Bally Sports Ohio
Internet Protocol television |
Bally Sports Ohio is an American regional sports network owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and is operated as an affiliate of Bally Sports. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of sports events in the state of Ohio, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Cleveland and Cincinnati, which are broadcast on separate programming feeds, as well as Columbus.
Bally Sports Ohio is available on
History
The channel originally launched on February 9, 1989, as SportsChannel Ohio. It launched as an affiliate of
In 1997, News Corporation and Liberty Media purchased a 40% interest in Cablevision's sports properties including the SportsChannel America networks (as well as Madison Square Garden and its NBA and NHL team tenants, the New York Knicks and New York Rangers) in a deal worth $850 million, forming the venture National Sports Partners to run the owned-and-operated regional networks.[3][4] As part of a gradual rebranding of the SportsChannel networks that began that month, SportsChannel Ohio was rebranded as Fox Sports Ohio in January 1998.
The channel was then rebranded as Fox Sports Net Ohio in 2000, as part of a collective brand modification of the FSN networks under the "Fox Sports Net" banner; subsequently in 2004, the channel shortened its name to FSN Ohio, through the networks' de-emphasis of the brand.
In February 2005, News Corporation (which
On December 14, 2017, as part of a merger between both companies,
On March 14, 2023, Diamond Sports filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.[13]
Feeds
The network operates regional feeds for the Cleveland and Cincinnati markets, both branded as Bally Sports Ohio (but with the latter feed disambiguated in some electronic program guides and online television listings services as "Bally Sports Cincinnati"), which broadcast different events depending on the market. This arrangement can cause event conflicts in the Columbus market, which is located between Cincinnati and Cleveland. In the event of conflicting events between the two regional feeds (typically between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Cleveland Cavaliers, the Blue Jackets and Cincinnati Reds, and the Reds and Cavaliers), cable providers in Central Ohio will carry the other game on an alternate channel.
Programming
Bally Sports Ohio holds the exclusive regional cable television rights to the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers (since 1990), MLB's Cincinnati Reds (since 1991) and the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets (since 2000), as well as a select number of the AHL's Cleveland Monsters games. The channel also carries a select number of college basketball games involving the University of Dayton and Northern Kentucky University.[14][15] The network formerly held the local rights to college basketball games featuring Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati through the 2019-20 season.
The channel formerly broadcast
On October 19, 2016, Fox Sports and the Reds announced an extension of their broadcast agreement to the end of the 2032 season. The deal includes the Reds taking an equity stake in the Cincinnati sub-feed of Fox Sports Ohio.[1]
Notable on-air staff
Current
Cincinnati Reds
- John Sadak - play-by-play
- Chris Welsh – primary color commentary/fill in co-host Reds Live
- Jeff Brantley – color commentary (select games)
- Barry Larkin – color commentary (home games)
- Jim Day – sideline reporter/Alternative play by play
- Brian Giesenschlag – co-host Reds Live
- Sam LeCure – co-host Reds Live/Cincinnati Reds color commentary (select games)
- Annie Sabo– Fill in co-host Reds Live
Cleveland Cavaliers
- John Michael - play-by-play
- Austin Carr - commentator
- Brad Daugherty - commentator
- Mike Fratello - commentator
- Cayleigh Griffin – pregame/halftime/postgame host
- Campy Russell – pregame/halftime/postgame analyst
- Serena Winters - sideline reporter
Columbus Blue Jackets
- Jeff Rimer – play-by-play
- Jody Shelley – sideline reporter/color commentary
- Dave Maetzold - in-game/locker room reporter
- Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre - pregame/intermission/postgame (Blue Jackets Live) co-host
- Brian Giesenschlag – pregame/intermission/postgame (Blue Jackets Live) co-host
Columbus Crew
- Neil Sika – play-by-play[16]
- Jordan Angeli – color commentary[17]
- Brett Hiltbrand – sideline reporter/pregame/halftime/postgame host (Crew Live)[18]
College sports
- Dan Hoard - host for Bearcats Insider
- Terry Nelson – analyst for Bearcats Insider
- Tony Pike – analyst for Bearcats Insider
- John Cooper – analyst for Game Time with Ryan Day
- Jim Lachey – analyst for Game Time with Ryan Day
- Chris "Beanie" Wells – analyst for Game Time with Ryan Day
References
- ^ a b Buchanan, Zach (October 19, 2016). "Reds, Fox Sports Ohio extend partnership through 2032". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
- ^ "Warner Cable May Drop SportsChannel" – via AccessMyLibrary.
- ^ "Fox putting together national Sports Net // Changes ahead for SportsChannel". Chicago Sun-Times. Sun-Times Media Group. June 24, 1997. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
- Reed Business Information. Archived from the originalon September 10, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
- ^ "Disney can buy Fox if it sells 22 regional sports networks, Justice Dept. says". USA Today. June 28, 2018.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (May 3, 2019). "Sinclair Clinches Disney-Regional Sports Networks Deal, Byron Allen Joins as Partner". Variety. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
- ^ "Fox Regional Sports Network sale nears conclusion as final round bids come due April 15". Fox Business. March 25, 2019.
- ^ Palmeri, Christopher; Sakoui, Anousha (May 2, 2019). "Sinclair to Buy Fox Sports Networks From Disney, WSJ Reports". Bloomberg. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
- ^ Morona, Joey; clevel; .com (August 23, 2019). "Sinclair's purchase of Fox Sports Ohio and SportsTime Ohio is a done deal". cleveland.com. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ Novy-Williams, Eben (November 19, 2020). "Bally's Buys Sinclair RSN Naming Rights As Part of Sports Betting Push". Sportico.com. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ "Bally Sports Ohio & Great Lakes FAQ". FOX Sports. FOX Sports Ohio. March 17, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- ^ "Reds Opening Day marks first live event on Bally Sports Ohio". FOX Sports. March 31, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ Bouma, Luke (March 14, 2023). "Bally Sports Just Declared Bankruptcy – The Death of RSNs?". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- ^ "NKU Athletics extends partnership with Bally Sports Ohio; Six basketball games to air in 2022-23". Northern Kentucky University. November 3, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
- ^ "Men's Basketball Announces Non-Conference Television Schedule". University of Dayton Athletics. November 22, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ "Neil Sika | Columbus Crew".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Jordan Angeli | Columbus Crew". Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
- ^ "Brett Hiltbrand | Columbus Crew". Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.