, or simply '''Fox Sports Net''' (FSN), are
Cable TV Regional Sports Network s that were originally owned by separate companies. The most notable were the SportsChannel networks, which went on the air in 1977 with the original SportsChannel (now FSN New York), and
Prime Network , which went on the air in 1983 with the charter member being Home Sports and Entertainment (now FSN Southwest). Fox also purchased SportSouth (now FSN South) from
Turner Broadcasting in 1996. SportSouth was restored when FSN acquired
Turner South from Turner in 2006 and relaunched it with FSN South's old name.
In 1996,
News Corporation , which launched the
Fox Broadcasting Company in 1986, took over the Prime Network affiliates and renamed them all "Fox Sports Net." In
1997 ,
SportsChannel America joined the Fox Sports Net family (except for the Florida affiliate, which joined in 2000).
Starting in September 2004, Fox Sports Net became known simply as FSN, but the name Fox Sports Net is also still in common use.
Fox Sports Net is headquartered in
Los Angeles' Westwood area. Its master control facilities are based in both Los Angeles and
Houston . In February 2005, News Corporation (Fox's parent company) became 100 percent owner of FSN, after swapping assets with
Cablevision Corporation, but is still identified in its copyright tag as "Fox Sports Net/National Sports Partners." Fox Sports Net also utilizes Stage 19 at
Universal Studios Florida , after
Nickelodeon Studios closed in 2005.
In addition to regional programming, Fox Sports Net has some national prime time programming such as ''
The Best Damn Sports Show Period '' and ''
Chris Myers Interviews''. FSN has tried to compete with
ESPN in original programming, most notably in 1996, when FSN debuted the ''Fox Sports National Sports Report'', a 30 minute sports news program designed to compete with ESPN's ''
SportsCenter ''. The program originally began as a two hour program, but was steadily cut back as ratings dropped and costs increased. The last edition of the ''
National Sports Report '' aired in February 2002. In some markets, FSN airs the ''Regional Sports Report'', usually headlined with the name of the region covered, such as the ''Midwest Sports Report'' or ''
Detroit Sports Report ''. The regional reports began in 2000 to complement the national sports report, but many regional reports were cut in 2002 due to increasing costs.http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2002/01/17/spt_fox_sports_net.html
See Also: Fox College Sports
FSN also offers (formerly Fox Sports Digital Networks) for digital cable subscribers. These are three channels (marked Atlantic, Central, and Pacific) that provide programming (primarily colleigate sports, plus minor league sports) that would be carried from each individual FSN network, as well as each affiliate's regional sports reports and individually-produced programming (such as coaches shows, team magazines, and documentaries). More or less, these three networks are condensed versions of the 22 FSN-affiliated networks, including Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, though the channels also show international events that fit too oddly on FSN or
Fox Soccer Channel , such as the
Commonwealth Games ,
World University Games , and the
FINA World Swimming Championships .
The FCS Channels offers the FSN feeds on the following channels:
- : New England, New York, Pittsburgh, South, Florida, Sun Sports, CSN Mid-Atlantic and MSG Network
- : Detroit, Southwest, North, Midwest, Indiana, and Ohio.
- : Bay Area, Arizona, Rocky Mountain, Northwest, West, and Prime Ticket.
''See
Regional Sports Network for those regional sports channels which are not part of Fox Sports Net.
FSN has often been the testing ground for the innovations that FOX comes up with graphically and the source of inspiration that other networks have for their graphics. They were the first U.S. sports channel to introduce the
Bar Score/time Graphic on the top of the screen. Since FSN came up with the top-screen bar graphic, many other major networks have abandoned the corner box graphic in favor of the bar.
''
Toughest Cowboy '' is a series of weekly competitions in which
Rodeo Cowboy s attempt to ride in
Bareback ,
Saddle Bronc , and
Bull Riding . Each of those three disciplines is a round in the event, and this show tours arenas throughout the United States.
- FSN has unveiled two shows that tie in to College Football 's Bowl Championship Series , for which four of the five games will be televised by Fox Sports . In September 2006, FSN premiered ''BCS Breakdown'', a preview of that week's top games, with an eye on how they might influence the BCS standings. Tom Helmer is the host, with analysis from Gary Barnett and Petros Papadakis . On October 15 , 2006 , it debuted '' The Official BCS Ratings Show '', an expansion of the earlier announcement on the broadcast network. The on-air team is the same for this show.
- On June 26 , 2006 , FSN debuted '' In Focus '', which effectively replaces '' Beyond The Glory '', a program in the vein of '' Biography '' and '' SportsCentury '' which ran from 2001 until early 2006. This new half-hour takes a look at the impact of a particular sports event, mostly told through the medium of Still Photography . Dick Enberg is the host.http://www.latimes.com/sports/custom/extras/la-spw-tvcol9jun09,1,5606619.column?coll=la-sports-extras
- On July 3 , 2006 , FSN debuted '' FSN Final Score '', the first national sports news program on the network since the cancellation of the ''National Sports Report''. FSN veterans Van Earl Wright , Barry LeBrock , and Andrew Siciliano have been joined by newcomers Greg Wolf and Danyelle Sargent . Rick Jaffe, the show's Executive Producer , promised that the half-hour program will focus on showing game highlights, without additional analysis or interviews.http://www.latimes.com/sports/custom/extras/la-spw-tvcol2jun02,1,2395341.column?coll=la-sports-extras
Other shows seen on FSN across the country are ''
The Best Damn Sports Show Period '', ''
The Chris Myers Interview '', ''FSN Pro Football Preview'', ''Totally Football'', and ''
FSN Baseball Report ''. ''
The Sports List '' and ''
Beyond The Glory '' are still seen in reruns in most markets.
In addition, FSN airs an extensive lineup of poker shows, including ''
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament '' and ''
MansionPoker.net PokerDome Challenge ''.
These programs once aired on FSN, but have since been cancelled:
- '' hosted by Max Kellerman . A combination of poor Ratings and the repercussions of the death of Kellerman's Brother caused the show's demise.
- '' hosting in New York City and Jim Rome in Los Angeles . During this show's run, Matthews was removed and Rome hosted by himself.
- '' racing. This program received access to race Highlights denied to ESPN2 's '' RPM 2Night ''. Whether this decision was related to ''RPM 2Night'''s cancellation in 2003 remains debatable, but this show was itself cancelled after the 2004 Season . A modified version of this show, called ''Around the Track'', now airs on many, but not all, FSN affiliates.
- Two '', hosted by Bil Dwyer ; and '' Sports Geniuses '', hosted by Matt Vasgersian .
- '' You Gotta See This '', a compilation of unusual video highlights from the world of sports.
- '' FSN Across America '', which was a Newsmagazine show. When one of its co-hosts, Carolyn Hughes , was revealed to have an affair with Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Derek Lowe in 2004, Hughes was dropped from the show and released by the network. FSN cited a violation of a morals clause in Hughes' contract. The show died shortly after that.
- Before that, another magazine, '' Goin' Deep '', had aired from 2000 to 2001 with Joe Buck , then Chris Myers , as host. That show resembled '' Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel '' with its hour-long format and focus on contentious issues in sports.
- '' TNA IMPACT! '', a Professional Wrestling program, aired on FSN for a little more than a year, starting in June 2004 to October 2005 , but has since moved to Spike TV .
On
November 10 ,
2006 , FSN distributed its first
Pay-per-view event.
Evander Holyfield , former
Heavyweight Boxing Champion , defeated
Fres Oquendo in an unanimous decision at the
Alamodome in
San Antonio ,
Texas . The fight was also distributed free of charge on the FoxSports.com
Website outside the
United States .
is a
High Definition simulcast of the best programs from Fox Sports Net including live sports and series. Each regional channel has its own separate HD feed.
