Comcast SportsNet Bay Area

Comcast SportsNet Bay Area
Launched July 1, 1989 (1989-07-01)
Network Comcast SportsNet
Owned by

CSN Bay Area Holdings
NBC Sports Group and
San Francisco Giants)

Picture format 1080i (HDTV)
480i (SDTV)
Country United States
Language English
Spanish (via SAP)
Broadcast area San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California, Central California, Southern Oregon, Nevada,Nationwide (via satellite)
Headquarters San Francisco
Formerly called Pacific Sports Network(1989–1991)
SportsChannel Bay Area (1990–1991)
SportsChannel Pacific (1991–1998)
Fox Sports Bay Area (1998–2000)
Fox Sports Net Bay Area (2000–2004)
FSN Bay Area (2004–2008)
Sister channel(s) Cable/satellite:
Comcast SportsNet California
Broadcast:
KNTV/San Jose
KSTS/San Francisco
Website www.csnbayarea.com
Availability
(some events may air on overflow feed Comcast SportsNet Bay Area Plus due to event conflicts)
Satellite
DirecTV 696 CSN Bay Area (SD/HD),697 CSN Plus (SD),697-1 CSN Plus (HD)
Dish Network 419 (HD/SD)
Comcast Cable 40 CSN Bay Area (SD),720 CSN Bay Area (HD),85 CSN Plus (SD),780 CSN Plus (HD)
Cable
Available on select U.S. cable systems in designated broadcast area Consult your local cable provider or program listings source for channel availability

CSN Bay Area is an American regional sports network that is owned as a joint venture between NBCUniversal and the San Francisco Giants, and operates as an affiliate of NBC Sports Group. Headquartered in San Francisco, the channel broadcasts regional coverage of professional sports events throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. CSN Bay Area's sister channel is Comcast SportsNet California. The president of the network is Ted Griggs.

History of the Network

The network was formed as a merger of two separate regional sports networks: the Pacific Sports Network, which launched in July 1, 1989 as an affiliate of the Prime Network and SportsChannel Bay Area, an owned-and-operated outlet of SportsChannel America that launched in April 1990 under the ownership of Rainbow Media, the broadcasting subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation. The two networks merged in July 1991 into SportsChannel Pacific.

On June 30, 1997, News Corporation and Liberty Media – which formed Fox Sports Net the year prior through News Corporation's partial acquisition of the Liberty-owned Prime Network group of regional sports networks – 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);[1][2] the three companies formed the venture National Sports Partners to run the owned-and-operated regional networks. The channel was rebranded as Fox Sports Bay Area in January 1998, at which time most of the SportsChannel networks (with the exception of SportsChannel Florida, which did not join the network until 2000) underwent a near-groupwide rebranding as part of their integration into the Fox Sports Net family.

The channel was then rebranded as Fox Sports Net Bay Area 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 Bay Area, through the networks' de-emphasis of the brand.

On April 30, 2007, Comcast purchased 50% interests in FSN Bay Area and FSN New England from Rainbow Media for $570 million.[3] Then on December 10, the San Francisco Giants acquired a 30% stake in FSN Bay Area,[4] with News Corporation becoming a minority partner in the network. As a result of Comcast becoming the majority interest holder, the network (after the sale was finalized in February 2008) was integrated into the company's own regional sports network group Comcast SportsNet, rebranding as Comcast SportsNet Bay Area on March 31, 2008.[5] CSN Bay Area became the first Comcast SportsNet-branded network to use a logo style (utilizing Comcast's then-universal corporate logo), similar to the current NBC-styled logo, that was later adopted by all the other NBC Sports regional networks on October 1, 2008.

Following Comcast's purchase of majority control of NBCUniversal, which already owned NBC owned-and-operated station KNTV (channel 11) and Telemundo O&O KSTS (channel 48), on April 19, 2011, the network announced plans to build an additional set specifically for use on sports segments seen on KNTV's newscasts. The revamp would also include in-depth interviews in addition to providing scores and highlights, and utilize CSN Bay Area's sports anchors and analysts.[6]

Programming Overview and History

CSN Bay Area holds the regional cable television rights to the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball and the NBA's Golden State Warriors, and also televises select games from Major League Soccer's San Jose Earthquakes along with sister network Comcast SportsNet California.

The channel also broadcasts college sports sanctioned by the West Coast Conference. Select high school sports events are also occasionally broadcast on the network.

Until 2004, the network also broadcast games involving the NBA's Sacramento Kings. Following the expiration of their contracts with the then-FSN Bay Area, the owners of the Kings partnered with Comcast to create CSN Bay Area's sister channel, Comcast SportsNet West (now CSN California).CSN Bay Area was also home to the Oakland Athletics Major League Baseball franchise until the end of the 2008 season, when the team's games also moved to CSN California; similarly, CSN Bay Area was the home of the NHL's San Jose Sharks until the end of the 2008–09 NHL season when their games also moved to Comcast SportsNet California. CSN Bay Area also televised select California Golden Bears and Stanford Cardinal sports not on national television before the third-tier rights to their games moved to Pac-12 Network upon its launch in 2012.

Through its partial ownership by Fox, CSN Bay Area formerly carried programming distributed nationally for Fox Sports Networks affiliates, even after relinquishing controlling ownership of the network to Comcast and the Giants. This included access to a variety of college sports, notably Sunday telecasts of men's and women's basketball games from the Atlantic Coast Conference, Pac-12 basketball games on various nights, as well as Saturday telecasts of football games from the Pac-12 and Big 12 Conferences during their respective seasons. Most of that programming has shifted to Fox Sports' national sports network Fox Sports 1 or Fox College Sports, with Comcast SportsNet having dropped FSN-distributed programming in September 2012 after the two parties were unable to renew their program content agreement.[7] This arrangement was formed to secure national coverage for its lineup of collegiate sports events.

The channel also aired simulcasts of radio shows such as The Dan Patrick Show until those programs were inherited by NBC Sports Network. In 2011, Comcast integrated the CSN networks, including CSN Bay Area into the new subsidiary NBC Sports Group (pictured above), culminating with the addition of the peacock logo and an updated graphics package to mirror that of its parent network.

Current Programs

CSN Bay Area's SportsNet Central is a half-hour newscast featuring in-depth, comprehensive news coverage on the local teams, interviews with players and coaches, expert analysis, breaking local and national news, up-to-the-minute scores, the extensive video highlights and daily insider reports. SportsNet Central airs seven nights a week at 6 p.m., 10:30 p.m. and midnight.

Hosted by veteran Bay Area sports announcer Jim Kozimor, SportsTalk Live – airs Monday-Friday at 5 p.m. on CSN Bay Area – is a live, hour-long sports talk show featuring opinionated commentary, in-depth analysis and lively debate on the day's trending sports stories. The show features a wide array of guests including local and national media, athletes, coaches, front-office executives and other notables from the sports and entertainment industries.

Prior to every home game at Levi's Stadium, CSN Bay Area kicks off its 49ers game day coverage with 49ers Pregame Live – the only live, locally produced 49ers pregame show. 49ers Pregame Live – a one-hour pregame show – provides the latest game day news, player updates, a detailed X's and O's game preview breakdown and analysis and on-field pregame reports. 49ers Pregame Live is hosted by CSN's award-winning anchor/reporter Dave Feldman, former 49ers defensive end and Super Bowl XXIX champion Dennis Brown, and former 49ers running back and Super Bowl XXIX champion Ricky Watters. Plus, CSN's 49ers reporter Mindi Bach, CSNBayArea.com 49ers Insider Matt Maiocco, and 49ers radio play-by-play announcer Ted Robinson will provide additional pregame coverage with up-to-the-minute game day information. 49ers Pregame Live broadcasts live from the Faithful Mile – the official tailgate party location of 49ers games at Levi's Stadium – one hour prior to every home game during the season.

49ers Postgame Live, "the official postgame show of the 49ers," is a comprehensive one-hour show featuring in-depth game analysis, locker room interviews and player reactions, full coverage of head coach Chip Kelly and key players’ press conferences and a preview of the following week's game. 49ers Postgame Live is hosted by Dave Feldman and features detailed postgame analysis from Dennis Brown and Ricky Watters. Mindi Bach and Matt Maiocco will also provide immediate postgame interviews and reaction from 49ers players and coaches. During home games, the network broadcasts from its exclusive, state-of-the-art television studio – CSN Bay Area Studios at Levi's Stadium.

49ers Central, a half-hour show, is hosted by Dave Feldman along with weekly contributions from 49ers analysts Dennis Brown and Ricky Watters, 49ers reporter Mindi Bach, and Insider Matt Maiocco. Throughout the NFL season, 49ers Central features interviews with players and coaches, examines the pivotal plays from the previous week's game, and provides extensive analysis of the 49ers’ upcoming opponents. The show can be seen regularly on Wednesdays with re-airs throughout the week on CSN Bay Area.

Hosted by Dave Feldman along with analysis from Dennis Brown, Ricky Watters, and CSNBayArea.com Senior Insider Ray Ratto, 49ers Press Conference Live presents coverage from Chip Kelly's weekly press conference from the 49ers practice facility in Santa Clara. The one-hour program originates from the network's San Francisco studios, with Mindi Bach and Matt Maiocco reporting live from Santa Clara. Throughout the season, 49ers Press Conference Live airs at 12 p.m. the day following the game on CSN Bay Area.

Prior to the Golden State Warriors regular season and postseason games, fans can catch the latest team developments, interviews with players and coaches, and game previews on Warriors Pregame Live. Immediately following the game, Warriors Postgame Live give viewers an in-depth game breakdown with stats and highlights, locker room interviews, and a preview of the next game. Warriors Pregame Live and Warriors Postgame Live are anchored by three-time California Sportscaster of the Year Greg Papa with expert analysis from former Warriors general manager and head coach Garry St. Jean. Additional analysis will be provided by CSNBayArea.com's Warriors Insider Monte Poole and sideline reporter Rosalyn Gold-Onwude.

Each month of the NBA season, Warriors Central – a monthly half-hour magazine-style show –give fans an inside look at the Warriors both on and off the court. Hosted by Rosalyn Gold-Onwude, Warriors Central feature interviews with players, coaches and members of the front office, behind-the-scenes footage, exciting game highlights, and more.

Prior to the San Francisco Giants regular season and postseason games, Giants Pregame Live will provide a preview of the upcoming contest, exclusive pregame interviews, feature stories on Giants players and the latest team news. Immediately following the game, Giants Postgame Live will provide in-depth game analysis, game highlights, clubhouse interviews with coaches and players, player reactions and a preview of the next contest. The shows are anchored by three-time California Sportscaster of the Year Greg Papa, along with an analyst rotation of former Giants Jeremy Affeldt, Rich Aurilia, Vida Blue, Shawn Estes, Tim Flannery, Bill Laskey and Randy Winn.

Each month of the MLB season, G Mag – a monthly half-hour magazine show – give fans an inside look at the San Francisco Giants both on and off the field. Hosted by Amy Gutierrez, G Mag feature in depth interviews with players, coaches, and members of the organization, behind the scenes access, game highlights and more.

Additional Channels

Besides the main channel and its sister channel Comcast SportsNet California, CSN Bay Area also operates two additional channels to distribute their programming. CSN Plus is an overflow channel utilized by both CSN Bay Area and CSN California for scheduling conflicts when more than one team broadcast by the network is playing at the same time.[8] If there are additional scheduling conflicts, such as when the Warriors, Sharks and Kings play simultaneously, one game will air on CSN Plus.[9] CSN Bay Area's live Warriors coverage is accessible through the Live Extra video player on CSNBayArea.com, or via the NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets, which can be downloaded from the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, and on select devices.

Events

CSN Bay Area plays a role in the community outside of sporting events. CSN founded the "All-Star Teacher" program to recognize excellence in middle and high school teachers in Northern and Central California that show an extraordinary dedication to their students and respective communities. In July, five finalists are honored at an on field ceremony at AT&T Park, in which CSN President Ted Griggs announces the winner (pictured), who wins

$20,000 for his or her school.[10] The other four finalists each receive $2,000 for their respective schools.[11]

For the past two years, CSN Bay Area has hosted the Coaching Corps Game Changer Awards, supporting the mission to provide youth from under-resourced communities access to trained coaches and the benefits of sports activities and team-based training.[12] The event features top Bay Area professional athletes, such as Stephen Curry and Hunter Pence, celebrating the influence coaches have had on their lives and in the community.[13] Additional awards handed out include the "Coaching Corps Lifetime Achievement Award" and "Volunteer Coach of the Year Award." The 90 minute program is hosted by CSN Bay Area's Dave Feldman and Ahmed Fareed, along with Rosalyn Gold-Onwude. CSN's broadcast shows the award ceremony and celebrates the profound influence that those being honored have had on their players and community.[14]

CSN Bay Area hosts Say Hey Tuesday, live shows on location from AT&T Park before every Tuesday home game for the San Francisco Giants. Every Tuesday night home game that the network broadcasts, Giants Pregame Live (6:30 p.m.) and Giants Postgame Live (after the game) originates from Willie Mays Plaza. SportsTalk Live (5 p.m.) will occasionally air from Willie Mays Plaza for Say Hey Tuesday. The general public is encouraged to attend the live broadcasts. Additionally, fans receive free CSN giveaways. CSN works closely with the Giants organization in their preseason fan fest every February, aimed at getting fans excited for the upcoming season.[15]

CSN Bay Area hosts Authentic Fan Friday at Oracle Arena for every Friday Warriors home game during the regular season. Fans will receive a collector's edition cheer card and free CSN giveaways and will have the opportunity to win Warriors tickets. Fans sitting in the "Authentic Fan" section will also have the chance to be seen on the CSN telecast.[16]

On-air staff

Current Staff

References

  1. ↑ "Fox putting together national Sports Net // Changes ahead for SportsChannel". Chicago Sun-Times. June 24, 1997. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  2. ↑ John M. Higgins (June 30, 1997). "National net keys regional deal. (Fox Sports, Liberty Media Corp. challenge ESPN with stake in SportsChannel)". Broadcasting & Cable. Reed Business Information. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  3. ↑ Cynthia Littleton (April 30, 2007). "Comcast sports new cable networks". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  4. ↑ John Dempsey (December 10, 2007). "SF Giants take stake in FSN". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Authentic Opening Day". FSN Bay Area.
  6. ↑ "Comcast to provide sports content for KNTV". San Francisco Chronicle. April 19, 2011.
  7. ↑ John Ourand (August 14, 2012). "NBC Sports Group Drops FSN Programming From Comcast RSNs". Sports Business Journal. Advance Publications. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Comcast Sportsnet Plus TV listings". San Jose Sharks.
  9. ↑ Amie Sheridan (November 12, 2013). "NBC Sports Live Extra for iPhone loaded with VOD, But Heavy on Ads". Sports Business Daily. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Teachers $20K win will help students in need". Gilroy Dispatch. September 25, 2015.
  11. ↑ Mike Aldax (July 9, 2015). "Kennedy High all-star teacher Ian Bader wins $2,000 for school". Richmond Standard.
  12. ↑ "Coaching Corps, CSN Bay Area Announce 2nd Annual "Coaching Corps Game Changer Awards", Top Bay Area Athletes to Honor Influential Coaches and Mentors". Yahoo Finance. January 14, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Steph Curry thanks his coach, and more, at the CSN Game Changer Awards". Levi Strauss. February 3, 2016.
  14. ↑ "2nd Annual Coaching Corps Game Changer Awards". Coaching Corps. January 15, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Thousands Attend Giants FanFest".
  16. ↑ "Authentic Fan Friday".
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