Sportsman Channel

Sportsman Channel is an American sports-oriented digital cable and satellite television network owned by the Outdoor Sportsman Group subsidiary of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. The channel is dedicated to programming about outdoor sports, including hunting, shooting and fishing.

Sportsman Channel
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaNationwide
SloganRed, Wild + Blue
HeadquartersNew Berlin, Wisconsin
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format1080i (HDTV)
480i (SDTV)
Ownership
OwnerOutdoor Sportsman Group (Kroenke Sports & Entertainment)
Sister channelsOutdoor Channel
World Fishing Network
Altitude
History
LaunchedApril 1, 2003 (2003-04-01)
Links
Websitethesportsmanchannel.com
Availability
Terrestrial
RaiPlayChannel 1 (SD)
Satellite
Dish Network395 (HD/SD)
DirecTV605 (SD)
IPTV
AT&T U-verse1642 (HD)
642 (SD)
UPC RomaniaChannel 112
Streaming media
Sling TVInternet Protocol
DirecTV NowInternet Protocol
FuboTVInternet Protocol

As of February 2015, Sportsman Channel is available to approximately 34.1 million pay television households (29.3% of households with at least one television set) in the United States.[1]

History

The channel was launched on April 1, 2003, and was founded by Muskego, Wisconsin businessmen C. Michael Cooley and Todd D. Hansen. In June 2007, the channel was purchased by the InterMedia Outdoor Holdings group, a division of private equity group InterMedia Partners.[2]

Sportsman Channel logo used from 2009 to 2011.

In March 2009, Sportsman Channel appointed InterMedia Outdoor Executive Vice President Willy Burkhardt as the channel's president.[3]

Then, in 2014, Sportsman Channel & its parent company, InterMedia Outdoor Holdings, were acquired by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, resulting in the company's rename to Outdoor Sportsman Group.

Programming

Programming on Sportsman Channel as of 2014 includes various shows pertaining to hunting (both by archery and through firearms), fishing and firearms. An hour-long condensed version of Cam & Co., a news magazine/talk radio program produced by the National Rifle Association for SiriusXM Patriot, airs each weeknight. Most other shows on the channel air in half-hour timeslots. Sportsman Channel also airs infomercials during the overnight hours.

In September 2009, the channel announced it would carry up to 100 original programs on its schedule starting in the fourth quarter of 2009.[4] In March 2014, the channel premiered Amazing America with Sarah Palin, an outdoor program hosted by the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate; the program was renewed for a second season slated to air in early 2015.

Sportsman Channel HD

Sportsman Channel HD is a high definition simulcast feed of Sportsman Channel, that broadcasts in the 1080i resolution format. On January 19, 2010, the channel announced it would launch an HD simulcast feed the following week on January 25 of that year.[5] In February 2010, Dish Network became the first provider to carry the channel's HD feed.[6] The HD feed is now available on various providers including AT&T, Cablevision, and Comcast.

Carriage

DirecTV began carrying the channel on January 21, 2009.[7][8] AT&T U-verse added it on April 8, 2009. Dish Network started carrying Sportsman Channel on February 10, 2010.[6]

On September 1, 2015, Verizon FiOS removed the channel from the lineup. Spectrum removed the channel from their lineup nationwide on October 30, 2017.

Former broadcast television affiliates

The Sportsman Channel was once available on some broadcast stations. However, when it reached a carriage agreement deal with DirecTV in January 2009, giving it national coverage, it became a cable and satellite only channel.[7][8]

Call-sign Channel (analog/digital) City of license/Market Owner Current affiliation Notes
WLLZ-LP 12/none Traverse City, Michigan P & P Cable Holdings MyNetworkTV (primary) / America One (secondary) TSC programming formerly aired during the overnight hours, was replaced with Retro Television Network
WMKG-CA 38/none Muskegon, Michigan Kelley Enterprises FamilyNet (primary) / Pursuit Channel (secondary) Now affiliate of My Family TV
WHSV-DT2 and -DT4 none/3.2 and 3.4 Harrisonburg, Virginia Gray Television Fox Removed, formerly aired overnight
KJLR-LP 28/none Little Rock, Arkansas Cowsert Family, LLC AMGTV Removed, formerly carried as a secondary affiliation
KDCG-LP none/22.1 Opelousas, Louisiana Acadiana Cable Advertising Retro Television Network Removed, formerly maintained a dual affiliation with America One; also operates as a Class A digital signal
KSDI-LP 33/none Fresno, California Cocola Broadcasting Pursuit Channel/AMGTV Removed, replaced with Pursuit Channel
KXGN-TV none/5 Glendive, Montana Marks Radio Group CBS (primary) / NBC (secondary) Removed, formerly aired during the overnight hours
KXII-DT2 none/12.2 Sherman, Texas Gray Television MyNetworkTV Formerly carried as a secondary affiliation, removed
KXPX-CA 14/none Corpus Christi, Texas GH Broadcasting Retro Television Network Former affiliate, replaced with Retro Television Network
WONS-LP 25/none Olean, New York Choice Television America One Primary affiliation after 2006. The station became WVTT-CA in 2012.
W43BR 43/none Baraboo, Wisconsin Baraboo Broadcasting America One Former TSC/America One dual-affiliate, now full-time America One affiliate

See also

References
  1. Seidman, Robert (February 22, 2015). "List of how many homes each cable network is in as of February 2015". TV by the Numbers. Zap2it. Archived from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  2. "New Berlin's Sportsman Channel sold - Founders will keep posts at cable TV company". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. June 5, 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
  3. Gelman, Vlada. "Willy Burkhardt Named President of Sportsman Channel". TVWeek.com. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
  4. Reynolds, Mike (September 28, 2009). "Sportsman Channel Casts 100 Shows In Q4". Multichannel News. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
  5. Reynolds, Mike (January 19, 2010). "Sportsman Channel Goes HD On Jan. 25 - Expects To Name Initial Affiliates Later This Quarter". Multichannel News. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
  6. Reynolds, Mike (February 11, 2010). "Sportsman Channel Rolls Out On Dish Network On America's Top 250 Package - DBS Provider Is Charter Affiliate For Sportsman Channel HD". Multichannel News. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
  7. Barrett, Larry (January 15, 2009). "DirecTV Picks Up Sportsman Channel - Can Be Found on DirecTV Channel 605 on Jan. 21". Multichannel News.
  8. Piazza, Jo (16 August 2010). "Hunting, Fishing and 'Danger Job' Shows...Cable TV". Fox News Entertainment.
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