GiantsVision
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaSan Francisco Bay Area
NetworkPay-per-view
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format480i (SDTV)
Ownership
OwnerBay Area Interconnect
History
Launched1986; 38 years ago (1986)
Closed1989; 35 years ago (1989)
Replaced bySportsChannel Bay Area

GiantsVision[1] was a pay-per-view television service for Major League Baseball games featuring the San Francisco Giants.[2] GiantsVision[3] was in operation for four seasons (1986[4]–1989).[5] Prior to this, the team's only local television outlet was KTVU, which had been broadcasting Giants games since 1961.

Background

GiantsVision was managed by San Jose-based Bay Area Interconnect. It was headed by Robert Hartzell[6] and Mike Shapiro.[7][8] Subscription costs began at $5.95 per game, with a full 45-game package available for $154. GiantsVision garnered an average viewership of 22,000 per game through the first two months of the 1988 season.[9]

GiantsVision was shut down at the conclusion of the 1989 season when it was purchased by SportsChannel and floated as SportsChannel Bay Area after the merger.[10] By 1990, at least 105 San Francisco Giants games had been televised, far more than the approximately 55 games that GiantsVision offered.[11]

Commentators

See also: List of San Francisco Giants broadcasters

Joe Morgan,[12][13] Duane Kuiper,[14][15][16] and Phil Stone[17] were the principal announcers for GiantsVision. Kuiper's brother, Jeff,[18] was the producer of the broadcasts. David Koppett[19] produced features for GiantsVision and later SportsChannel telecasts of Giants games. He also served as associate producer and graphics operator on Giants telecasts.

References

  1. ^ "GIANTS VISION - Trademark Details". Justia.
  2. ^ "1989 SF Giants Information Guide". scribd.com.
  3. ^ Smith, E. Stratford (December 13, 1989). "Edward Allen". The Cable Center.
  4. ^ Moody, Darrell (February 19, 2008). "Giants broadcast duo covers plenty of topics". Nevada Appeal.
  5. ^ "Marysville Yuba City Appeal Democrat" (Original newspaper). September 19, 1989.
  6. ^ "Robert Hartzell - Obituary". Legacy. February 29, 2012.
  7. ^ "Mike Shapiro Named Pacific Association Executive of the Year". Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs. November 30, 2015.
  8. ^ Schmidt, Danny (July 30, 2016). "Former Giants broadcaster Greenwald honored at Pacifics game". Marin Independent Journal.
  9. ^ Murray, William D. (August 26, 1988). "Sports and the wide world of cable TV Sunday, Aug 28 Duplicates item moved on financial wire as bc-bizworld-sportscable".
  10. ^ More sports for the Bay Area (PDF). American Radio History. January 22, 1990. p. 46.
  11. ^ Jackel, Peter (December 25, 1993). "Broadcasting reunites former Case stars". The Journal Times.
  12. ^ "Baseball Great Joe Morgan To Speak At Baseball Clinic Weekend". Old Dominion University Athletics. September 23, 2007.
  13. ^ "ESPN Classic". ESPN. November 19, 2003.
  14. ^ Cohn, Grant (June 19, 2013). "Giants play-by-play voice Kuiper calls it fun". The Press Democrat.
  15. ^ Guardado, Maria (May 4, 2020). "Bobby Bonds left; Kruk, Kuip & an MVP arrived". MLB.com.
  16. ^ Brown, Daniel; Cepeda, Orlando (15 May 2016). Big 50: San Francisco Giants: The Men and Moments that Made the San ... Triumph Books. ISBN 9781633195073.
  17. ^ Jenkins, Bruce (April 4, 2015). "Matt Cain a reassuring sight on AT&T mound". SF Gate.
  18. ^ Castiglione, Joe; Lyons, Douglas B. (2006). Broadcast Rites and Sites: I Saw It on the Radio with the Boston Red Sox. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 26. ISBN 9781589793248.
  19. ^ "David Koppett - Vice President, Content Production & Strategy ..." Linkedin.


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