NewSport

Former American cable sports news network

Television channel

NewSportCountry| United States

|

Broadcast area| Nationwide
Headquarters| Bethpage, New York
Programming
Language(s)| English
Picture format| 480i (SDTV)
Ownership
Owner| Rainbow Programming Holdings
(Cablevision
NBC
Liberty Media)
Sister channels| SportsChannel
History
Launched| October 1, 1993; 31 years ago (1993-10-01)
Closed| July 9, 1997; 28 years ago (1997-07-09)
Replaced by| American 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.

## History

[edit]

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 hosted by Chet Coppock), 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

[edit]

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.

## References

[edit]

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.

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National sports broadcasting in the United States

Sports broadcasting contracts in the United States

Broadcast|

| Major Networks|

* CBS Sports
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|

Other|

* Scripps Sports
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Cable / Linear|

| General|

* CBS Sports Network
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Pro league affiliated|

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Occasional|

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Streaming|

| General|

* CBS Sports HQ
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|

Pro league affiliated|

* MLB Network
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Occasional|

* Apple TV+
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Niche|

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Regional sports broadcasting in the United States

FanDuel Sports Network|

* Current: Detroit
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* Former: Fox College Sports
* Arizona
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Fenway Sports Group|

* NESN
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MSG Entertainment|

* MSG Network
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NBC Sports Regional Networks|

* Current: Bay Area
* Boston
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* SportsNet New York (part ownership)

* Former: Chicago
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Sinclair Broadcast Group|

* Nevada Sports Net
* Marquee Sports Network (part-ownership)

Spectrum Sports|

* Current: Hawaii
* Kansas City
* Los Angeles
* Spectrum SportsNet
* SportsNet LA
* SportsNet New York (part ownership)

* Former: Carolinas
* Florida
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Gray Media|

* Arizona's Family Sports
* Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network
* Matrix Midwest
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* Peachtree Sports Network
* Rock Entertainment Sports Network (part ownership)
* Tennessee Valley Sports Entertainment Network
* Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network

Independent|

* Altitude Sports
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Defunct|

* AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain
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* Prime Sports
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* Upper Midwest
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* Root Sports Utah
* SportsChannel
* Cincinnati
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* Victory Sports One

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Defunct television sports networks in the United States

National|

* America One
* American Sports Classics
* American Sports Network
* Back9Network
* Baseball Network
* CNN/SI
* ESPN 3D
* ESPN Classic
* ESPN Goal Line & Bases Loaded
* ESPN Events
* Football Network
* Fox Soccer
* Lorimar Sports Network
* Mizlou
* NBCSN
* NHL Network (1975–1979)
* NewSport
* One World Sports
* ONTV
* Olympic Channel
* Speed
* SportsChannel America
* Stadium College Sports
* Sports Network
* Universal Sports Network

Regional|

* 4SD
* ACC RSN
* Arizona Sports Programming Network/Cox Sports
* AT&T SportsNet
* Root Sports Utah
* AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain
* Bally Sports
* Arizona
* New Orleans
* San Diego
* Carolinas SE
* Comcast SportsNet
* Southeast
* Southwest
* Cox Sports
* Empire
* Fox Sports Networks
* Carolinas
* Chicago
* Houston
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* GiantsVision
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* MountainWest
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* Oregon Sports Network
* Pac-12 Network
* PASS Sports
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* PRISM
* Royals Sports
* San Diego Cable Sports Network
* Spectrum
* Spectrum Sports
* Carolinas
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* New York
* Ohio
* Texas
* Wisconsin
* SportsChannel
* Cincinnati
* Los Angeles
* Philadelphia
* Sports Time
* Sportsvision
* Sportsvue
* Victory Sports One

Syndication|

* Raycom Sports (ACC Network)
* Big 12 Network
* SEC TV
* TVS

Out-of-market|

* ESPN College Extra
* ESPN Full Court
* ESPN GamePlan
* NCAA Mega March Madness
* MLS Direct Kick
* NASCAR Hot Pass

* O. Out-of-market sports packages
* P. Premium channel

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SportsChannel

Owned RSNs|

* Bay Area/Pacific
* Chicago
* Cincinnati
* Florida
* Los Angeles
* New York
* New England
* Ohio
* Philadelphia
* PRISM

Affiliate RSNs|

* Home Team Sports
* Midwest Sports Channel

Programming|

* American Basketball League
* Canadian Football League
* Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour
* Major Indoor Soccer League
* National Hockey League
* National Professional Soccer League
* NASCAR
* Premier League
* Pro Boxing Tour
* The Sportswriters on TV
* World Basketball League

| Professional wrestling|

* ECW Hardcore TV
* UWF Blackjack Brawl
* UWF Fury Hour
* Windy City Wrestling

|

Related television networks|

* Comcast SportsNet
* Fox Sports Net
* FanDuel Sports Network
* Hawkvision
* NewSport
* Prime Network
* PRISM
* Sportsvision
* Z Channel

Owners|

* Cablevision/Rainbow Media
* NBC

Related articles|

* Defunct television networks in the United States
* Regional sports network
* Sports Plus Network

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Prime Sports

Owned RSNs|

* Intermountain West
* KBL
* Midwest
* Northwest
* Rocky Mountain
* Southwest
* Upper Midwest
* West
* La Cadena Deportiva

Affiliate RSNs|

* Empire Sports Network
* Home Team Sports
* Midwest Sports Channel
* MSG Network
* New England Sports Network
* Pacific Sports Network/SportsChannel Pacific
* Pro-Am Sports System
* SportSouth
* Sunshine Network

Other Networks|

* NewSport
* Prime Sports Showcase

International
Premier Sports
Prime Deportiva
Prime Sports (Asia)
TopSport

Programming|

* American Professional Soccer League
* American Speed Association
* ARCA stock car series
* Arena Football League
* Body by Jake
* Budweiser Championship Boxing
* Continental Indoor Soccer League
* Copa América
* Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour
* Major Indoor Lacrosse League
* Major League Baseball
* NASCAR Winston West Series
* National Hockey League
* Premier League
* NCAA football
* USARacing
* World Championship Wrestling

Related television networks|

* Fox Sports Net
* Bally Sports
* QVC
* SportsChannel
* Sports Time
* Time Warner Cable SportsNet

Owners|

* Bill Daniels/Tele-Communications Inc.
* Liberty Media

Related articles|

* Defunct television networks in the United States
* Regional sports network
* Timeshare

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