American Sports Network

American Sports Network (ASN) was a United States sports-media brand created and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group through its Sinclair Networks subsidiary. It was formally announced in July 2014 and operated primarily as a multicast and syndication service rather than as a conventional nationwide cable network. Its principal business was the production and distribution of live sports broadcasts to television stations, especially Sinclair-owned or Sinclair-operated affiliates of The CW and MyNetworkTV and digital subchannels of stations with major-network affiliations. ASN concentrated on college sports, reflecting Sinclair's access to local broadcast outlets and the continuing demand for affordable collegiate sports programming outside the largest national networks. Its coverage included NCAA Division I football and basketball from conferences such as Conference USA, the Colonial Athletic Association, the Big South Conference, the Southern Conference, the Patriot League, the Western Athletic Conference, the Horizon League, the Ohio Valley Conference, the Southland Conference, the Mid-American Conference, the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Ivy League, and others. It also carried Division II football and basketball, college ice hockey, soccer, baseball, and selected women's sports. Programming commonly combined live event coverage with studio or ancillary material focused on colleges, student-athletes, and conference competitions. The network's distribution model gave it a flexible but uneven presence across the United States. Sinclair used its own station portfolio and arrangements with stations controlled through local marketing or similar agreements, while also syndicating events to unaffiliated broadcasters and regional sports networks. In September 2014, Sinclair said ASN programming had been made available in dozens of additional markets where it did not own a station, substantially increasing its potential reach. A dedicated ASN affiliation service for digital subchannels was introduced in January 2016 in markets including Baltimore, Charleston, Cincinnati, Columbus, Greensboro, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Portland, and Raleigh-Durham. Although college sports remained its core, ASN expanded into selected professional and non-collegiate rights. It syndicated Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge races, carried Minor League Baseball games, aired motorsports and other specialty events, and acquired regional Major League Soccer rights for Real Salt Lake and D.C. United. It also obtained rights to the inaugural Arizona Bowl and carried local high-school and professional programming in selected markets. These additions broadened the brand but did not change its basic identity as a broadcast-oriented sports-content distributor. Sinclair began restructuring this activity in 2017 through a joint venture with Silver Chalice, whose sports properties included Campus Insiders and the digital service 120 Sports. The venture created Stadium, a service designed to combine ASN's terrestrial distribution infrastructure with digital video and studio programming. Stadium launched in 2017, and ASN's multicast network component formally transitioned to Stadium on September 6, 2017. American Sports Network therefore ceased to operate as an independent sports network, while some of its distribution relationships, programming capabilities, and broadcast assets continued within Stadium.

American Sports Network was developed by Sinclair Broadcast Group as a way to create and distribute sports programming across the company's growing local television footprint. Sinclair formally announced the service on July 17, 2014. Doron Gorshein, who had joined Sinclair earlier that year as chief operating officer of Sinclair Networks, led the initiative. ASN was designed around broadcast multicast and syndication, allowing sports events to be placed on Sinclair stations, digital subchannels, and unaffiliated outlets rather than requiring carriage on a single nationwide cable channel. The service began with a strong collegiate orientation. Before the first broadcasts, Sinclair had reached agreements with several NCAA Division I conferences, including Conference USA, the Colonial Athletic Association, the Big South Conference, the Southern Conference, and the Patriot League. ASN's first broadcasts occurred on August 30, 2014, with two Conference USA football games. During its first academic seasons, the network expanded its conference portfolio and carried football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, and other events. Later agreements involved the Western Athletic Conference, Horizon League, Ohio Valley Conference, Southland Conference, Mid-American Conference, Atlantic 10 Conference, Ivy League, and additional collegiate organizations. ASN also used syndication to extend beyond Sinclair-owned stations. In 2014, the company announced agreements with broadcasters in markets where Sinclair did not own a station, increasing the service's potential reach. Its programming appeared on primary or secondary outlets depending on local station affiliations and scheduling requirements. This approach was particularly useful when a Sinclair station's main channel was committed to programming from a major broadcast network. The network gradually added non-collegiate programming. A 2014 agreement with the International Motor Sports Association brought Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge races to ASN. In 2015, ASN added weekly Minor League Baseball coverage and acquired regional rights for Real Salt Lake and D.C. United of Major League Soccer. It also carried the inaugural Arizona Bowl, selected racing properties, professional wrestling-related programming, high-school sports, and other specialty events. These rights broadened its offering while preserving its role as a distributed local sports service. In January 2016, Sinclair launched a dedicated ASN channel affiliation service for digital subchannels in a group of U.S. markets. This gave the brand a more recognizable linear presence, although its distribution remained dependent on broadcast affiliates and syndication partners. ASN continued to carry college and professional sports during the 2016–17 season, including Division II programming and selected NCAA conference packages. Sinclair announced in April 2017 that ASN's multicast component would be folded into a joint venture with Silver Chalice. The new service combined ASN's broadcast infrastructure with Silver Chalice's Campus Insiders and 120 Sports digital and studio assets. The venture was branded Stadium and launched during 2017. After a soft launch in July and an official launch in August, the former ASN over-the-air network completed its transition to Stadium on September 6, 2017. The ASN name consequently became defunct as an independent network, while elements of its distribution system and sports-production operation continued under Stadium.

• 2017

  Transition to Stadium

  [1]American Sports Networken.wikipedia.org

  ASN's multicast network component is incorporated into the Stadium joint venture and formally transitions on September 6.

• 2016

  Dedicated multicast channel service launches

  [1]American Sports Networken.wikipedia.org

  A dedicated ASN affiliation service launches for digital subchannels in multiple U.S. markets.

• 2015

  Expansion into professional and minor-league sports

  [1]American Sports Networken.wikipedia.org

  ASN adds Real Salt Lake, D.C. United, Minor League Baseball, and other non-collegiate programming.

• 2014

  Sinclair formally announces ASN

  [1]American Sports Networken.wikipedia.org

  Sinclair Broadcast Group announces American Sports Network as a sports television and program-syndication service.

• 2014

  First broadcasts

  [1]American Sports Networken.wikipedia.org

  ASN begins broadcasting on August 30 with two Conference USA football games.

• 2014

  Motorsports added

  [1]American Sports Networken.wikipedia.org

  ASN begins syndicating Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge broadcasts, its first identified non-collegiate sports package.

A local-broadcast and syndicated sports platform providing collegiate and selected professional sports programming to U.S. television stations.

• sports television · 2014

  College sports broadcasts

  ASN's principal offering consisted of live NCAA sports, particularly football and men's and women's basketball. It also distributed college baseball, soccer, ice hockey, and selected events from numerous Division I conferences, as well as Division II football and basketball programming.

• content distribution · 2014

  Sports program syndication

  ASN packaged sports productions for Sinclair-owned, Sinclair-operated, and unaffiliated local television stations. Distribution could occur on a station's main channel, a digital multicast subchannel, or through a regional sports network, depending on local affiliation and scheduling.

• sports television · 2014

  Professional and specialty sports programming

  Beyond college sports, ASN carried selected professional and specialty properties, including Real Salt Lake and D.C. United soccer, Minor League Baseball, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge racing, ARCA Racing Series events, amateur and professional racing, and other locally distributed sports.

• college football · 2015

  Arizona Bowl

  ASN acquired broadcast rights to the inaugural Arizona Bowl and retained the package for subsequent college-football seasons during the network's operating period.

• 2017

  Fold ASN into StadiumStrategy

  Background

  Sinclair wanted to combine ASN's terrestrial distribution with Silver Chalice's digital sports properties, including Campus Insiders and 120 Sports.

  Action taken

  Sinclair formed a joint venture with Silver Chalice and relaunched the service as Stadium across broadcast and digital platforms.

  Aftermath

  ASN ceased operating as a standalone network when its multicast component transitioned to Stadium on September 6, 2017.

  Source

• 2014

  Build a multicast and syndicated sports networkStrategy

  Background

  Sinclair sought to use its local broadcast portfolio and digital subchannels to distribute sports content without depending on a single national cable channel.

  Action taken

  The company launched ASN and opened its programming to Sinclair stations, related operated stations, and external syndication partners.

  Aftermath

  The model produced a broad but market-dependent footprint and became the distribution foundation later used by Stadium.

  Source

1. 1American Sports Networken.wikipedia.org