Mike Martin
Registered User
- Nov 1, 2013
- 1,807
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From Wikipedia:
Taking over for ESPN in 1988-1989 SportsChannel's contract paid $51 million over three years, more than double what ESPN had paid for the previous three years. SportsChannel America managed to get a fourth NHL season for just $5 million.
Unfortunately, SportsChannel America was only available in a few major markets, and reached only a 1/3 of the households that ESPN did at the time. SportsChannel America was seen in fewer than 10 million households. In comparison, by the 1991–92 season, ESPN was available in 60.5 million homes whereas SportsChannel America was available in only 25 million. As a matter of fact, in the first year of the deal (1988–89), SportsChannel America was available in only 7 million homes when compared to ESPN's reach of 50 million. When the SportsChannel deal ended in 1992, the NHL returned to ESPN for another contract that would pay $80 million over five years.
What I liked about Sportschannel America's NHL games was that they used the announcers for each team. Therefore, you could watch a Chicago Away game announced by Pat Foley and Dale Tallon and it felt like you were living in Chicago although at the time I lived in Atlanta, Georgia. Previously with ESPN coverage you had the same announcers each week announcing for teams that were usually not their own which felt less personal.
And who can forget the Sportschannel America network tag "You're watching Sportschannel America" in which the guy sounded like a Decepticon from the Transformers?
Taking over for ESPN in 1988-1989 SportsChannel's contract paid $51 million over three years, more than double what ESPN had paid for the previous three years. SportsChannel America managed to get a fourth NHL season for just $5 million.
Unfortunately, SportsChannel America was only available in a few major markets, and reached only a 1/3 of the households that ESPN did at the time. SportsChannel America was seen in fewer than 10 million households. In comparison, by the 1991–92 season, ESPN was available in 60.5 million homes whereas SportsChannel America was available in only 25 million. As a matter of fact, in the first year of the deal (1988–89), SportsChannel America was available in only 7 million homes when compared to ESPN's reach of 50 million. When the SportsChannel deal ended in 1992, the NHL returned to ESPN for another contract that would pay $80 million over five years.
What I liked about Sportschannel America's NHL games was that they used the announcers for each team. Therefore, you could watch a Chicago Away game announced by Pat Foley and Dale Tallon and it felt like you were living in Chicago although at the time I lived in Atlanta, Georgia. Previously with ESPN coverage you had the same announcers each week announcing for teams that were usually not their own which felt less personal.
And who can forget the Sportschannel America network tag "You're watching Sportschannel America" in which the guy sounded like a Decepticon from the Transformers?