NewSport

Last updated
NewSport
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaNationwide
Headquarters Bethpage, New York
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
Ownership
OwnerRainbow Programming Holdings
(Cablevision
NBC
Liberty Media)
Sister channels SportsChannel
History
LaunchedOctober 1, 1993;30 years ago (1993-10-01)
ClosedJuly 9, 1997;26 years ago (1997-07-09)
Replaced byAmerican Sports Classics

NewSport was an American cable and satellite television network that was owned by Rainbow Programming Holdings, a joint venture between the Rainbow Media subsidiary of Cablevision, NBC and Liberty Media. [1] Predating the launch of the originally similar ESPNews by three years, it focused on 24-hour coverage of sports news and analysis.

Contents

History

NewSport debuted on October 1, 1993, replacing SportsChannel America, a national version spun off of Rainbow's SportsChannel regional sports network group. [2] NewSport developed a unique sports ticker, known as the "NewSport Score Box", which debuted in 1995 and provided constantly updated score information on ongoing games and schedules for upcoming sports events at the bottom right of the screen.

The network also aired original programs such as NewSport Talk (a sports discussion program), NewSport Journal, NewSport Tonite (a nightly program featuring news and analysis on the day in sports) and Scoreboard Central (which premiered on April 29, 1995, a 12-hour sports news program that aired on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time). [3] Programming from the network was used as filler on Rainbow's regional SportsChannel networks and PRISM (a Philadelphia-area movies/sports pay service also owned by Rainbow); some over-the-air television stations, like WYLN-CD, also carried NewSport programming.

The network was slow to grow in coverage, with relatively limited carriage on cable system operators besides Cablevision, owner of SportsChannel and NewSport parent Rainbow Media. Ironically, even Cablevision did not give the network full-time coverage as it carried NewSport on the channel slots also occupied by The Weather Channel on some of their systems through a time-share arrangement. At its peak, NewSport had only about 10 million subscribers nationwide. This slow growth and lack of viewers, combined with the wide distribution and success of ESPNEWS and Rainbow reportedly losing more than $20 million operating the network, resulted in Rainbow Programming Holdings deciding to shut down NewSport on July 9, 1997. [4]

American Sports Classics

American Sports Classics (named after then-sister network American Movie Classics) was a network that focused on sports nostalgia programming; it was originally set to launch after NewSport ceased operations on July 9, 1997, however its launch was postponed "indefinitely" for a time, after Rainbow Media transferred control of the network to Fox/Liberty Networks, a joint venture between News Corporation, Liberty Media and Cablevision created after News Corporation acquired a 40% stake in Cablevision's sports properties for $850 million in June 1997. [5] When it launched that fall, the network featured a broad mix of biographical and magazine-style programs.

ASC's format contrasted with the similarly focused Classic Sports Network (which later became ESPN Classic), which at the time mostly showed archived sports event telecasts. The reason why the launch was postponed in the first place was due to problems Rainbow faced in trying to obtain the rebroadcast rights to sporting events from the major professional and collegiate sports leagues or their broadcast partners, forcing American Sports Classics to rely on the magazine and biographical programs. [6] Like NewSport, ASC was unable to stand up to its competitors, specifically Classic Sports Network. The network ceased operations in mid-1998, shortly after SportsChannel discontinued operations upon its merger with Fox Sports Net.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Sports Networks</span> American sports channel group (1996–2021)

Fox Sports Networks (FSN), formerly known as Fox Sports Net, was the collective name for a group of regional sports channels in the United States. Formed in 1996 by News Corporation, the networks were acquired by The Walt Disney Company on 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 continued 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 took effect on March 31, 2021, and the networks were rebranded as Bally Sports, ending the Fox Sports Networks branding after 25 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TruTV</span> American cable and satellite television channel

TruTV is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). The channel primarily broadcasts comedy, docusoaps, and reality shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AMC (TV channel)</span> American TV channel

AMC is an American multinational basic cable television channel that is the flagship property of AMC Networks. The channel's programming primarily consists of theatrically released films, along with a limited amount of original programming. The channel's name originally stood for American Movie Classics, but since 2002 the full name has been de-emphasized as a result of a major shift in its programming.

ESPNews is an American multinational digital cable and satellite television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications.

Speed was an American sports-oriented cable and satellite television network that was owned by the Fox Sports Media Group division of 21st Century Fox. The network was dedicated to motorsports programming, including auto racing, as well as automotive-focused programs.

ESPNU is an American multinational digital cable and satellite sports television channel owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the Hearst Communications. The channel is primarily dedicated to coverage of college athletics, and is also used as an additional outlet for general ESPN programming. ESPNU is based alongside its sister networks at ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut.

AMC Networks Inc. is an American entertainment company headquartered in 11 Penn Plaza, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PRISM (TV channel)</span> Cable channel based in Philadelphia (1976–1997)

PRISM was an American regional premium cable television channel in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Launched in September 1976, PRISM was primarily distributed through area cable systems, although it was also available through a scrambled over-the-air signal on WWSG-TV from 1983 to 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SportsChannel</span> American group of regional sports networks

SportsChannel is the collective name for a former group of regional sports networks in the United States that was owned by Cablevision, which from 1988 until the group's demise, operated it as a joint venture with NBC.

A regional sports network (RSN) in the United States and Canada is a television channel that presents sports programming to a local media market or geographical region.

Prime Sports (originally known as the Prime Sports Network (PSN), and also known as Prime Network or simply Prime) is the collective name for a former group of regional sports networks in the United States that were owned by Liberty Media, operating from November 1988 to October 31, 1996. While Liberty owned many of these networks, some of Prime's member networks were owned by other companies, and carried programming distributed for the group through affiliation agreements. As a result, Prime-affiliated networks had the right to select Prime Network programs to broadcast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bally Sports Florida</span> Regional sports network

Bally Sports Florida is an American regional sports network owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, and operates as an affiliate of Bally Sports. The channel broadcasts local sports coverage in the state of Florida, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Miami, Tampa and Orlando.

MSG Sportsnet is an American regional sports network owned by MSG Entertainment; it operates as a sister channel to MSG Network. The network serves 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; MSG Sportsnet carries sports events from several of the New York area's professional sports franchises, as well as college sports events.

SportsChannel Philadelphia was an American regional sports network owned as a joint venture between Rainbow Sports, a unit of the Rainbow Media subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation, and NBC, and operated as an affiliate of SportsChannel. Operating as a sister network of the premium service PRISM and headquartered in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, the channel provided regional coverage of sports events involving professional sports teams based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, and college and high school sports events throughout the Delaware Valley region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Sports Net Chicago</span> Defunct regional sports network based in Chicago

Fox Sports Net Chicago was an American regional sports network that was headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and was owned by Cablevision for most of its history. News Corporation acquired a minority ownership interest in the network in 1997, which Cablevision bought out in 2005. The network was affiliated with SportsChannel from 1987 to 1997, when it became an affiliate of Fox Sports Net.

NBC Sports Philadelphia is an American regional sports network owned by the NBC Sports Group unit of NBCUniversal, which in turn is owned by locally based cable television provider Comcast, and the Philadelphia Phillies. It is the flagship owned-and-operated outlet of NBC Sports Regional Networks. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of professional sports teams in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, as well as college sports events and original sports-related news, discussion and entertainment programming.

NBC Sports Bay Area is an American regional sports network owned as a joint venture between NBCUniversal and the San Francisco Giants, and operates as an affiliate of NBC Sports Regional Networks. Headquartered in San Francisco, the channel broadcasts regional coverage of professional sports events throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. NBCS Bay Area's sister channel is NBC Sports California. The president of the network is Ted Griggs.

SportsChannel Cincinnati was an American regional sports network owned by the Rainbow Media division of Cablevision, and operated as an affiliate of SportsChannel. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, the channel used to broadcast regional coverage of sports events throughout the Miami Valley, focusing mainly on professional sports teams based in the Cincinnati area.

Sports News Network (SNN) (sometimes referred to as Mizlou Sports News Network) was the first 24-hour sports news cable channel, owned by Mizlou Communications. It pre-dates NewSport, launched in 1993 & owned by Rainbow Programming Holdings, a joint venture between the Rainbow Media subsidiary of Cablevision, NBC and Liberty Media, which itself pre-dates the launch of the originally similar ESPNews in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bally Sports</span> American regional sports network group; successor to Fox Sports Networks

The Bally Sports Regional Networks are a group of regional sports networks in the United States owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint-venture company of the Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios. The naming rights to the network were sold to casino operator Bally's Corporation.

References

  1. ↑ John Dempsey (August 31, 1993). "Ailes cure for CNBC, talk web". Variety . Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  2. ↑ "ESPN 2 Ready For Prime Time". The New York Times . June 5, 1993. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  3. ↑ "NEWSPORT TO LAUNCH NEWS PROGRAM SCOREBOARD CENTRAL". Sports Business Journal. April 26, 1995. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  4. ↑ "NEWSPORT ENDS OPERATION; SUBSCRIBERS GET NEW CLASSIC CHANNEL". Sports Business Journal. May 2, 1997. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  5. ↑ "SPORTS LANDSCAPE ALTERED WITH FOX/LIBERTY-CABLEVISION DEAL". Sports Business Journal. June 23, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  6. ↑ "AMERICAN SPORTS CLASSICS' LAUNCH ON HOLD "INDEFINITELY"". Sports Business Journal. July 9, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.