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The American Sports Network (ASN) is an ad hoc television network which broadcasts sports programming. Run by Sinclair Networks, a division of television station owner Sinclair Broadcast Group and officially launching in August 2014, ASN is affiliated primarily with CW and MyNetworkTV stations owned or operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group (or, in some markets, on a digital subchannel of a Sinclair station), but is syndicated to other, non-Sinclair television stations, along with regional sports networks.
ASN primarily produces telecasts of college sports from a number of mid-major NCAA Division I conferences, including live football and basketball games from the Big South Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, Conference USA, Horizon League, Ohio Valley Conference, Patriot League, Southern Conference, and Western Athletic Conference.
The launch of American Sports Network was formally announced on July 17, 2014 by Sinclair and will be led by Doron Gorshein, who joined the company in January 2014 and holds the title of Chief Operating Officer of Sinclair Networks. ASN will include live broadcasts of college sporting events, along with ancillary programming focusing on colleges, their students and student-athletes. ASN content will air primarily on Sinclair-owned-or-operated affiliates of The CW and MyNetworkTV or on secondary digital subchannels of other Sinclair stations, the latter especially for Sinclair's Big Four network affiliates which would not pre-empt the higher-tier coverage of their affiliated networks. Other broadcast outlets are interested in carrying ASN and Sinclair plans to expand the service into digital platforms.[1][2][3]
ASN plans to broadcast events in college football, men's college basketball, women's college basketball, women's college soccer, and college baseball games, beginning with the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season and 2014 NCAA Division I FCS football season. On launch, Sinclair reached broadcast rights deals with five mid-major NCAA Division I conferences, including Conference USA,[4] the Colonial Athletic Association, Big South Conference, Southern Conference,[5] and the Patriot League.[6]
ASN's first broadcasts took place on August 30, 2014, featuring two football games involving Conference USA teams (Old Dominion hosting Hampton and FIU hosting Bethune-Cookman).[7]
In September 2014, Sinclair reached a deal with the International Motor Sports Association to syndicate broadcasts of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge series through ASN under a 2-year deal beginning in 2014, with an option to continue in 2016. Its first race broadcast on September 13, 2014 was shown on Sinclair stations in at least 36 markets, marking the first non-college sporting events syndicated by ASN.[8]
On September 29, 2014, Sinclair announced a multi-year deal with the Western Athletic Conference to broadcast its games through ASN—marking the sixth conference to partner with it. Sinclair also announced that it had reached syndication deals with stations in 67 non-Sinclair markets to carry ASN programming, expanding its total potential audience to 83 million viewers.[9][10]
On October 16, 2014 Jonathan B. LeCrone announced the Horizon League had entered into a deal with American Sports Network to broadcast select games, and on November 10 ASN entered into a contract with the Ohio Valley Conference.[11]
On December 2, 2014 ASN entered into the collegiate hockey field signing up to air 6 Penn State Nittany Lions home games.[12] ASN later added other men's ice hockey contests from the Big Ten Conference.
During the 2014-15 season, ASN televised live events from the following NCAA Division I conferences:
Richmond, Virginia, Old Dominion University, James Madison Dukes, James Madison University, Old Dominion Monarchs basketball
Lehigh University, College of the Holy Cross, Lafayette College, Ivy League, Boston University
American Athletic Conference, Big 12 Conference, Mountain West Conference, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Louisiana Tech University
Ring of Honor, United States, Charleston, South Carolina, MyNetworkTV, Local marketing agreement
The Sports Network, Atlantic Coast Conference, Pacific-12 Conference, Vanier Cup, Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Atlanta, Chicago, Digital television, Digital broadcasting, High-definition television
DirecTV, BBC Radio, Sky plc, High-definition television, Fishing
North Texas Mean Green football, University of North Texas System, Denton, Texas, Houston Cougars football, University of North Texas
Mobile, Alabama, Southeastern Conference, Espn3, San Marcos, Texas, Lafayette, Louisiana