Stadium (sports network)

Stadium is a digital television and internet sports network operated as a multi-platform sports network. Stadium includes a 24/7 linear feed distributed across both digital and broadcast platforms, as well as on-demand (VOD) digital content including additional live games and events. Stadium is a joint venture between Silver Chalice and Sinclair Broadcast Group. The network is headquartered at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Stadium
TypeDigital broadcast
Sports network
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaNational
AffiliatesList of affiliates
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format720p (HDTV)
480i (SDTV)
Ownership
Owner
Sister channelsBally Sports
Tennis Channel
Stadium College Sports
History
LaunchedAugust 21, 2017 (2017-08-21)
ReplacedAmerican Sports Network
(broadcast)
Campus Insiders
(online)
Links
WebcastWatch live
Websitewatchstadium.com
Availability
Terrestrial
Digital subchannel on broadcast stationsSee List of affiliates
Streaming media
Twitch
Plex, Stremium, Xumo, Stirr, Sling TV, FuboTV, Roku Channel, VidGo, YouTube TV

The service is distributed as an over-the-top streaming service through Stadium's website and other partners, digital subchannels on broadcast television stations.

History

In March 2017, unconfirmed reports speculated that Sinclair was planning to shutter its sports unit, American Sports Network, and give its remaining sports rights to Campus Insiders. The Charleston Gazette-Mail, however, citing ASN employees, reported that the rumors of a complete shuttering were false, but that the division was planning to re-locate its headquarters, restructure its operations, and achieve "stronger, more diversified distribution." The original rumors were based upon reports of layoffs from ASN's current headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida, connected to the planned re-location.[1]

On April 13, 2017, Sinclair officially announced that ASN would be re-launched later in the year as part of a joint venture with Campus Insiders owner Silver Chalice (itself owned by the Chicago White Sox), and its online sports video service 120 Sports. The new operation will be operated as linear and digital offerings; the linear service would utilize the syndication and broadcast network built out for ASN, while the digital platform would stream full-time online and through Twitter. 120 Sports would provide original studio and long-form programming to the venture.[2][3]

On May 1, 2017, it was announced that the new joint venture would be known as Stadium.[4] On June 1, 2017, it was reported that Stadium would officially launch around late-July 2017.[5] The service officially launched on August 21, 2017.[6][7]

In 2019, with Sinclair's expansions into regional sports networks via acquisitions of Fox Sports Networks, a minority stake in YES Network, and the establishment of Marquee Sports Network with the Chicago Cubs, Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley said of Stadium's role in the expanded sports offerings: "That will be our national play. I don’t see it competing head to head with FS1 or ESPN. It's not there yet with its maturity."[8]

In 2021, Stadium began to synergize with the rebranded Bally Sports, including co-producing an Opening Day launch special for the networks on April 1,[9] and adopting its on-air graphics package for college sports broadcasts beginning in the 2021–22 academic season.[10] The Fox College Sports cable channels were quietly rebranded as Stadium College Sports in June,[11] and in 2022 Stadium began to produce the national studio show The Rally for the Bally Sports channels.[12]

In May 2023, Silver Chalice acquired majority control of Stadium, though Sinclair will continue to supply some programming.[13]

On October 10, 2023, Sinclair announced that on October 30, 2023, it will convert Stadium's over-the-air service into The Nest, a network that will feature reruns of home improvement, true crime, reality and celebrity-driven shows.[14]

Distribution

The service is distributed mainly via streaming television services and associated apps (including third-party services, as well as Sinclair's own Stirr service).[15] The American Sports Network linear service, which was distributed as a digital subchannel network, transitioned to Stadium on September 6, 2017.[16] The network has also reached deals for traditional cable distribution.[17] Stadium also offers a subscription service, "Stadium Plus", which offers access to premium events and on-demand content (including commercial-free replays of broadcasts, and classic games).[18]

In November 2017, Facebook acquired rights to 47 college basketball telecasts from Stadium, which stream exclusively on Facebook Watch and an associated Facebook page.[19]

In May 2018, Stadium partnered with Twitch to stream its content on the service, as well as an exclusive Twitch Stadium 2 channel that features additional commentary and analysis.[20]

Programming

Stadium's college sports programming includes content from Conference USA, the Mountain West Conference, the Patriot League, the Southern Conference, and the West Coast Conference.[21]

Stadium's studio lineup includes:

The Territory - The Territory sets the editorial cycle for the day with a fast-paced, expansive look at the sports landscape, featuring news and storylines from coast-to-coast.

Sauce & Shram - Sauce & Shram showcases an irreverent and interactive conversation between Dave Ross and Tyler Jacobs along with user generated social media commentary and callers.

Emerge - Emerge spotlights the best high school talent across the country, featuring athlete-submitted training, game, and social content while also featuring interviews with players and coaches throughout prep sports.

Campus Insiders - Campus Insiders continues to focus on college conferences across the nation, including the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Conference USA, Mountain West, Pac-12, Patriot League, SEC, and the West Coast Conference. Each day, a different conference will be highlighted with exclusive interviews, Top 25 breakdowns, game picks and more.

The Rally: Gametime in America - Gametime in America sets the live sports scene as viewers will navigate in real time through the landscape of sports in America.[22]

Indoor Football League, Stadium began broadcasting IFL games with the IFL Game of the Week on May 15, 2021.[23]

College Football, Stadium has broadcast College Football since 2017. Currently games feature Conference USA.

Stadium, as with other networks distributed by digital multicast networks, is required to preempt three hours of its weekly schedule for educational children's programming. With the exception of DragonflyTV, most of Stadium's educational shows are sports-related to minimize interruption; The Real Winning Edge, Sports Lab, Future Phenoms and Sports Stars of Tomorrow make up Stadium's educational lineup as of 2019. This has been discontinued since.

Notable on-air staff

Affiliates

City of license/market Station Virtual
channel
[24]
Physical
channel
Primary
affiliation
(on main channel)
Owner
(Management Company)
Date of affiliation Notes
Alabama
BirminghamWBMA-LD58.332ABCSinclair Broadcast Group
MobileWPMI-TV15.315NBCDeerfield Media
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Arkansas
Little Rock KKYK-CD 30.3 21 Telemundo KTV Media, LLC
Arizona
PhoenixKDVD-LD50.625Nuestra VisiónGlobe LPTV
Yuma KAJB 54.4 36 UniMás Entravision Communications
California
Bakersfield KBFX-CD 58.4 29 Fox Sinclair Broadcast Group
Chico KCVU 20.4 30 Fox Cunningham Broadcasting
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Eureka KBVU 28.4 28 Fox Cunningham Broadcasting
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Fresno KMPH-TV 26.4 28 Fox Sinclair Broadcast Group
Los AngelesKCAL-TV9.29IndependentParamount GlobalApril 12, 2019
San Diego KBNT-CD 17.3 24 Univision Entravision Communications
Colorado
DenverKTFD-TV50.328UniMasEntravision Communications
Connecticut
WaterburyWCCT-TV20.433The CWTegna
Florida
West Palm BeachWWHB-CD48.333TBDSinclair Broadcast GroupAlso on WTVX sometimes for special occasion
Idaho
BoiseKYUU-LD35.428The CWSinclair Broadcast Group
Idaho Falls/PocatelloKPIF15.415MeTV Ventura Broadcasting
Illinois
Hammond (Chicago)WJYS62.221IndependentOxford Media Group, Inc.
SpringfieldDecaturChampaignWBUI23.322The CWGOCOM Media
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Iowa
Cedar Rapids KFXA 28.4 27 Dabl Second Generation of Iowa, Ltd.
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Sioux City KPTH 44.4 30 Fox Sinclair Broadcast Group
Kansas
Hutchinson/Wichita KMTW 36.2 35 Dabl Mercury Broadcasting Company, Inc.
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Replaced getTV, after moving from 36.3 when it got replaced by sibling network Charge! On that channel.
Kentucky
Bowling GreenWDNZ-LD11.211Antenna TVDaily News Broadcasting CompanyOctober 18, 2019
Paducah WDKA 49.4 25 MyNetworkTV Standard Media
Louisiana
LafayetteKXKW-LD32.330NewsnetDelta Media CorporationMarch 14, 2021Was previously on the Channel's DT1 slot until Newsnet launched March 14, 2021
New OrleansWQDT-LD33.432BuzzrDTV America Corporation
Maine
PortlandWGME-TV13.315CBSSinclair Broadcast Group
Maryland
Baltimore WNUV 54.4 25 The CW Cunningham Broadcasting
(Operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Massachusetts
Worcester WUTF-TV 27.4 19 Unimas Entravision Communications
Michigan
FlintTri-CitiesWSMH66.416Fox Sinclair Broadcast Group
Missouri
Kansas CityKCMN-LD42.428DecadesHC2 Holdings
St. Louis KDNL-TV30.431ABCSinclair Broadcast Group
Nebraska
OmahaKXVO15.429The CW Sinclair Broadcast Group
Nevada
Las VegasKSNV3.422NBC Sinclair Broadcast Group
RenoKNSN-TV21.220Independent & MyNetworkTV (secondary)Deerfield Media
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
New York
AlbanySchenectadyTroyWCWN45.422The CWSinclair Broadcast Group
BuffaloWNYO-TV49.249MyNetworkTV
North Carolina
Asheville WLOS 13.4 13 ABC Sinclair Broadcast Group
Greenville WYDO 14.4 19 Fox Cunningham Broadcasting
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Winston-SalemGreensboroHigh PointWXLV-TV45.229ABCSinclair Broadcast Group
RaleighDurhamChapel HillWLFL22.218The CW
Ohio
CincinnatiWKRC-TV12.3[25]12CBSSinclair Broadcast Group
ColumbusWSYX6.4[25]27ABC
DaytonWKEF22.334ABC
Toledo WNWO-TV 24.2 49 NBC Replaced by "Charge!".
Oklahoma
Oklahoma CityKOKH-TV25.324Fox Sinclair Broadcast Group
Oregon
Portland KATU-TV 2.4 24 ABC Sinclair Broadcast Group
Pennsylvania
PittsburghWPNT22.242The CW Sinclair Broadcast Group
Wilkes-BarreWSWB38.434The CWMPS Media, LLC

(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)

South Carolina
FlorenceMyrtle Beach, SCWWMB21.326DablSinclair Broadcast Group
WVEB-LD 40.3 22 Timeless TV Innovate Corp. The station is nominally licensed to this market, but actually serves Charlotte, NC.
GreenvilleSpartanburgWLOS13.413ABCSinclair Broadcast Group
ColumbiaWACH57.222Fox
CharlestonWCIV36.325MyNetworkTV
Tennessee
Nashville WNAB58.223DablTennessee Broadcasting
(Operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Texas
Austin KGBS-CD 19.1 19 Stadium HC2 Holdings
DallasFort Worth KTXD-TV47.123Cunningham Broadcasting
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
March 7, 2018Replaced independent format
El PasoLas Cruces, NMKFOX-TV14.415FoxSinclair Broadcast Group
HoustonKEHO-LD32.529Court TVHC2 Holdings
Laredo KLDO-TV 27.4 19 Univision Entravision Communications
McAllen KTFV-CD 32.4 32 UniMás
Port Arthur KBTV-TV 4.4 27 Dabl Deerfield Media
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
San AntonioKMYS35.232The CWDeerfield Media
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Virginia
NorfolkWTVZ-TV33.233MyNetworkTVSinclair Broadcast Group
LynchburgRoanokeWSET-TV13.213ABC
Washington
Bellevue (SeattleTacoma)KUNS-TV51.3[26]50Univision Sinclair Broadcast Group
Yakima KUNW-CD 2.3 30
West Virginia
CharlestonHuntingtonWVAH-TV11.224DecadesCunningham Broadcasting
(operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group)
Wisconsin
Suring (Green BayFox Cities)WCWF14.415The CWSinclair Broadcast Group

References

  1. Smock, Doug (March 12, 2017). "American Sports Network may remain after all". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  2. "Sinclair Partners to Revamp, Relaunch Sports Network". Broadcasting and Cable. April 14, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  3. "American Sports Network, Campus Insiders, and 120 Sports Announce Mega-Merger Deal". Underdog Dynasty (SBNation). Vox Media. April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  4. "Is Twitter the new home for Southern Miss football?". Sun Herald. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  5. "Stadium multi-platform sports network soon will replace 120 Sports". Chicago Business Journal. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  6. "Stadium Streams to the Web, Twitter and Pluto TV". Multichannel News. Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  7. "Stadium enters the fray". Cynopsis Media. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  8. "Sinclair CEO see 'massive opportunity' with rebranding of Fox sports networks". Baltimore Business Journal. August 26, 2019.
  9. Dachman, Jason (March 30, 2021). "How Sinclair Pulled Off the Gargantuan Bally Sports Networks Rebrand Amid the Pandemic". Sports Video Group. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  10. Hernandez, Kristian (September 2, 2021). "College Football Kickoff 2021: Stadium Plans Bally Sports–Style Graphics, Real-Time Fan Interaction for 25-Game Schedule". Sports Video Group. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  11. "Fox College Sports to become Stadium College Sports". Bend Broadband. June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  12. Lafayette, Jon (January 24, 2022). "'The Rally' Launching on Sinclair's Bally Regional Sports Networks". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  13. Fisher, Eric (May 29, 2023). "White Sox and Bulls Owner Acquires Controlling Stake of Stadium Network". Front Office Sports. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  14. "Sinclair Will Serve Up ‘Comfort Food’ on New Multicast Network The Nest," from Broadcasting & Cable, 10/10/2023
  15. "TV broadcaster Sinclair launches STIRR, a free streaming service with local news and sports". TechCrunch. January 16, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  16. Bartel, Jeffrey. "Introducing Stadium – CW 14.4". Fox11Online.com. Sinclair Broadcast Group. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  17. "Is Sinclair-Led Sports Venture Stadium Greater Than Sum of its Parts?". Cablefax. August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  18. Perez, Sarah (August 24, 2017). "Stadium's live-streamed sports and original programming comes to Twitter". TechCrunch. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  19. Spangler, Todd (November 16, 2017). "Facebook Acquires Exclusive Rights to 47 College Basketball Games From Smaller Conferences". Variety. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  20. "Twitch adds Stadium's traditional sports broadcasts to platform". SportsPro. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  21. "Twitter Punches Its 24-Hour Livestreaming Ticket to Sports Network Stadium". Adweek. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  22. "Stadium Announces New Fall Lineup Premiering September 4 - Stadium". Stadium. August 28, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  23. ""RING OF HONOR WRESTLING" NOW AVAILABLE ON STADIUM".
  24. "Stations for Network - Stadium". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  25. "ASN launches 24/7 broadcast network on Monday". americansportsnet.com. Archived from the original on January 30, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  26. "Digital Television". Northwest Broadcasters. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
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