SportsChannel Cincinnati
TypeRegional sports network
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areasouthern and western Ohio
Kentucky
Tennessee
Indiana
parts of West Virginia, Mississippi and North Carolina
NetworkSportsChannel
HeadquartersCincinnati, Ohio
Programming
Language(s)English
Ownership
OwnerRainbow Programming Services
ParentCablevision
NBC
History
LaunchedApril 1, 1990 (1990-04-01)
ClosedJanuary 28, 1998 (1998-01-28)
Replaced byFox Sports Ohio

SportsChannel Cincinnati was an American regional sports network owned by the Rainbow Media division of Cablevision, and operated as an affiliate of SportsChannel. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, the channel used to broadcast regional coverage of sports events throughout the Miami Valley, focusing mainly on professional sports teams based in the Cincinnati area.

History

The network launched on April 1, 1990,[1] with coverage of Major League Baseball games involving the Cincinnati Reds as its flagship programming. The initial contract with the Reds gave SportsChannel 30 games in 1990, increasing to 35 and then 40 games in 1991 and 1992 respectively.[2] Other programming was provided from SportsChannel Ohio including basketball games from the Midwestern Collegiate Conference and Mid-American Conference. The network also featured SportsChannel's NHL package and Notre Dame football. At launch, SportsChannel Cincinnati broadcast nightly from 5 PM to Midnight on weekdays and from 9 AM to Midnight on weekends.[2] This was expanded to a 24-hour schedule beginning on January 1, 1994.[3]

On June 30, 1997, Fox/Liberty Networks (owned as a joint venture between News Corporation and Liberty Media) purchased a 40% interest in Cablevision's sports properties (including the SportsChannel networks, Madison Square Garden, and the New York Knicks and New York Rangers) for $850 million.[4][5][6][7] In November 1997, SportsChannel was integrated into Fox Sports Net, a group of regional sports networks created by Fox/Liberty in November 1996. On January 28, 1998, after legal delays, SportsChannel Cincinnati was folded into Fox Sports Ohio, now Bally Sports Ohio (the former SportsChannel Ohio), serving as a regional subfeed of that network.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ "Cincinnati sports coverage". Broadcasting. January 29, 1990. p. 52. ProQuest 1014736520.
  2. ^ a b Kiesewetter, John (January 25, 1990). "Reds sign 3-year deal to add cable broadcasts". The Cincinnati Enquirer. pp. A1, A2. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  3. ^ Kiesewetter, John (December 9, 1993). "Merger pumps up SportsChannel schedule". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. E9. Retrieved June 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Fox putting together national Sports Net // Changes ahead for SportsChannel". Chicago Sun-Times. June 24, 1997. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  5. ^ John M. Higgins (June 30, 1997). "National net keys regional deal. (Fox Sports, Liberty Media Corp. challenge ESPN with stake in SportsChannel)". Broadcasting & Cable. Reed Business Information. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  6. ^ "SPORTS LANDSCAPE ALTERED WITH FOX/LIBERTY-CABLEVISION DEAL". Sports Business Journal. June 23, 1997. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  7. ^ John M. Higgins (June 23, 1997). "TCI/News Corp. $850M SportsChannel deal close. (Tele-Communications Inc, proposed acquisition of cable sports network)". Broadcasting & Cable. Cahners Business Information. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  8. ^ "Your Reds Are Moving". The Cincinnati Post. January 28, 1998. p. 5B. Retrieved June 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Fay, John (January 26, 1998). "NBC's final Super Bowl a good show". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. D4. Retrieved June 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. (Date was incorrect)


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