Sports Time
Encyclopedia
Sports Time was a regional sports network
in the United States
. It was owned by Anheuser-Busch
and was launched on April 2, 1984. Sports Time was available in 15 states from Colorado
to West Virginia
.
, the Major League Baseball
team it owned at the time. Games of the Cincinnati Reds
and Kansas City Royals
baseball teams, the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League
, and various college sports teams also aired on the network.
Sports Time showed Reggie Jackson
's 500th career home run on September 17, 1984. The Royals
were playing the California Angels
in Anaheim, California
that night.
feed with the Financial News Network
. At the end of FNN's broadcast day, eagle-eyed viewers were able to see Sports Time's listings before FNN cut away to its own feed, which ironically was, for a time, a sports news service called Score
.
FNN simulcast Sports Time's coverage of the exhibition game between the United States Olympic basketball team
versus a group of National Basketball Association
players, which was played at the Hoosier Dome
in Indianapolis, Indiana
on July 9, 1984. The game grew a crowd of 67,678, which was the largest to see a basketball game in the U.S. at the time.
was not as prevalent as it would be even a decade later; some metropolitan areas still did not have cable service at all. Second, due to the large territory, many games were blacked out
in all but a fraction of the territory. Finally, the service was sold as a premium channel, like HBO or Showtime, frustrating dedicated sports fans, who were used to getting ESPN
included with their monthly service.
After twelve months of obvious frustration, Anheuser-Busch pulled the plug on Sports Time on March 31, 1985.
in their respective regions, Midwest and Ohio. The Royals have been shown on its own network, RSTN; FSN; Metro Sports
, or a combination of them over the years; it is FSN-exclusive as of 2008
. The Blues are also shown on FSN Midwest.
Regional sports network
In the United States of America and Canada, a regional sports network, or RSN, is a cable television station that presents sports programming to a local market. The most important programming on an RSN consists of live broadcasts of professional and college sporting events, as those games generate...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was owned by Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
and was launched on April 2, 1984. Sports Time was available in 15 states from Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
to West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
Coverage
The new network was a way for Anheuser-Busch to show additional games of the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team it owned at the time. Games of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
baseball teams, the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, and various college sports teams also aired on the network.
Sports Time showed Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
's 500th career home run on September 17, 1984. The Royals
1984 Kansas City Royals season
The Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing 1st in the American League West with a record of 84 wins and 78 losses.- Offseason :* October 17, 1983: Eric Rasmussen was released by the Royals....
were playing the California Angels
1984 California Angels season
The California Angels 1984 season involved the Angels finishing 2nd in the American League west with a record of 81 wins and 81 losses.- Offseason :* November 22, 1983: Rod Carew was signed as a Free Agent with the California Angels....
in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
that night.
Other notable programming
Sports Time shared the same satelliteSatellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
feed with the Financial News Network
Financial News Network
The Financial News Network was a television network that operated throughout the United States during the 1980s.-Founding:Financial News Network was founded in 1981 by two men: Rodney Buchser, who had been general manager of KWHY, Channel 22 in Los Angeles and Glenn Taylor. The concept originated...
. At the end of FNN's broadcast day, eagle-eyed viewers were able to see Sports Time's listings before FNN cut away to its own feed, which ironically was, for a time, a sports news service called Score
SCORE (television)
SCORE was a joint venture with Financial News Network which aired sports-themed programming in the 1980s. It began in 1985 and shut down six years later. It was renamed FNN Sports in 1990 when FNN decided to go with a 24-hour feed on weekdays. SCORE was forced to dissolve after CNBC bought out FNN...
.
FNN simulcast Sports Time's coverage of the exhibition game between the United States Olympic basketball team
United States national basketball team
The United States men's national basketball team represents the United States of America in international men's basketball. The USA is the most successful team in international competition, winning medals in all sixteen Olympic tournaments it has entered, coming away with thirteen golds...
versus a group of National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
players, which was played at the Hoosier Dome
RCA Dome
RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons ....
in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
on July 9, 1984. The game grew a crowd of 67,678, which was the largest to see a basketball game in the U.S. at the time.
Demise
Although a promising concept, Sports Time was hampered by several problems. First, the reach of cable televisionCable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
was not as prevalent as it would be even a decade later; some metropolitan areas still did not have cable service at all. Second, due to the large territory, many games were blacked out
Blackout (broadcasting)
Blackout usually relates to the broadcasting of sports events, television programming, that is prohibited in a certain media market.The purpose is theoretically to generate more revenue by obliging certain actions from fans, either by making them buy tickets or watch other games on TV...
in all but a fraction of the territory. Finally, the service was sold as a premium channel, like HBO or Showtime, frustrating dedicated sports fans, who were used to getting ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
included with their monthly service.
After twelve months of obvious frustration, Anheuser-Busch pulled the plug on Sports Time on March 31, 1985.
Aftermath
Today, the Cardinals and Reds are shown on Fox Sports NetFox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
in their respective regions, Midwest and Ohio. The Royals have been shown on its own network, RSTN; FSN; Metro Sports
Metro Sports
Metro Sports is a regional sports network serving the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, Lawrence, Kansas, and the state of Nebraska. It launched on December 12, 1996, and is currently available on cable systems including Time Warner Cable, Comcast and Knology....
, or a combination of them over the years; it is FSN-exclusive as of 2008
2008 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* Regular Season Champions* World Series Champions – Philadelphia Phillies** American League Champions – Tampa Bay Rays** National League Champions – Philadelphia Phillies* Postseason – October 1 to October 29...
. The Blues are also shown on FSN Midwest.