Type | Regional sports network |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Broadcast area | Eastern and Central Missouri Downstate Illinois Iowa Nebraska Nationwide (via satellite) |
Network | Fox Sports Networks |
Headquarters | St. Louis, Missouri |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English |
Picture format | 720p (HDTV) 480i (SDTV) |
Ownership | |
Owner | Diamond Sports Group (70%) St. Louis Cardinals (30%) [1] |
Parent | Sinclair Broadcast Group & Entertainment Studios Networks |
Sister channels | Fox Sports Indiana Fox Sports Kansas City |
History | |
Launched | November 1989 |
Former names | Prime Sports Midwest (1989–1996) Fox Sports Midwest (1996–2000; 2008-present) Fox Sports Net Midwest (2000–2004) FSN Midwest (2004–2008) |
Links | |
Website | www |
Availability (some events may air on overflow feed Fox Sports Midwest Plus due to event conflicts) | |
Cable | |
Charter Spectrum | 824 826 (Plus) |
Comcast Xfinity | 959 520 (Plus) |
Cox Communications | 1047 (Nebraska) |
Mediacom | 732 (Missouri) 832 (Iowa) |
Sparklight | 210(most areas) 208 (Plus-most areas) |
Available on most other cable systems within broadcast area | Consult your local cable provider or program listings source for channel availability |
Satellite | |
DirecTV | 671 671-1 (Plus) |
IPTV | |
AT&T U-verse | 1748/ 1747(Plus) |
CenturyLink | 1748 1749(Plus) |
Streaming media | |
Fox Sports Go | www.foxsportsgo.com/ (U.S. cable internet subscribers only; requires login from participating providers to stream content; some events may not be available due to league rights restrictions) |
AT&T TV | 671 671-1 (Plus) |
Fox Sports Midwest (FSMW) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts regional event coverage of sports teams throughout the Midwestern United States, most prominently, professional sports teams based in St. Louis, Missouri.
Fox Sports Midwest is available on cable providers throughout eastern and central Missouri, Downstate Illinois, Nebraska, and Iowa; it is also available nationwide on satellite via DirecTV.
The channel originally launched in November 1989 as Prime Sports Midwest, serving as an affiliate of the Prime Network. Originally seen mainly within Indiana, the channel began expanding its cable provider coverage westward in 1994. Following Liberty Media's sale of the Prime Network to News Corporation, the channel became a member of the newly formed Fox Sports Net (then a joint venture between Liberty Media and News Corporation) and rebranded as Fox Sports Midwest on November 1, 1996. [2] [3] The channel was then rebranded as Fox Sports Net Midwest in 1999, as part of a collective brand modification of the FSN networks under the "Fox Sports Net" banner; subsequently in 2004, the channel shortened its name to FSN Midwest, through the networks' de-emphasis of the brand.
In the spring of 2006, Fox Sports Midwest obtained the exclusive regional cable television rights to broadcast NBA games involving the Indiana Pacers. This resulted in the channel creating a spin-off regional sports network channel, Fox Sports Indiana , for the primary purpose of airing games from the Pacers and the WNBA's Indiana Fever; Fox Sports Indiana launched on November 1, 2006, at the start of the team's regular season.
In the fall of 2007, Fox Sports Midwest signed an exclusive long-term agreement to broadcast games from the Kansas City Royals (this followed the team's decision to dissolve the Royals Sports Television Network, a regional television syndication service for the team's game broadcasts). On January 24, 2008, the network formally announced that it would spin-off its subfeed for the Kansas City market into a separate channel, Fox Sports Kansas City , to avoid scheduling conflicts with Fox Sports Midwest's St. Louis Cardinals game coverage. [4] The main St. Louis-based feed reverted to the Fox Sports Midwest moniker that same year.
On July 15, 2010, Fox Sports Midwest signed a new television contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, giving the channel exclusive regional broadcast rights to the team's games beginning with the 2011 season, ending the team's local broadcasts in the St. Louis market on NBC affiliate KSDK (channel 5). [5]
On July 30, 2015, Fox Sports Midwest and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a long-term television rights agreement. The new agreement began in 2018 and will run 15 seasons through the 2032 season. [6] The deal will guarantee the St. Louis Cardinals more than $1 billion, including a 30% equity stake in the network. [7]
On December 14, 2017, as part of a merger between both companies, The Walt Disney Company announced plans to acquire all 22 regional Fox Sports networks from 21st Century Fox, including Fox Sports Midwest. However, on June 27, 2018, the Justice Department ordered their divestment under antitrust grounds, citing Disney's ownership of ESPN. On May 3, 2019, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios (through their joint venture, Diamond Holdings) bought Fox Sports Networks from The Walt Disney Company for $10.6 billion. [8] The deal closed on August 22, 2019. [9] On March 31, 2021, Fox Sports Midwest will be rebranded as Bally Sports Midwest, a new partnership between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Bally Corporation that will result in 18 other Regional Sports Networks being renamed to Bally Sports in their respective regions. [10]
Fox Sports Midwest holds the exclusive regional cable television rights to Major League Baseball games from the St. Louis Cardinals and NHL games from the St. Louis Blues. As the St. Louis region is claimed by the NBA's Indiana Pacers, select games from Fox Sports Indiana are carried, mainly on Fox Sports Midwest Plus, or on the main channel if live Blues coverage is not airing. The channel also broadcasts college athletics, including men's basketball games from the Missouri Valley Conference, St. Louis Billikens and SIUE Cougars, as well as men's and women's basketball games from the Kansas State Wildcats (which are also broadcast on Fox Sports Kansas City). Until the creation of the SEC Network in 2014, it also screened a substantial amount of Missouri Tigers programming, including select football games, basketball, and occasional Olympic sports telecasts. It still airs weekly Mizzou magazine shows, as well as football and men's basketball coaches' shows. It also filled a similar role for the Nebraska Cornhuskers until they joined the Big Ten Conference (which too has its own TV channel) in 2012, and like for Mizzou it still airs university-produced ancillary programming for the Huskers.
Fox Sports Midwest maintains a total of 6 feeds (not including 5 additional feeds for Fox Sports Indiana and Fox Sports Kansas City). In addition to Cardinals and Blues games which are available in all regions except Nebraska, select games produced by neighboring Fox Sports Networks are also carried in some areas. The Kansas City Royals (produced by Fox Sports Kansas City) are offered in most regions outside of the Cardinals exclusive market area. Since the entire coverage area lacks an NBA team, games from two of the following teams are offered in each region: Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Oklahoma City Thunder. [11]
Region served | MLB | NBA | NHL | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. Louis Cardinals | Kansas City Royals (Fox Sports Kansas City) | Indiana Pacers (Fox Sports Indiana) | Memphis Grizzlies (Fox Sports Tennessee) | Minnesota Timberwolves (Fox Sports North) | Oklahoma City Thunder (Fox Sports Oklahoma) | St. Louis Blues | |
St. Louis | |||||||
Southeast Missouri | |||||||
Central/Downstate Illinois | |||||||
Southwest/Mid-Missouri | |||||||
Iowa | |||||||
Nebraska |
Fox Sports Midwest Plus is an overflow feed of Fox Sports Midwest that was launched in October 2011. Fox Sports Kansas City and Fox Sports Indiana also operate their own Fox Sports Plus overflow feeds to resolve scheduling conflicts with Fox Sports Midwest-televised events that are simulcast on the two channels. [12]
The St. Louis Cardinals have one of the largest geographic territories for an MLB team, with includes all or part of 10 states and partially overlaps the territories of 9 other teams. As a result Fox Sports Midwest provides Cardinals games to neighboring Fox Sports Networks (in addition to Fox Sports Indiana and Kansas City) in areas where Fox Sports Midwest is not carried. Most games appear on Fox Sports South/Fox Sports Tennessee or Fox Sports Southeast in parts of western Kentucky, western Tennessee, and northern Mississippi, with the remaining games available on an alternate channel. In Arkansas and Oklahoma games are broadcast on Fox Sports Southwest Plus/Fox Sports Oklahoma Plus. [13]
Fox Sports Networks (FSN), formerly known as Fox Sports Net, is the collective name for a group of regional sports channels in the United States owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint-venture company of the Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios. Formed in 1996 by News Corporation, the networks were acquired by The Walt Disney Company in March 20, 2019 following its acquisition of 21st Century Fox. A condition of that acquisition imposed by the U.S. Department of Justice required Disney to sell the regional networks by June 18, 2019, 90 days after the completion of its acquisition. Disney subsequently agreed to sell the networks to Sinclair; the transaction was completed on August 22, 2019. The networks continue to use the Fox Sports name only under a transitional license agreement while rebranding options were explored. A rebranding cross-partnership with Bally's Corporation is due to take effect on March 31, 2021, with the networks becoming Bally Sports.
Fox Sports Sun (FSSUN), formerly Sun Sports and originally Sunshine Network, is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts local coverage of professional, collegiate and sporting events in the state of Florida, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Miami, Tampa and Orlando. Fox Sports Sun and sister regional sports network Fox Sports Florida are headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Fox Sports South (FSS) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The network carries regional coverage of professional and collegiate sports events from across the Southern United States, along with other sporting events and programming from FSN.
Fox Sports Ohio (FSOH) is an American regional sports network owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and is operated as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of sports events in the state of Ohio, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Cleveland and Cincinnati, which are broadcast on separate programming feeds, as well as Columbus.
Fox Sports Detroit (FSD) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group that operates as a Fox Sports Networks affiliate. It provides coverage of local sports teams in the state of Michigan, primarily focusing on those in Metro Detroit. The network airs exclusive broadcasts of games involving the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons, Detroit Red Wings, repeats of Detroit Lions preseason games, and select games from the Grand Rapids Griffins, as well as some state college and high school sports.
Fox Sports West (FSW) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, and operated as part of Fox Sports Networks, along with its sister network Prime Ticket. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of professional and collegiate sports events in California, focusing primarily on teams based in the Greater Los Angeles area. Fox Sports West is available on cable providers throughout Southern California, the Las Vegas Valley and Hawaii; it is also available nationwide on satellite via DirecTV.
Fox Sports Florida (FSFL) is an American regional sports network owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts local sports coverage in the state of Florida, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Miami, Tampa and Orlando.
Fox Sports Southeast (FSSE) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the channel broadcasts regional coverage of sports events throughout the southeastern United States, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Atlanta, Tennessee, and Charlotte.
AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh is an American regional sports network owned by WarnerMedia News & Sports, a division of AT&T's WarnerMedia, as part of the AT&T SportsNet brand of networks and is an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, the channel broadcasts local coverage of sports events throughout Greater Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania, as well as national programs from Fox Sports Networks including college sports, and magazine, entertainment and documentary programs. It is the exclusive home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Penguins, and the cable home of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Fox Sports North (FSN) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as a Fox Sports Networks affiliate. The channel broadcasts coverage of sporting events involving teams located in the Upper Midwest region, with a focus on professional and collegiate sports teams based in Minnesota.
Fox Sports Southwest (FSSW) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of professional, collegiate and high school sports events throughout the South Central United States. The network is headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Irving, Texas, with master control hubbed at Fox Sports Networks' operations center in Houston, which houses master control operations for its regional networks in the central United States.
Fox Sports Wisconsin (FSWI) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. Operating as the "Wisconsin" sub-feed of Fox Sports North until 2007, the channel broadcasts regional coverage of sports events throughout the state of Wisconsin, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Milwaukee. It primarily operates from a studio/office facility in downtown Milwaukee, with secondary offices and production studio/office hub based in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Prime Ticket is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, and operated as part of Fox Sports Networks, along with its sister network Fox Sports West. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of professional and collegiate sports events in California, focusing primarily on teams based in the Greater Los Angeles area. Prime Ticket is available on cable providers throughout Southern California, the Las Vegas Valley and Hawaii; it is also available nationwide on satellite via DirecTV.
Fox Sports Arizona (FSAZ) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts professional, collegiate and high school sports events, with a primary focus on Phoenix area teams. It is available on most cable providers throughout Arizona; Fox Sports Arizona is also available nationwide on satellite provider DirecTV.
Fox Sports Kansas City (FSKC) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts coverage of professional, collegiate, and high school sports events both within and outside the Kansas City area. It maintains offices and master control operations at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
Fox Sports Oklahoma (FSOK) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel provides statewide coverage of sports events within the state of Oklahoma, namely the Oklahoma City Thunder, the state's major college sports teams, and high school sports.
Fox Sports Tennessee (FSTEN) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of professional and collegiate sports events in the state of Tennessee, namely the Memphis Grizzlies and Nashville Predators.
Fox Sports Indiana (FSIN) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts local professional and high school sports coverage throughout the state of Indiana, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Indianapolis, namely the NBA's Indiana Pacers.
Fox Sports San Diego (FSSD) is an American regional sports network owned as a joint venture between Diamond Sports Group and the San Diego Padres, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks.
Fox Sports New Orleans (FSNO) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operated as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts local coverage of professional and collegiate sports events within New Orleans and the state of Louisiana.
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