Fox Sports Networks

This article is about the former regional sports channels. For the flagship national sports channel owned by the Fox Sports Media Group, see Fox Sports 1. For the current regional sports channels, see Bally Sports.

Fox Sports Networks
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaMost of the U.S. (through regional affiliates)
HeadquartersHouston, Texas
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format720p (HDTV)
Ownership
Owner
History
LaunchedNovember 1, 1996; 28 years ago (1996-11-01)
Replaced
ClosedMarch 31, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-03-31)
Replaced byBally Sports
Former names
  • Fox Sports Net (1996–2004)
  • FSN (2004–2008)
  • Fox Sports Local (2008–2012)

Fox Sports Networks (FSN), formerly known as Fox Sports Net, was the collective name for a group of regional sports channels in the United States. Formed in 1996 by News Corporation, the networks were acquired by The Walt Disney Company on March 20, 2019, following its acquisition of 21st Century Fox. A condition of that acquisition imposed by the U.S. Department of Justice required Disney to sell the regional networks by June 18, 2019, ninety days after the completion of its acquisition.[1] Disney subsequently agreed to sell the networks (excluding the YES Network, being reacquired by Yankee Global Enterprises) to Sinclair;[2][3] the transaction was completed on August 22, 2019.[4] The networks continued to use the Fox Sports name only under a transitional license agreement while rebranding options were explored.[5] A rebranding cross-partnership with Bally's Corporation took effect on March 31, 2021, and the networks were rebranded as Bally Sports, ending the Fox Sports Networks branding after 25 years.[6][7]

Each of the channels in the group carried regional broadcasts of sporting events from various professional, collegiate and high school sports teams (with broadcasts typically exclusive to each individual channel, although some were shown on multiple FSN channels or syndicated to a local broadcast station within a particular team's designated market area), along with regional and national sports discussion, documentary and analysis programs.

Depending on their individual team rights, some Fox Sports Networks maintained overflow feeds available via subscription television providers in their home markets, which provided alternate programming when not used to carry game broadcasts that the main feed could not carry due to scheduling conflicts. Fox Sports Networks was headquartered in Houston, Texas, with master control facilities based in both Houston and Los Angeles; FSN also maintained production facilities at Stage 19 at Universal Studios Florida (which formerly served as home of Nickelodeon Studios until its closure in 2005).

  1. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (June 27, 2018). "Justice Department Approves Disney's Acquisition of 21st Century Fox With Divestiture of Regional Sports Networks". Variety. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  2. ^ "Fox Regional Sports Network sale nears conclusion as final round bids come due April 15". Fox Business. March 25, 2019.
  3. ^ Palmeri, Christopher; Sakoui, Anousha (May 2, 2019). "Sinclair to Buy Fox Sports Networks From Disney, WSJ Reports". Bloomberg. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  4. ^ "Sinclair completes acquisition of regional sports networks from Disney". Bloomberg. August 22, 2019. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference bizjournals was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference ballysdeal was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Sinclair to rebrand Fox Sports regional networks as Bally Sports". The Athletic. January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.