Root Sports Utah

Defunct regional sports network

Television channel

Root Sports UtahType| Regional sports network

|

Country| United States
Broadcast area| Utah
Nationwide (via satellite)
Network| Fox Sports Networks
Programming
Language(s)| English
Picture format| 720p (HDTV)
480i (SDTV)
Ownership
Owner| Liberty Media (1989-2006)
DirecTV Sports Group (2009-2016)
AT&T (2016-2017)
History
Launched| November 1989 (1989-11)
Replaced| Jazz Cable Network
Closed| July 14, 2017 (2017-07-14)
Replaced by| AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain
Former names| Prime Sports Network Utah (1989-1990)
Prime Sports Network- Intermountain West (1991-1995)
Prime Sports Intermountain West (1995–1996)
Fox Sports Utah (1996–1999)
Fox Sports Net Utah (1999–2004)
FSN Utah (2004–2011)
Root Sports Utah (2011–2017)

Root Sports Utah was an American regional sports network that was owned by the AT&T Sports Networks subsidiary of AT&T Inc., as part of the AT&T SportsNet brand of networks and is an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, the channel broadcasts regional coverage of sports events throughout Utah, namely the NBA's Utah Jazz and college teams including the Utah State Aggies, Utah Utes, BYU Cougars, and several other schools. Root Sports Utah was available on cable providers throughout the state of Utah, and nationwide on satellite via DirecTV and Dish Network.

## History

[edit]

### Origins

[edit]

In 1986, Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI) and the Utah Jazz formed a joint-venture to broadcast 20 Jazz games during the 1986-87 season to cable subscribers in five western states starting. The channel, named Jazz Cable Network was ad-supported and offered as a basic service.[1] In addition to the 20 live games, 4 classic games were also aired. Due to a lack of other sports content, the channel was part-time and only operated during the basketball season.[2] The number of games were increased to 25 and then 26 for the 1987–88 and 1988-89 seasons respectively.[3][4] In 1989, TCI announced a partnership with Bill Daniels to combine the two companies regional sports offerings into the Prime Sports Network.[5]

### Network history

[edit]

The network launched in November 1989 as Prime Sports Network Utah;[6][7] owned by TCI's Liberty Media, it served as an owned-and-operated outlet of the Prime Network group of regional sports networks. In its first year, the network carried 25 Utah Jazz games.[6] At some point, the network was rebranded as Prime Sports Intermountain West. In 1995, Prime Sports began to carry Utah Grizzlies (IHL) games when the team relocated to the state.[8]

In 1996, News Corporation, which formed a sports division for the Fox network two years earlier after it obtained the broadcast rights to the National Football Conference, acquired a 50% interest in the Prime Network from Liberty Media.[9] On November 1, 1996, News Corporation and Liberty Media relaunched the Prime Network affiliates as part of the new Fox Sports Net group, with the Salt Lake City-based network officially rebranding as Fox Sports Utah.[10] The channel was rebranded as Fox Sports Net Utah in 2000, as part of a collective brand modification of the FSN networks under the "Fox Sports Net" banner; subsequently in 2004, the channel shortened its name to FSN Utah, through the networks' de-emphasis of the "Fox Sports Net" brand.

On December 22, 2006, News Corporation sold its interest in FSN Utah and sister networks FSN Pittsburgh, FSN Northwest and FSN Rocky Mountain to Liberty Media, in an asset trade in which News Corporation also traded its 38.5% ownership stake in satellite provider DirecTV for $550 million in cash and stock, in exchange for Liberty Media's 16.3% stake in the company.[11]

On May 4, 2009, DirecTV Group Inc. announced it would become a part of Liberty's entertainment unit, part of which would then be spun off into the separate company under the DirecTV name, in a deal in which Liberty would increase its share in DirecTV from 48% to 54%, with Liberty owner John Malone and his family owning a 24% interest. DirecTV would operate its newly acquired FSN-affiliated networks through DirecTV Sports Networks,[12] a new division formed when the split off from Liberty Media was completed on November 19, 2009.[13]

On December 17, 2010, DirecTV Sports Networks announced that its four Fox Sports Networks-affiliated regional outlets – FSN Utah, FSN Pittsburgh, FSN Northwest and FSN Rocky Mountain – would be relaunched under the "Root Sports" brand.[14] The network officially rebranded as Root Sports Utah on April 1, 2011. On April 8, 2016, DirecTV Sports Networks rebranded under the AT&T name as AT&T Sports Networks.[15]

On June 12, 2017, AT&T Sports Networks announced its networks would rebrand under the name AT&T SportsNet Utah, with all network programming and on-air talent remaining intact.[16][17] On July 14, 2017, Root Sports Utah was merged into AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, while a separate subfeed is still maintained, Utah is no longer part of the branding.

## Programming

[edit]

Roots Sports Utah held the regional cable television rights to the NBA's Utah Jazz. The Jazz signed a new exclusive 12-year agreement with the channel on October 20, 2009, ending the team's broadcasts on KJZZ-TV (channel 14).[18]

The network also carried Colorado Rockies baseball, the annual Tour of Utah cycling event, and a variety of collegiate sporting events, including football and basketball from Mountain West Conference (including local favorite Utah State), Big Sky Conference football (including local favorites Southern Utah and Weber State), West Coast Conference men's basketball (including local favorite BYU), and Pac-12 Conference football and basketball (including local favorite Utah).

## On-air staff

[edit]

### Utah Jazz

[edit]

* Thurl Bailey – Jazz Live studio analyst
* Craig Bolerjack – Utah Jazz play-by-play
* Ron Boone – Utah Jazz color commentary
* Steve Brown – Utah Jazz sideline reporter
* Alema Harrington – Jazz Live studio host
* Matt Harpring – Utah Jazz color commentary
* Phil Johnson – Jazz Live studio analyst

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "All that Jazz" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine: 10. October 20, 1986. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
2. ^ Hudson, Bob (November 3, 1986). "Provo cable system to add more channels". The Daily Herald. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
3. ^ "Basketball 87". Broadcasting Magazine: 52. October 19, 1987. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
4. ^ "Basketball 88" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine: 43. October 24, 1988. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
5. ^ "TCI, Daniels, McMullen play ball" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine: 44–45. March 27, 1989. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
6. ^ a b Walker, Joseph (November 3, 1990). "53 JAZZ GAMES ON TV THIS SEASON". Deseret News. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
7. ^ Walker, Joseph (November 9, 1989). "TCI NOT CARRYING COMEDY CHANNEL". Deseret News. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
8. ^ "SPORTS BRIEFLY". Deseret News. 15 September 1995. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
9. ^ R. Thomas Umstead (July 8, 1996). "Liberty Sports regionals will become Fox Sports net". Multichannel News. The Walt Disney Company. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
10. ^ "FOX SPORTS NET DEBUTS ON NOV. 1". The Columbian. Columbian Publishing Company. Associated Press. September 13, 1996. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
11. ^ "News Corp. Reaches Deal with Liberty Media". The New York Times. December 22, 2006. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
12. ^ Todd Spangler (May 4, 2009). "DirecTV, Liberty Media Announce Spin-Off Plan". Multichannel News. Reed Business Information. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
13. ^ Mike Reynolds (November 20, 2009). "Liberty Sports Rebrands As DirecTV Sports Networks". Multichannel News. NewBay Media. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
14. ^ "'Root Sports' new name for sports networks". Denver Business Journal. American City Business Journals. December 17, 2010.
15. ^ "Root Sports regional nets now part of AT&T Sports Networks". Awful Announcing. Ken Fang. April 9, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
16. ^ "Root Sports regional nets now part of "AT&T Sports Networks"". Awful Announcing. 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
17. ^ "AT&T SPORTS NETWORKS WILL REBRAND ROOT SPORTS IN SUMMER 2017". ROOT SPORTS. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
18. ^ "Jazz sign 12-year agreement with FSN Utah". Salt Lake Tribune. MediaNews Group. October 20, 2009.

## External links

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

Broadcast television in Utah and eastern Nevada

This region includes the following cities: Salt Lake City
Logan
Richfield
St. George, UT
Elko, NV
Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television

Salt Lake City|

| Full-power|

* KUTV (2.1 CBS, 2.2 MNTV, 2.3 Comet, 2.4 Charge!)
* KTVX (4.1 ABC, 4.2 MeTV, 4.3 REW, 4.4 Nest)
* KSL-TV (5.1 NBC, 5.2/.3 Cozi)
* KUED (7.1 PBS, 7.2 World, 7.3 Kids, 7.4 Create)
* KUEN (9.1 UEN, 9.2 Local, 9.3 FNX, 9.4 NHK, 9.91 KUER-FM (audio))
* KBYU-TV (11.1 BYUtv, 11.2 BYU Radio (audio), 11.3 KBYU-FM (audio))
* KSTU (13.1 Fox, 13.2 ANT, 13.3 Court, 13.4 QVC2, 13.5 QVC, 13.6 HSN)
* KJZZ-TV (14.1 Ind., 14.3 TBD, 14.5 Dabl)
* KUPX-TV (16.1 Ind., 16.2 Grit, 16.3 Laff, 16.4 Ion, 16.5 Ion+, 16.6 Mystery, 16.7 JTV, 16.8 HSN, 16.9 HSN2)
* KTMW (20.1 TMD, 20.2 TXO, 20.3 Grio, 20.4 LX)
* KPNZ (24.1 TCT, 24.3 Sonlife, 24.4 LC, 24.5 Buzzr, 24.6 Infomercials, 24.7 Heartland)
* KUCW (30.1 CW, 30.2 Mystery, 30.3 Defy, 30.4 LC)
* KUTH-DT (32.1 UNI, 32.2 UniMás, 32.3 Get, 32.4 Quest, 32.5 Crime, 32.6 Confess)

|

Low-power|

* KCSG-LD (8.1 Blank, 8.2 Catchy, 8.3 Start, 8.4 H&I, 8.5 MeTV+, 8.6 Story, 8.7 Movies!, 8.8 MeToons, 8.12 Ads)
* KULX-CD (10.1 TMD, 10.2 TXO, 10.3 Grio, 10.4 LX)
* KUTB-LD (18.1 Ind., 18.2 Walk, 18.3 3ABN, 18.4 RTV)
* KPDR-LD (19.1 YTA, 19.2 Right Now TV, 19.3 HSN2, 19.4 JTV, 19.5 Fun Roads, 19.6 Ads, 19.7 BizTV, 19.7 Ace)
* KBTU-LD (23.1 Visión Latina, 23.2 SBN, 23.3 NTD, 23.4 QVC, 23.5 beIN Sports, 23.6 Shop LC, 23.7 Buzzr)
* KSVN-CD (25.1 NewsNet, 25.2 Sports News Highlights, 25.3 ShopHQ, 25.4 Estrella)
* KSUD-LD (33.1 Daystar)
* K39JS-D (39.1 Nuestra)
* W43JV (43.1 3ABN, 43.2 Proclaim!, 43.3 Dare to Dream, 43.4 3ABN Latino, 43.5 3ABN Radio, 43.6 Radio Latino, 43.7 Radio 74)
* KULX-CD (50.1 TMD, 50.2 TXO, 50.3 Grio, 50.4 LX)

Outlying areas|

| Elko, NV|

* KENV-DT (10.1 TBD)

|

Logan, UT|

* K08QL-D (8.1 MeTV, 8.2 Catchy, 8.3 Start, 8.4 H&I, 8.5 MeTV+, 8.6 Story, 8.7 Movies!, 8.8 MeToons, 8.12 Ads)
* KULU-LD (10.1 TMD, 10.2 TXO, 10.3 Grit, 10.4 Laff, 10.5 Grio, 10.6 LATV)
* KUTF (12.1 Daystar)
* KUTO-LD (15.1 PBJ, 15.2 FAM, 15.3 RTV, 15.4 Blank)
* K24KV-D (24.1 IBN)
* KCVB-CD (26.1 Ind.)
* K36PL-D (45.1 Outside)

Richfield, UT|

* K36IK-D (6.1 RTV, 6.2 Ind.)
* KKTA-LD (8.1 Ind., 8.2 Local, 8.3 Grit)
* KUES (19.1 PBS, 19.2 World, 19.3 Kids, 19.4 Create)
* K24NA-D (24.1 Newsmax2, 24.2 Sports, 24.3 Kids, 24.4 DeeTV, 24.5 MAV TV, 24.5 Movies!)

Rock Springs, WY|

* K28JU-D (4.1 PBS, 4.2 Create, 4.3 Kids)
* KGWR-TV (13.1 CBS, 13.2 ABC)
* K33IX-D (33.1 IBN)

St. George, UT|

* KMYU (2.1 CBS, 12.1 MNTV)
* KGHD-LP (6 Rel.)
* KCSG (8.1 MeTV, 8.2 Catchy, 8.3 Start, 8.4 H&I, 8.5 MeTV+, 8.6 Story, 8.7 Movies!, 8.8 MeToons, 8.12 Ads)
* KUEW (18.1 PBS, 18.2 World, 18.3 Kids, 18.4 Create)

Other|

* KMTI-LD (8.1 RTV; Manti)
* K29MP-D (24.1 BYU TV, 24.2 Ion, 24.3 Grit, 24.4 Laff, 24.5 RTV, 24.6 Ind.; Garrison)

ATSC 3.0|

* KJZZ-TV (2.1 CBS, 4.1 ABC, 14.1 Ind., 30.1 CW)

Cable|

* Altitude Sports
* Pac-12 Network

Defunct|

| Broadcast|

* KBJN/KVNV 3
* KCBU 3
* KVOG-TV/KOET 9
* KUSU-TV 12
* KWCS-TV 18
* K30CD (30 Ind.)

|

Cable|

* Root Sports Utah
* SportsNet Rocky Mountain

Transmitter sites|

* Aspen Mountain (Rock Springs, WY)
* Farnsworth Peak (Salt Lake City, UT)
* Grindstone Mountain (Elko, NV)
* Lake Mountains (Provo, UT)
* Webb Hill (St. George, UT)

See also
Media in Salt Lake City
Reno TV
Las Vegas TV
Idaho Falls TV
Twin Falls TV
Casper TV
Grand Junction/Montrose TV

* v
* t
* e

Utah Jazz

* Founded in 1974
* Played in New Orleans (1974–1979)
* Based in Salt Lake City, Utah

Franchise|

* All-time roster
* Draft history
* 1974 expansion draft
* Records
* Head coaches
* Seasons
* Current season

Arenas|

* Loyola Field House
* New Orleans Municipal Auditorium
* Louisiana Superdome
* Salt Palace
* Delta Center

Personnel|

Owner(s)
Ryan Smith
President
Jim Olson
CEO of basketball operations
Danny Ainge
General manager
Justin Zanik
Head coach
Will Hardy

NBA G League affiliate|

* Salt Lake City Stars

Retired numbers|

* 1
* 4
* 7
* 9
* 12
* 14
* 32
* 35
* 53
* 1223

Rivalries|

* Denver Nuggets
* Houston Rockets

Culture and lore|

* Radio network
* Jazz Bear
* Team mural
* Craig Bolerjack
* Thurl Bailey
* Hot Rod Hundley
* Dan Roberts
* KJZZ-TV
* Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals
* Celtic Pride
* Tiffany Coyne
* "Kill Gil, Volumes I & II" (The Simpsons episode)
* "Whatever It Takes" (Imagine Dragons song)
* Suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season
* Larry H. Miller
* Gail Miller

* v
* t
* e

Fox Sports Networks

* Diamond Sports Group (JV)
* Sinclair Broadcast Group
* Allen Media Group

Owned RSNs|

* Arizona
* Carolinas
* Detroit
* Florida
* Houston
* Indiana
* Kansas City
* Midwest
* New Orleans
* North
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Prime Ticket
* San Diego
* South
* Southeast
* Southwest
* SportsTime Ohio
* Sun
* Tennessee
* West
* Wisconsin

Affiliates|

* AT&T SportsNet
* Northwest
* Pittsburgh
* Rocky Mountain
* Utah
* BayTV
* Comcast SportsNet
* Bay Area
* California
* Chicago
* New England
* Philadelphia
* Empire Sports Network
* Fox Sports Net Chicago
* Marquee Sports Network
* MASN & MASN2
* MSG Network/MSG Sportsnet
* NESN
* WBIS/S+
* Wisconsin Sports Channel
* YES Network

Other|

* Fox College Sports
* Atlantic
* Central
* Pacific
* Fox Sports Go streaming service

Related|

* Bally Sports
* Prime Sports
* SportsChannel

* v
* t
* e

National sports broadcasting in the United States

Sports broadcasting contracts in the United States

Broadcast|

| Major Networks|

* CBS Sports
* CW Sports
* ESPN on ABC
* Fox Sports
* NBC Sports

|

Other|

* Scripps Sports
* Telemundo Deportes
* TUDN on Univision

Cable|

| General|

* beIN Sports
* beIN Sports en Español
* CBS Sports Network
* ESPN
* ESPN2
* ESPNews
* ESPN Deportes
* FS1
* FS2
* Fox Deportes
* Next Level Sports
* TUDN (Univision Sports)
* TyC Sports

|

Pro league affiliated|

* MLB Network
* Extra InningsO
* Strike ZoneP
* NBA TV
* NBA League PassO
* NFL Network
* NFL RedZoneP
* NHL Network
* NHL Center IceO

Occasional|

* AXS TV
* CBS Sports:
* Nickelodeon
* NBC Sports:
* CNBC
* USA Network
* Universo
* Prime Video:
* MGM+
* TNT Sports:
* HBO
* TBS
* TNT
* TruTV

College specific|

* ACC Network
* Big Ten Network
* ESPNU
* SEC Network

Sport specific|

* Fox Soccer PlusP
* Golf Channel
* MAVTV
* Racetrack Television Network
* Tennis Channel
* Willow

Gambling|

* FanDuel TV
* FanDuel Racing

Outdoor|

* The Cowboy Channel
* The Action Channel
* Outdoor Channel
* Sportsman Channel
* World Fishing Network
* Pursuit Channel

Streaming|

| General|

* DAZN
* ESPN+
* FloSports
* Red Bull TV
* Stadium
* Venu Sports

|

Pro league affiliated|

* MLB Network
* MLB.tvO
* MLS Season PassO
* NBA League PassO
* NFL+ (NFL RedZoneP)
* NFL Sunday TicketO
* NHL.TVO

Occasional|

* Apple TV+
* Max (TNT Sports)
* Netflix
* Paramount+ (CBS Sports)
* Peacock (NBC Sports)
* Prime Video (MGM+)
* The Roku Channel
* Tubi (Fox Sports)

Sport specific|

* T2

Gambling|

* FanDuel TV+

Outdoor|

* Cowboy Channel+
* MyOutdoorTV

Combat sports|

* TrillerNet
* Triller TV+
* TrillerPass
* Honor Club
* TNA+
* UFC Fight Pass
* WWE Network

* v
* t
* e

Regional sports broadcasting in the United States

FanDuel Sports Network|

* Detroit
* Miami
* Florida
* Sun
* Midwest
* Indiana
* Kansas City
* North
* Cleveland
* Ohio
* Great Lakes
* Southeast
* South
* Southwest
* Oklahoma
* New Orleans
* Los Angeles
* West
* SoCal
* Wisconsin

Fenway Sports Group|

* NESN
* SportsNet Pittsburgh

MSG Entertainment|

* MSG Network
* MSGSN
* MSG Western NY

NBC Sports Regional Networks|

* Bay Area
* Boston
* California
* Philadelphia
* SportsNet New York (part ownership)

Sinclair Broadcast Group|

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

Spectrum Sports|

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

Gray Television|

* Arizona's Family Sports
* Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network
* Peachtree Sports Network
* Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network

Independent|

* Altitude Sports
* BYU TV Sports
* Chicago Sports Network
* Cyclones.tv
* LFSN
* Longhorn Network
* MASN
* MLB Local Media
* Monumental Sports Network
* Root Sports Northwest
* Space City Home Network
* Buckeye Cable Sports
* Midco Sports
* Nevada Sports Net
* Scripps Sports (local broadcast)
* SWX Right Now

* v
* t
* e

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
* Tennessee
* GiantsVision
* Hawkvision
* MountainWest
* NBC Sports Chicago
* NBC Sports Northwest
* Oregon Sports Network
* Pac-12 Network
* PASS Sports
* Prime Sports
* Prime Sports Upper Midwest
* PRISM
* Royals Sports
* San Diego Cable Sports Network
* Spectrum
* Spectrum Sports
* Carolinas
* Florida
* 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

* v
* t
* e

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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