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CBS Sports Network

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CBS Sports Network
CountryUnited States
HeadquartersNew York City, New York
Programming
Language(s)English
Ownership
OwnerCBS Corporation

The CBS Sports Network is an American digital cable and satellite television network that is owned by the CBS Corporation. When it launched in 2002 as the National College Sports Network (later College Sports Television a.k.a. CSTV), it operated as a multi-platform media brand which also included its primary website, collegesports.com, and a network of websites operated for the athletic departments of 215 colleges and universities.

After CSTV was acquired by CBS in 2008, the network was re-branded as the CBS College Sports Network. The network initially maintained its college sports focus, but in February 2011, the service was re-branded as CBS Sports Network to re-position it as a mainstream sports service. The network continues to have a particular focus on college sports, along with coverage of smaller leagues and events, simulcasts of sports radio shows from CBS-owned stations, and studio and analysis programming.

History

The network's roots began in 1999 when Chris Bevilacqua approached the co-founders of the Classic Sports Network, Brian Bedol and Stephen D. Greenberg (son of Hank Greenberg) – at that time, running Fusient Media Ventures, a New York-based sports and media company – with the idea for a cable network featuring college sports 24 hours a day. Under the leadership of Bedol as CEO, the network was originally named the National College Sports Network in June 2002, was subsequently renamed College Sports Television (CSTV) and launched on February 23, 2003. From their headquarters and studio operations at Chelsea Piers in New York City, CSTV was the first independent cable channel to be distributed nationwide, having been carried on satellite provider DirecTV at launch.

In November 2005, College Sports Television was purchased by CBS Corporation (which had just recently split from Viacom at the time) for $325 million.[1] On January 3, 2008, it was announced that CSTV would be integrated into CBS Sports, with the sports division's executive vice president and executive producer, Tony Petitti, taking over day-to-day operational management of CSTV, which would be overseen by CBS News and Sports president Sean McManus. CSTV co-founder Brian Bedol would become a senior advisor to CBS Corporation president and CEO Leslie Moonves (Petitti has since left CBS to take on the same role for the MLB Network).

In the fall of 2006, CSTV launched more than 100 broadband channels dedicated to college sports, which feature more than 10,000 live events. The subscription/pay-per-view service, called CBS College Sports XXL, and its portfolio of broadband channels in its All-Access suite, include coverage of Notre Dame, Southern California, Kansas, Ohio State and North Carolina.

CBS reorganization

logo used from 2011-2016

On February 12, 2008, CBS Corporation announced that, as part of the ongoing integration of CSTV into CBS Sports, that the network would be renamed the CBS College Sports Network on March 16, coinciding with the start of CBS's coverage of the NCAA's basketball tournament. Studio shows moved from the original Chelsea Piers headquarters to the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street in 2012. As part of the relaunch, the network added a new news program, College Sports Tonight.[2] That program was canceled in 2010, however other studio shows (including Inside College Football, Inside College Basketball and NCAA March Madness Highlights) still originate from the Chelsea Piers location.

On February 15, 2011, CBS announced that the network would be relaunched as CBS Sports Network on April 4, in order to better compete against other mainstream sports services.[3][4]

High definition

CBS Sports Network HD is a 1080i high definition simulcast feed of CBS Sports Network that launched in August 2008. Prior to the launch of the feed, the two NCAA basketball tournament games that aired in March 2008, which were presented in HD on CBS, were converted to a standard definition feed. CBS Sports Network uses the AFD #10 broadcast flag to present programming on its standard definition feed in letterboxed widescreen for viewers watching on cable television through 4:3 television sets.

Programming

Since airing its first game, CBS Sports Network has televised thousands of hours of original programming, features, talk shows and documentaries as well as extensive women’s sports coverage. Its regular season and championship event coverage draws from every major collegiate athletic conference and division, in addition to nine NCAA championships. CBS Sports Network televises 35 men's and women's college sports including football, basketball, baseball, ultimate, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, wrestling and volleyball from every major conference. The network holds multi-media and marketing rights for the Mountain West Conference, the Atlantic 10 Conference, Conference USA, the Patriot League, Army football and Navy football.

In April 2006, the network organized the first Collegiate Nationals, a festival of championships dedicated to crowning champions in a wide variety of collegiate action sports such as snowboarding, wakeboarding and beach volleyball. More than 1,000 competitors converged on Reno-Tahoe to compete, the largest number ever for an event of its kind. For its second installment in 2007, the Collegiate Nationals added sports and other events such as national film and music competitions, as well as a second venue – San Diego. The third year, 2008, brought further changes, as the winter sports events were moved to the Keystone Resort near Boulder, Colorado and competitive eating was added.

In the fall of 2006, CSTV and Comcast launched the MountainWest Sports Network (colloquially known as The Mtn.), a network focusing exclusively on the Mountain West Conference. The relation with the network also gave CSTV exclusive online and broadcasting rights to Notre Dame's game at Air Force on November 11, 2006 – which caused controversy since CSTV did not have carriage as widely distributed as other networks that have aired Notre Dame games. The Irish did not revisit a Mountain West team until a 2013 game at Air Force, which once again aired on CBSSN.

On April 3, 2012, CBS Sports Network premiered Rome, a sports news and talk program hosted by nationally syndicated radio host Jim Rome; Rome had recently left ESPN and his previous show, Jim Rome Is Burning, after signing on a new contract with CBS Sports.[5]

On June 7, 2012, CBS Sports Network began to air the remaining games of the American Hockey League's 2012 Calder Cup Final between the Norfolk Admirals and the Toronto Marlies, starting with Game 3.[6] On July 26, 2012, the network signed a deal with the United Football League – a second-tier professional football league that began play in October 2009 – to televise its games for the 2012 season.[7] The UFL paid for all production expenses and received no rights fee from CBS Sports Network for the broadcasts.[8] The league lasted approximately four weeks on CBS Sports Network before suspending operations halfway through the season.

In September 2012, CBS Sports Network introduced NFL Monday QB, a weekly NFL recap show. In September 2013, the network expanded its supplemental NFL coverage with That Other Pre-Game Show, a four-hour "fan-focused" program positioned as an interactive, "casual" counterpart to other pre-game shows, hosted by Adam Schein, Bart Scott, Amy Trask, and Brandon Tierney.[9] On April 26, 2013, the network announced that it had signed a deal with the GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Series for the remainder of the 2013 and the 2014 seasons. The network will air flag to flag coverage for the races as well as live coverage for several of the races. The network broadcast the FIA WTCC Race of the United States from Sonoma Raceway on September 8, 2013.[10]

On December 2, 2013, CBS Sports Network announced that it will begin simulcasting the Boomer and Carton morning show from co-owned sports talk radio station WFAN in New York City in January 2014.[11]

In August 2014, CBSSN announced a new original talk show, We Need To Talk, which features an all-female cast of personalities.[12]

In August 2015, the network premiered Time to Schein, a new program hosted by Adam Schein.[13]

Sports broadcast rights

Carriage

CBS Sports Network is available nationally on satellite providers DirecTV and Dish Network, and regionally on fiber optic television provider Verizon FiOS, and cable providers such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Cablevision, Charter Communications, Insight Communications, Bright House Networks, Blue Ridge Communications, Mediacom, RCN Corporation, Advanced Cable Communications and Bresnan.

In Canada, Rogers Cable began carrying CBS Sports Network on October 9, 2008. Satellite provider Bell TV started carrying the channel on September 3, 2009 and stopped on August 21, 2014 (they subsequently brought the channel back August 2015). Certain programs aired by the network (particularly NFL and NCAA basketball tournament related programs and other programs whose rights are owned by other broadcasters) are blacked out in Canada, and replaced with reruns of other events or studio programs. CBS Sports Network is the only U.S.-based mainstream sports service that is carried on pay television in Canada.

In late February 2009, CBS Sports Network reached a new carriage agreement with DirecTV, which allowed the satellite provider to move the channel from its add on "Sports Pack" to its "Choice Xtra" base package; the move became effective on February 25, 2009, expanding the channel's distribution to 30 million subscribers.[32]

On July 7, 2009, Cox Communications announced that it would add the channel to its systems in Orange County, California and Arizona on August 1, 2009.[33] AT&T U-verse added the network on February 17, 2010.[34] On August 1, 2011, Cable One added the network in select markets.[35]

On-air staff

Source:[36]

Announcers, reporters and hosts

Football

Basketball

Official athletic partnerships

In addition to its own website, CBS Sports Network also operates athletics websites for many college athletics organizations under its CBSSports.com College Network service.

References

  1. ^ Whitford, David (2010-05-25). "The king of the sports deal". Fortune. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
  2. ^ "CSTV to become CBS College Sports Network". CBS Corporation. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
  3. ^ "CBS College Sports Rebrands As CBS Sports Network". Fang's Bites. February 15, 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  4. ^ "CBS College Sports Rebrands After NCAA Championship Game".
  5. ^ Heistand, Michael (March 29, 2012). "Jim Rome makes splash on eve of new show's debut". USA Today. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  6. ^ "CBS Sports Network to air Finals". AHL. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  7. ^ "CBS Sports Network Signs Deal With United Football League" (PDF). 26 July 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  8. ^ "Agent: Three UFL players haven't been paid yet," from The Virginian-Pilot, 10/3/2012
  9. ^ a b "CBS Sports Network Shoots for the TOPS With Four-Hour NFL Pregame Show". Sports Video Group. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  10. ^ "CBS Sports to Air WTCC from Sonoma". http://www.fiawtcc.com. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  11. ^ "Boomer & Carton 'Joining' CBS Sports Network in Simulcast Form". BobsBlitz.com. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  12. ^ "CBS Sports Network to Bow Women's Sports Talker". Multichannel News. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  13. ^ "Syracuse grad Adam Schein lands his 'dream job' at CBS Sports Network". Syracuse.com. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  14. ^ #1 in College Sports. CSTV.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-17.
  15. ^ "AAC, Sun Belt to meet in 2015 Cure Bowl on CBS Sports Network". CBSSports.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2014-10-23.
  16. ^ Eye On Hockey - CBSSports.com CBS Sports Network releases 2012 college hockey schedule. Cbssports.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-17.
  17. ^ NCHC, CBS Reach Multi-Year TV Deal. College Hockey News (2012-01-31). Retrieved on 2013-08-17.
  18. ^ MLL Signs TV Deal with CBS Sports Network. Major League Lacrosse. Retrieved on 2013-08-17.
  19. ^ CBS Sports Network Augments Lineup with U.S. Open Tennis, PGA Championship Coverage | Cable Television News | Broadcast Syndication | Programming. Multichannel.com (2012-07-23). Retrieved on 2013-08-17.
  20. ^ Mixed Media: CBS expands its range at Augusta - Sports. The Buffalo News (2013-04-10). Retrieved on 2013-08-17.
  21. ^ Press Express | Not Available. Cbspressexpress.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-17.
  22. ^ NBA Development League: CBS Sports Network Announces Programming Schedule In First Year Of NBA D-League Coverage. Nba.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-17.
  23. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  24. ^ Fang's Bites » CBS Sports Network Brings Beach Volleyball Into the Fold. Fangsbites.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-17.
  25. ^ [2]
  26. ^ http://www.racer.com/international-racing/item/110596-relaunched-torque-tv-announces-agreement-with-cbs-sports-network
  27. ^ http://www.world-challenge.com/news/series-news/item/2801-wc-vision-announces-additional-2015-pirelli-world-challenge-race-weekend-series-gt-and-gta-classes-will-compete-at-the-chevrolet-detroit-belle-isle-grand-prix.html
  28. ^ "After rift, Vegas rekindles 'lovefest' with NFR". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  29. ^ "CBS Laces Up Live 'Premier Boxing Champions' Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  30. ^ a b "CBS Sports Network: Mayweather-Pacquiao programming schedule". CBS Sports. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  31. ^ Dan Rafael. "Showtime to produce four-part 'Inside Mayweather vs. Pacquiao'". ESPN. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  32. ^ CBS College Sports Moves Up To DirecTV's Choice Xtra Package - With Upgrade, Network Pushes Subscriber Base Past 30 Million Multichannel News March 2, 2009
  33. ^ Cox Bolsters CBS College Sports, The Mtn. Distribution Rosters - Operator To Add National Service, Regional Sports Network In Arizona, Orange County Multichannel News July 7, 2009
  34. ^ CBS College Sports Scores AT&T U-verse Pact Multichannel News
  35. ^ Cable ONE Launches CBS Sports Network in select markets Cable One Pitch Engine
  36. ^ "CBS Sports Network Bios". cbssportsnetwork.com. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
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