapolis, Indiana | Carried the Indianapolis Indians (IL), Indy Fuel (ECHL), Indianapolis Greyhounds sports, Wabash Little Giants sports, Franklin Grizzlies sports (mostly football), Marian Knights sports (mostly football) and Indiana High School Athletic Association sports events. Shut down October 1, 2016.[30] |
| Pro-Am Sports System (PASS Sports) | William Wischman (1982–1984) Tom Monaghan (1984–1992) Post-Newsweek Stations (1992–1997) | Detroit, Michigan | Launched in 1984, PASS carried coverage of professional and college teams in Detroit and Michigan; in 1997, the channel folded after Fox Sports Detroit won the rights to the Detroit Pistons, with PASS subsequently elling the rights to the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings to that network.[31] Some current announcers for Fox Sports Detroit formerly worked for PASS. Was co-owned and operated with Post-Newsweek station and NBC affiliate WDIV, which was also the over-the-air TV home of the Tigers from 1975 to 1994. |
| PRISM | Spectacor/20th Century Fox (1976–1981) Spectacor (1981–1983) Rainbow Media/The Washington Post Company (1983–1985) Rainbow Media/The Washington Post Company/CBS (1985–1987) Rainbow Media (1987–1997) | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Launched in 1976 by Spectacor as a regional premium television service that featured a mix of movies, sports and some children's programming. Initially carrying all of its programming commercial-free, sports telecasts began to include commercials in 1984 (all non-sports programs remained commercial-free for the remainder of the network's run). The channel held rights to sporting events from the Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia 76ers, and regional minor league and college sporting events. PRISM, along with Sportschannel Philadelphia, were replaced by Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia in October 1997. |
| Royals Sports Television Network | Kansas City Royals | Kansas City metropolitan area western Missouri Kansas Nebraska Oklahoma Iowa | Launched in 2003, it served as a regional network/syndicator of Kansas City Royals game telecasts; RSTN ceased operations after the 2007 Major League Baseball season, with Fox Sports Midwest acquiring the regional television rights to the Royals, resulting in the creation of Fox Sports Kansas City as a spin-off network to broadcast the games. |
| Spectrum Community | Charter Communications | Maine, New Hampshire | covered the Maine Red Claws (D-League) |
| Spectrum Sports | Charter Communications | Tampa Bay metropolitan area and Greater Orlando | South Florida Bulls sports, the Network maintaied separate feeds for the Tampa Bay and Orlando areas. |
| Spectrum Sports | Charter Communications | Upstate New York | The first Time Warner sports channel, founded in 2003 and folded in 2017. Network maintained separate feeds for Rochester, Syracuse, Watertown, Binghamton and Buffalo, due to broadcasting restrictions imposed by sports leagues and conferences. |
| Spectrum Sports | Charter Communications | North Carolina South Carolina | Had 3 subfeeds: Charlotte, Raleigh, Columbia. |
| Spectrum Sports | Charter Communications | Texas | Subfeeds: Dallas–Waco, Austin |
| SportsChannel Los Angeles | Rainbow Media | Southern California | Launched in 1990, replacing the locally based movie service Z Channel, SportsChannel Los Angeles inherited its predecessor's premium service model; the network broadcast Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels, and Los Angeles Clippers games. Due to low subscribership and failed attempt at converting into a part-time basic service that required professional and college sports events to be purchased on a pay-per-view basis, the network folded outright in 1992. |
| Sports Time | Anheuser-Busch Multimedia Inc. Tele-Communications Inc. | Midwestern United States | Not to be confused with the current SportsTime Ohio, and operating from 1984 to 1985, this network broadcast home games involving the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals in 1984, and selected home games of the St. Louis Blues in 1984–85. |
| Sports View | southeastern Wisconsin | Operating from 1984 to 1986, this regional sports network served as the cable home of the Milwaukee Brewers. | |
| Sportsvision | Jerry Reinsdorf, Eddie Einhorn, and Fred Eychaner | Chicago metropolitan area | Sportsvision was a subscription television services that carried Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls games during the 1980s; some game telecasts also aired on ONTV, which aired during that timeframe on WSNS-TV (channel 44). A converter box was required to view the telecasts over WSNS and WPWR (channel 60, now on channel 50; its former channel is now occupied by WXFT-DT); Sportsvision then transitioned into a basic cable channel, relaunching as SportsChannel Chicago (later FSN Chicago). |
| TW3 | Charter Communications | Capital District of New York, Saratoga County, south Adirondack County, Mohawk Valley, most of Berkshire County, Massachusetts | Covered the Albany Devils (AHL), New York Yankees (MLB) (via WWOR-TV/New York City), Albany Great Danes sports, Siena Saints sports, Union Dutchmen ice hockey, RPI Engineers men's ice hockey, American Athletic Conference football and basketball, America East Conference sports |
| Victory Sports One | Minnesota Twins | Minneapolis-Saint Paul | Victory Sports One folded in 2003 after only three months on the air, due to the inability of the Twins to reach deals with any cable or satellite providers in the team's immediate designated territory; the Twins subsequently moved its game telecasts back to Fox Sports North.[32] |
Canada
Sportsnet
Sportsnet (formerly known as CTV Sportsnet and Rogers Sportsnet) is owned by the Rogers Media division of Toronto-based Rogers Communications. Sportsnet carries all of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball games. Although it is considered a national channel with multiple feeds for regulatory purposes, in practice its four main channels act as a set of RSNs, albeit with a significant portion of common national programming. The four channels are:
| Channel | Description and programming | Broadcast Area |
|---|---|---|
| Sportsnet Pacific | Regional feed for British Columbia and Yukon; airs regional Vancouver Canucks games. |
|
| Sportsnet West | Regional feed for the Prairies, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut; airs regional Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers games except in the Winnipeg Jets region. | |
| Sportsnet Ontario | Regional feed for most of Ontario; airs regional Toronto Maple Leafs games. | |
| Sportsnet East | Regional feed for eastern Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. |
Through the separate Sportsnet One licence, Rogers also operates three part-time regional "companion channels", which provide coverage of additional regional NHL broadcasts which are not able to air on Sportsnet's main regional channels: Sportsnet Flames, Sportsnet Oilers, and Sportsnet Vancouver Hockey.
Rogers is also a shareholder in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), which owns Leafs Nation Network, a channel devoted entirely to the Toronto Maple Leafs and its farm team, the Toronto Marlies (and is restricted to the Leafs' broadcast territory). MLSE also operates NBA TV Canada, which is distributed nationally but focuses much of its programming on the MLSE-owned Toronto Raptors and farm team Raptors 905.
TSN/RDS
On August 25, 2014, The Sports Network (TSN), another Canadian sports channel, split its singular national feed into four regional feeds in a manner similar to Sportsnet. These feeds are primarily used to broadcast regional NHL games,[33] but may also be used to provide alternative and common national programming.[34]
While each region has a primary TSN channel, due to overlaps in NHL territories it is possible in some parts of Ontario to access additional regional games from one non-primary channel. These situations are noted as they occur below.[35]
| Channel | Launch date | Description and programming |
|---|---|---|
| TSN1 | September 1, 1984 August 15, 2003 (HD)[36] | Originally established as the primary, national TSN service since its launch, on August 25, 2014, this feed was renamed TSN1 and became the primary TSN feed for viewers in British Columbia, Alberta and Yukon. |
| TSN2 | August 29, 2008 | Replaced a part-time "alternate feed" in operation since 1997. For the most part, it has served as an overflow channel for TSN's various sports rights, particularly when all four "regional" feeds are jointly carrying another major event.
|
| TSN3 | August 25, 2014 | The primary TSN feed for viewers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and northwestern Ontario.
|
| TSN4 | The primary TSN feed for viewers in most of Ontario.
| |
| TSN5 | The primary TSN feed for viewers in eastern Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada.
| |
Prior to the launch of these channels, regional NHL games whose rights were held by TSN (which, at that point, consisted solely of the Jets and Canadiens) were broadcast on special part-time channels exclusive to the team's television region.[38] TSN parent company Bell Canada still carries the Buffalo Sabres' MSG Western New York telecasts in this manner in that team's Canadian territory.[39]
Bell Media also owns Réseau des sports (RDS) and RDS2, French-language sports networks that are licensed to serve all of Canada, but in practice focus on the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec (as there are relatively few francophones outside that province). Prior to the 2014–15 season, RDS could air Canadiens games on a national basis, as it was also the national French-language rightsholder of the National Hockey League in Canada. With Rogers' acquisition of the exclusive national media rights to the NHL, and its decision to sub-license French rights to Quebecor Media's TVA Sports, RDS and RDS2's coverage of the Canadiens and Senators are now restricted to parts of Eastern Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.[40]
High definition
Nearly all regional sports networks broadcast all content in high definition as of 2016, with only the lowest-cost programming or high school sporting events produced locally for regional broadcast now only available in standard definition. Fox Sports Networks and Comcast SportsNet's owned-and-operated networks and affiliates maintain dedicated HD channels, which are used to broadcast both local and national HD programming, mainly game telecasts. All Fox Sports affiliates transmit HD programming in the 720p resolution format native to 21st Century Fox-owned networks; all CSN affiliates and independent channels transmit in 1080i.
Regional syndicators
Some telecasts (especially in U.S. college sports) are broadcast by ad-hoc syndicated packages, which can be picked up on a network of broadcasters that may consist of either individual over-the-air stations, regional sports networks, or a mixture of both.
ESPN was originally intended to focus on sports in Connecticut, but chose to broadcast nationally when it debuted in 1979 when it was discovered by the network's founders that it would be less expensive to broadcast nationwide on satellite as opposed to regionally through microwave transmission.[41] ESPN formerly served as a college sports syndicator via ESPN Regional Television—formerly branded on-air as ESPN Plus, but later using conference-oriented brands such as SEC Network (not to be confused with the SEC Network cable channel which served as its de facto replacement), and Big East Network.
Raycom Media also produces and syndicates college football and basketball games, primarily Atlantic Coast Conference games under the brand "ACC Network", through Raycom Sports. While these telecasts are mainly distributed within the home markets of Atlantic Coast Conference teams, the games are distributed to broadcast television stations and regional cable channels in markets outside of the conference's designated territory.
In 2014, television station owner Sinclair Broadcast Group established its own sports syndicator known as the American Sports Network (ASN), primarily syndicating broadcasts of college football and basketball from mid-major conferences (some of which were previously associated with ESPN Plus) to stations that it owns and operates.[42][43] In 2015, Sinclair also acquired regional rights to Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake, with ASN handling production and distribution of team telecasts within its designated market.[44] In 2017, ASN rebranded as Stadium as part of a programming partnership with Silver Chalice.
References
- Dave Warner (April 17, 2013). "The High Cost Of Regional Sports Networks". What You Pay For Sports. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- Mike Farrell (December 22, 2014). "Time Warner Cable to Initiate Sports Fee in January". Multichannel News. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- David Lazarus (May 2, 2014). "Trapped into paying extra for cable TV sports". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- R. Thomas Umstead (July 8, 1996). "Liberty Sports regionals will become Fox Sports net". Multichannel News. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015 – via HighBeam Research.
- "FOX AND LIBERTY OUTLINE PLANS FOR NEW CABLE VENTURE". Sports Business Journal. November 1, 1995. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
- "Fox putting together national Sports Net // Changes ahead for SportsChannel". Chicago Sun-Times. June 24, 1997. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015 – via HighBeam Research.
- John M. Higgins (June 30, 1997). "National net keys regional deal. (Fox Sports, Liberty Media Corp. challenge ESPN with stake in SportsChannel)". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015 – via HighBeam Research.
- Michael Sokolove; Jayson Stark and Michael L. Rozansky (March 20, 1996). "Comcast Buying 76ers And Flyers Phils Also May Get Involved With Firm". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- Bill Fleischman (July 22, 1997). "New Sportsnet Reels In Sixers". Philadelphia Daily News. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
- Rose DeWolf (August 25, 1997). "Starz On The Horizon Goodbye Prism & Sports Channel; What's Next Depends On Where You Hang The Clicker". Philadelphia Daily News. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- "CSN Mid-Atlantic is rebranding as NBC Sports Washington". Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
- Mike Reynolds (November 20, 2009). "Liberty Sports Rebrands As DirecTV Sports Networks". Multichannel News. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
- "'Root Sports' new name for sports networks". Denver Business Journal. American City Business Journals. December 17, 2010.
- Ken Fang (June 12, 2017). "AT&T SPORTS NETWORKS WILL REBRAND ROOT SPORTS IN SUMMER 2017". Root Sports (Pittsburgh Region). AT&T Sports Networks. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
- Nick Eaton (April 16, 2013). "Update: Mariners buy, will control Root Sports Northwest TV network". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- Mike Axisa (January 28, 2013). "Dodgers announce deal with Time Warner, launch of SportsNet LA". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- Channick, Robert. "Cubs exercise option to end WGN-TV contract after next season". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- Ted Miller. "Pac-12 Announces deal for national, regional networks". ESPN. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
- Jon Wilner (August 10, 2012). "Pac-12 Networks: News and notes from the Stevenson teleconference". San Jose Mercury News.
- Dirk Facer (July 28, 2011). "Pac-12 creates its own network". Deseret News.
- Glenn Guilbeau (June 9, 2007). "SEC explores launching its own TV Network". USA Today. Gannett News Service.
- John Ourand; Michael Smith (July 14, 2008). "Florida rights deal may rule out SEC channel". Sports Business Journal.
- Mike Reynolds (August 25, 2008). "ESPN Scores 15-Year SEC Deal". Multichannel News.
- Richard Sandomir (May 3, 2013). "SEC Will Start TV Network in 2014". The New York Times. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
- Rodney Ho (March 14, 2014). "CSS Sports shutting down June 1". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- Matt Glynn (January 20, 2005). "Adelphia Folding Empire; Sabres Land on MSG". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015 – via HighBeam Research.
- "Fall Of The Empire: Adelphia To Shut Down Sports Network". Sports Business Daily. January 20, 2005. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- Plans Dropped For 'ESPN West' – CBS, 14 July 1998
- Len Ziehm (February 27, 2002). "All playoff games will be televised". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on December 10, 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2007.
- "WRTV Drops Local Sports Net For Grit Diginet - TV News Check". tvnewscheck.com. 8 June 2016.
- R. Thomas Umstead (September 1, 1997). "Fox Sports secures Detroit franchise". Multichannel News. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015 – via HighBeam Research.
- "TV Sports: Twins Return To FSN North". Mediaweek. May 17, 2004. Archived from the original on January 18, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2008.
- "Sens, Lets, and Leafs featured regionally on TSN's feeds". TSN.ca. Bell Media. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
- Sean Fitz-Gerald (May 6, 2014). "TSN counters Rogers NHL deal with three new channels filled with alternative sports content". National Post. Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
- "TSN Frequently Asked Questions". TSN.ca. October 8, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
- "TSN and Discovery Channel Canada Begin HDTV Broadcasting on Aug. 15". Bell Globemedia. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
- "TSN's regional NHL coverage features 191 games". TSN. 2017-09-15. Retrieved 2017-09-15.
- "Jets game broadcasts moving to TSN3". Winnipeg Free Press. August 18, 2014. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- Bill Potrecz (October 9, 2013). "Sabres ring in Canadian television deal". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
- Steve Faguy (August 18, 2014). "NHL broadcast schedule 2014-15: Who owns rights to what games". Fagstein. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
Bell's TSN Habs channel has been shut down.
- Miller & Shales, pp. 7–8
- Ryan Sharrow (July 17, 2014). "Sinclair Broadcast Group to launch American Sports Network". Baltimore Business Journal. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- Deborah McAdams (July 17, 2014). "Sinclair Launches Sports Network". TV Technology. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- "KMYU/KUTV: The New Home Of Real Salt Lake; All 26 non-National MLS Regular Season Games Available on Free, Over-the-Air TV". Real Salt Lake. January 23, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
External links
- Kaiser's Blog – Info on RSN history and some regions.