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Stadium (sports network)

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Stadium
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaNational
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois
Programming
Language(s)English
Ownership
Owner
Sister channelsTennis Channel
(The T)
Honor Club
Charge!
Stirr
YES Network
History
LaunchedAugust 21, 2017; 7 years ago (2017-08-21)
ReplacedAmerican Sports Network
Campus Insiders
Links
WebcastWatch live
Websitewatchstadium.com
Availability
Streaming media
Twitch[1]
Pluto TV, Plex, Stremium, Xumo, Stirr, Sling TV, FuboTV, Roku Channel, VidGo, YouTube TV

Stadium is a digital television and internet sports network operated as a multi-platform sports network. Stadium includes a 24/7 linear feed distributed across both digital and broadcast platforms, as well as on-demand (VOD) digital content including additional live games and events including AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain. Stadium has a number of minority owners including BAMTech, Meredith Corporation, PGA Tour, Silver Chalice and Sinclair Broadcast Group. The network is headquartered at The United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

The service is distributed as an over-the-top streaming service through Stadium's website and other partners, digital subchannels on broadcast television stations.

History

In March 2017, unconfirmed reports speculated that Sinclair was planning to shutter its sports unit, American Sports Network, and give its remaining sports rights to Campus Insiders. The Charleston Gazette-Mail, however, citing ASN employees, reported that the rumors of a complete shuttering were false, but that the division was planning to re-locate its headquarters, restructure its operations, and achieve "stronger, more diversified distribution." The original rumors were based upon reports of layoffs from ASN's current headquarters in West Palm Beach, connected to the planned re-location.[1]

On April 13, 2017, Sinclair officially announced that ASN would be re-launched later in the year as part of a joint venture with Campus Insiders owner Silver Chalice (itself owned by the Chicago White Sox), and its online sports video service 120 Sports. The new operation will be operated as linear and digital offerings; the linear service would utilize the syndication and broadcast network built out for ASN, while the digital platform would stream full-time online and through Twitter. 120 Sports would provide original studio and long-form programming to the venture.[2][3]

On May 1, 2017, it was announced that the new joint venture would be known as Stadium.[4] On June 1, 2017, it was reported that Stadium would officially launch around late-July 2017.[5] The service officially launched on August 21, 2017.[6][7]

In 2019, with Sinclair's acquisitions of regional sports networks FSN, Marquee Sports Network and a minority stake in YES Network, Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley said of Stadium's role in the expanded sports offerings: "That will be our national play. I don’t see it competing head to head with FS1 or ESPN. It's not there yet with its maturity."[8]

Distribution

The service is distributed mainly via streaming television services and associated apps (including third-party services, as well as Sinclair's own Stirr service).[9] The American Sports Network linear service, which was distributed as a digital subchannel network, transitioned to Stadium on September 6, 2017.[10] The network has also reached deals for traditional cable distribution.[11] Stadium also offers a subscription service, "Stadium Plus", which offers access to premium events and on-demand content (including commercial-free replays of broadcasts, and classic games).[12]

In November 2017, Facebook acquired rights to 47 college basketball telecasts from Stadium, which stream exclusively on Facebook Watch and an associated Facebook page.[13]

In May 2018, Stadium partnered with Twitch to stream its content on the service, as well as an exclusive Twitch Stadium 2 channel that features additional commentary and analysis.[14]

Programming

Stadium's college sports programming will include content from Conference USA, Mountain West Conference, the Patriot League, the Southern Conference, and the West Coast Conference.[15]

Stadium's studio lineup includes:

The Territory - The Territory sets the editorial cycle for the day with a fast-paced, expansive look at the sports landscape, featuring news and storylines from coast-to-coast.

Sauce & Shram - Sauce & Shram showcases an irreverent and interactive conversation between Dave Ross and Tyler Jacobs along with user generated social media commentary and callers.

Emerge - Emerge spotlights the best high school talent across the country, featuring athlete-submitted training, game, and social content while also featuring interviews with players and coaches throughout prep sports.

Campus Insiders - Campus Insiders continues to focus on college conferences across the nation, including the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Conference USA, Mountain West, Pac-12, Patriot League, SEC, and the West Coast Conference. Each day, a different conference will be highlighted with exclusive interviews, Top 25 breakdowns, game picks and more.

The Rally: Gametime in America - Gametime in America sets the live sports scene as viewers will navigate in real time through the landscape of sports in America.[16]

Ring of Honor Wrestling, the weekly professional wrestling television series produced by the Sinclair-affiliated promotion Ring of Honor, began airing on the network from January 2018. The series was previously syndicated to sibling broadcast network Comet.[17]

Stadium, as with other networks distributed by digital multicast networks, is required to preempt three hours of its weekly schedule for educational children's programming. With the exception of DragonflyTV, most of Stadium's educational shows are sports-related to minimize interruption; The Real Winning Edge, Sports Lab, Future Phenoms and Sports Stars of Tomorrow make up Stadium's educational lineup as of 2019.

Affiliates

City of license/market Station Virtual
channel[18] 		Physical
channel 		Primary
affiliation
(on main channel) 		Owner
(Management Company) 		Date of affiliation Notes
Birmingham WBMA 58.3 40 ABC Sinclair Broadcast Group
Mobile WPMI-TV 15.3 15 NBC
Fayetteville KAJL-LD [19] 16.1 16 1 DTV America Corporation
Phoenix KASW 61.2 27 The CW Nexstar Media Group
Los Angeles KCAL-TV 9.2 9 Independent ViacomCBS April 12, 2019
KHIZ-LD 39.4 [19] 2 Escape DTV America Corporation
Sacramento KMAX-TV 31.4 21 The CW ViacomCBS November 27, 2018
Denver KTFD-TV 50.3 50 UniMas Entravision Communications
Waterbury WCCT-TV 20.4 33 The CW Tegna
Jacksonville WRCZ-LD 35.2 35 The Country Network DTV America Corporation
West Palm Beach WWHB-CD 48.3 33 Azteca America Sinclair Broadcast Group Also on WTVX sometimes for special occasion
Orlando WFEF-LD 28.3 25 Comet DTV America Corporation
Atlanta WDWW-LD 28.3 [19] 28 The Country Network
Boise KYUU-LD 35.4 28 The CW Sinclair Broadcast Group
Idaho Falls/Pocatello KPIF 15.4 15 MeTV
Arlington Heights (Chicago) WRJK-LP 22.4 24.4 Independent Major Market Broadcasting
Hammond (Chicago) WJYS 62.2 36.2 Independent Oxford Media Group, Inc.
Springfield–Decatur–Champaign WBUI 23.3 22 The CW GOCOM Media
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Indianapolis WSDI-LD 30.6 30 Quest DTV America Corporation
Fort Dodge (Des Moines) KCYM-LD 45.4 26 Newsmax TV
Bowling Green WDNZ-LD 11.2 11 Antenna TV Daily News Broadcasting Company October 18, 2019
Lafayette KXKW-LD 32.1 32 Antenna TV Delta Media Corporation Replaced ThisTV
New Orleans WQDT-LD 34.4 33 Buzzr DTV America Corporation
Shreveport KMSS-TV 33.3 34 Fox Marshall Broadcasting (operated by Nexstar Media Group)
Portland WGME-TV 13.3 15 CBS Sinclair Broadcast Group
Flint–Tri-Cities WSMH 66.4 16 Fox
Kansas City KCMN-LD 42.4 38 Decades DTV America Corporation
St. Louis WODK-LD 45.5 45 Cozi TV
KDNL-TV 30.4 31 ABC Sinclair Broadcast Group
Omaha KXVO 15.4 38 The CW
Las Vegas KSNV 3.4 22 NBC
Reno KNSN-TV 21.2 20 Independent & MyNetworkTV (secondary) Deerfield Media
Albuquerque KTFQ-TV 41.4 16 UniMas Entravision Communications
Albany–Schenectady–Troy WCWN 45.4 43 The CW Sinclair Broadcast Group
Buffalo WNYO-TV 49.2 49 MyNetworkTV
New York City WRNN 48.2 48 Independent WRNN License Company, LLC
Riverhead, New York WLNY-TV 55.3 29 Independent ViacomCBS
Charlotte WVEB-LD 40.3 14 Cozi TV DTV America Corporation
Winston-Salem–Greensboro–High Point WXLV-TV 45.2 29 ABC Sinclair Broadcast Group
Raleigh–Durham–Chapel Hill WLFL 22.2 27 The CW
Wilmington WILM-LD 10.3 40 Independent Capitol Broadcasting Company
Fargo KRDK-TV 4.9 38 Cozi TV Major Market Broadcasting
Akron (Cleveland) WQDI-LD 20.4 [19] 21 Estrella TV DTV America Corporation
Cincinnati WKRC-TV 12.3[20] 12 CBS Sinclair Broadcast Group
Columbus WTTE 28.3[20] 36 Fox
Dayton WKEF 22.2 18 ABC
Toledo WNWO 24.2 49 NBC
Oklahoma City KOKH-TV 25.3 24 Fox
Oklahoma City KBZC-LD 42.1 42 Ind. DTV America Corporation
Portland KATU 2.4 43 ABC Sinclair Broadcast Group
Pittsburgh WPNT 22.2 42 MyNetworkTV
Wilkes-Barre WSWB 38.4 34 The CW MPS Media, LLC
Vieques W34DY-D 34.2 34 getTV TV Red de Puerto Rico, Inc.
Villalba W16CW-D 16.2 16 Justice Network
Rincón W28DV-D 28.1 28 1
Florence–Myrtle Beach, SC WWMB 21.3 21 The CW Howard Stirk Holdings
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Greenville–Spartanburg WLOS 13.4 13 ABC Sinclair Broadcast Group
Columbia WACH 57.2 22 Fox
Memphis WQEK-LD 36.4 30 Cozi TV DTV America Corporation
Nashville WKUW-LD 40.3 28 Buzzr
WNAB 58.2 23 The CW Tennessee Broadcasting
(Operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Amarillo KVII-TV 7.4 7 ABC Sinclair Broadcast Group
Dallas–Fort Worth KPFW-LD 18.4 43 America's Auction Network DTV America Corporation
KTXD-TV 47.1 23 1 Cunningham Broadcasting
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)		 March 7, 2018 Replaced independent format
El Paso–Las Cruces, NM KFOX-TV 14.4 15 Fox Sinclair Broadcast Group
Houston KEHO-LD 24.5 29 Altavision DTV America Corporation
San Antonio KMYS 35.2 32 The CW Deerfield Media
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Salt Lake City KSTU 13.3 28 Fox E.W. Scripps Co. January 12, 2018 Replaced Justice Network
Norfolk WTVZ-TV 33.2 33 MyNetworkTV Sinclair Broadcast Group
Lynchburg–Roanoke WSET-TV 13.2 13 ABC
Bellevue (Seattle–Tacoma) KUNS-TV 51.3[21] 50 Univision
Charleston–Huntington WVAH-TV 11.2 19 Fox Cunningham Broadcasting
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Suring (Green Bay–Fox Cities) WCWF 14.4 21 The CW Sinclair Broadcast Group
Wausau WZAW-LD 33.5 33 Fox Gray Television

References

  1. ^ Smock, Doug (March 12, 2017). "American Sports Network may remain after all". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  2. ^ "Sinclair Partners to Revamp, Relaunch Sports Network". Broadcasting and Cable. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  3. ^ "American Sports Network, Campus Insiders, and 120 Sports Announce Mega-Merger Deal". Underdog Dynasty (SBNation). Vox Media. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  4. ^ "Is Twitter the new home for Southern Miss football?". Sun Herald. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  5. ^ "Stadium multi-platform sports network soon will replace 120 Sports". Chicago Business Journal. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  6. ^ "Stadium Streams to the Web, Twitter and Pluto TV". Multichannel News. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  7. ^ "Stadium enters the fray". Cynopsis Media. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  8. ^ "Sinclair CEO see 'massive opportunity' with rebranding of Fox sports networks". Baltimore Business Journal. August 26, 2019.
  9. ^ "TV broadcaster Sinclair launches STIRR, a free streaming service with local news and sports". TechCrunch. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  10. ^ Bartel, Jeffrey. "Introducing Stadium – CW 14.4". Fox11Online.com. Sinclair Broadcast Group. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  11. ^ "Is Sinclair-Led Sports Venture Stadium Greater Than Sum of its Parts?". Cablefax. August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  12. ^ Perez, Sarah. "Stadium's live-streamed sports and original programming comes to Twitter". TechCrunch. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  13. ^ Spangler, Todd (November 16, 2017). "Facebook Acquires Exclusive Rights to 47 College Basketball Games From Smaller Conferences". Variety. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  14. ^ "Twitch adds Stadium's traditional sports broadcasts to platform". SportsPro. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  15. ^ "Twitter Punches Its 24-Hour Livestreaming Ticket to Sports Network Stadium". Adweek. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  16. ^ "Stadium Announces New Fall Lineup Premiering September 4 - Stadium". Stadium. August 28, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  17. ^ ""RING OF HONOR WRESTLING" NOW AVAILABLE ON STADIUM".
  18. ^ "Stations for Network - Stadium". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  19. ^ a b c d ASN Clearance Report for Wagner @ UMass football Oct-29-2016
  20. ^ a b "ASN launches 24/7 broadcast network on Monday". americansportsnet.com. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  21. ^ "Digital Television". Northwest Broadcasters. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
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