Fox College Sports

Last updated
Fox College Sports
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaNationwide
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format 720p (HDTV)
(HD feeds downgraded to letterboxed 480i for SDTVs)
Ownership
Owner Diamond Sports Group
(a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios)
Sister channels Tennis Channel
Bally Sports
Stadium
Honor Club
History
LaunchedSeptember 4, 2004;16 years ago (2004-09-04)
Former namesFox Sports Digital Networks (2001–2004)
Availability
Cable
Available on some U.S. cable systemsCheck local listings
Satellite
DirecTV (U.S.)608, 608-1, 608-2 (live games only)
(All SD only)
IPTV
AT&T Uverse 647 Atlantic
648 Central
649 Pacific
(All SD only)
Google Fiber 226 Atlantic
227 Central
228 Pacific
(All SD only)

Fox College Sports is a group of three United States digital cable networks, Fox College Sports Atlantic, Fox College Sports Central, and Fox College Sports Pacific owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios (under the joint venture Diamond Sports Group), that specialize primarily in showing collegiate programming, live events, coaches shows & various DI, DII, & DIII content surrounding college athletics. The channels show a wide array of all collegiate sports licensed by the NCAA as well as club sports. The networks are associated with Bally Sports, though the networks still carry Fox Sports branding.

Contents

History

Fox College Sports logo Fox Sports College.png
Fox College Sports logo

The three networks were originally launched in June 2001 as Fox Sports Digital Networks as a compliment to Fox Sports Net for digital cable subscribers since did not have access to out-of-market regional sports networks that were available on satellite. The majority of the programming presented on the networks originated from the various Fox Sports regional networks and affiliates. The networks focused on college sports, but also had out-of-market baseball games (which would be phased out after the first few years). [1] . In 2004, the networks were relaunched as Fox College Sports to emphasize their college sports programming. [2]

Programming

The channels are divided into three geographical areas, which are Fox College Sports Atlantic (formerly FCS Atlantic), Fox College Sports Central (formerly FCS Central), and Fox College Sports Pacific (formerly FCS Pacific). In addition to the events, the network features weekly coach's shows for various universities, programs from the various conferences and schools that highlight their athletes, and the regional sports reports from Fox Sports Networks and other regional sports channels not within the Fox Sports system. Also featured are high school basketball and football games and some state championships for these sports.

Major events include:

The three Fox College Sports channels offer feeds from the various Bally Sports (former Fox Sports) channels, including live games. They also rerun shows originally produced by the various networks affiliated with Bally Sports. As of April 2021, the networks no longer focus on specific conferences despite their regional names.

Former Programming

Previously, each network sourced its programming from the various Fox Sports Networks as follows:

Sister channels

Ball State SportsLink - signed on this year as the first University to provide full 30 minute length shows to be aired with Fox College Sports.

Branding

Until 2013, FCS used a silver and blue version of the old FSN pillbox logo. Beginning in August 2013, FCS began using a logo bug similar to the one shown on Fox Sports Networks. The Fox Sports logo is shown with a dark blue, rounded arrow shaped drop-down containing the name "FOX COLLEGE SPORTS". The drop-down is slightly longer than those seen on Fox Sports Networks so that it can accommodate the region name of the FCS network, seen in blue text "ATLANTIC", "CENTRAL", or "PACIFIC". The bottom of the drop-down contains a small arrow, colored light blue. During replay events, however, the region name is removed and a bug similar to the Fox Sports Networks with just "FOX COLLEGE SPORTS" is shown.

Related Research Articles

Fox Sports Networks

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 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 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.

Bally Sports South American regional sports network

Bally Sports South (BSSO) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Bally 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 Bally Sports.

Bally Sports Ohio is an American regional sports network owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and is operated as an affiliate of Bally Sports. 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.

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

Bally Sports Detroit American regional sports network

Bally Sports Detroit is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group that operates as a Bally Sports 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.

Bally Sports Southeast American regional sports network

Bally Sports Southeast (BSSE) 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 Bally Sports. 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 Bally Sports. 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.

Root Sports Northwest

ROOT SPORTS Northwest is an American regional sports network owned as a 60/40 joint venture between the Seattle Mariners and WarnerMedia News & Sports, a division of AT&T's WarnerMedia respectively, the latter of which operates it as part of the AT&T SportsNet chain of regional networks and as an affiliate of Bally Sports. Headquartered near Seattle in the city of Bellevue, Washington, the channel broadcasts regional coverage of sports events throughout the Pacific Northwest, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Seattle and Portland. It is available on cable providers throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska and nationwide on satellite via DirecTV and Dish Network.

Bally Sports North Regional sports network in the Upper Midwest and Minnesota

Bally Sports North is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as a Bally Sports 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.

Bally Sports Southwest Texan regional sports network

Bally Sports Southwest is a Texan regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Bally Sports. 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 Bally Sports Networks' operations center in Houston, which houses master control operations for its regional networks in the central United States.

Bally Sports Wisconsin American regional sports network

Bally Sports Wisconsin (BSWI) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Bally Sports. Operating as the "Wisconsin" sub-feed of Bally 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.

Major League Baseball games not broadcast exclusively by its media partners are televised by regional sports networks, which present sports programming of interest to their respective region. Most MLB broadcasters are members of chains such as NBC Sports Regional Networks, Bally Sports, and AT&T SportsNet, although several teams are broadcast by regional networks that are independent of these chains. Some teams own partial or majority stakes in their regional broadcaster.

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.

Bally Sports Kansas City Regional sports network in Kansas City

Bally Sports Kansas City (BSKC) is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Bally Sports. 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.

Bally Sports Oklahoma American regional sports network

Bally Sports Oklahoma is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Bally Sports. 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. Bally Sports Oklahoma is available on cable providers throughout Oklahoma, and nationwide on satellite via DirecTV.

Fox Sports Carolinas

Fox Sports Carolinas (FSCAR) was an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, and operated as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel was headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Fox Sports Tennessee

Fox Sports Tennessee (FSTN) was an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, and operateed as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcast regional coverage of professional and collegiate sports events in the state of Tennessee, namely the Memphis Grizzlies and Nashville Predators.

AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain 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 Bally Sports. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the network broadcasts regional coverage of sports events throughout the Rocky Mountain region, mainly focusing on professional sports teams based in the Denver metropolitan area, Utah and Nevada.

Bally Sports Indiana American regional sports network

Bally Sports Indiana is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of Bally Sports. 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.

Bally Sports New Orleans American regional sports network

Bally Sports New Orleans is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operated as an affiliate of Bally Sports. The channel broadcasts local coverage of professional and collegiate sports events within New Orleans and the state of Louisiana.

References

  1. "Fox Set to Rename Cable Sports Service | TVWeek". TV Week. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  2. "Fox Shuffles Cable Offerings". The New York Times. 26 May 2004. Retrieved 15 April 2021.