| Fox Sports West Prime Ticket |
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|---|---|
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| Launched | West: 19 October 1985 (as Prime Ticket) Prime Ticket: January 1997 (as Fox Sports West 2) |
| Network | Fox Sports Networks |
| Owned by | Fox Entertainment Group |
| Picture format | 480i (SD) 720p (HD) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Broadcast area | Southern California, Central California, Southern Nevada, Hawaii |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles |
| Formerly called | Fox Sports West: Prime Ticket (1985–1994) Prime Sports West (1994–1996) Fox Sports West (1996-2000, 2008-present) Fox Sports Net West (2000-2004) FSN West (2004-2008) Prime Ticket: Fox Sports West 2 (1997-2000) Fox Sports Net West 2 (2000-2004) FSN West 2 (2004-2006) |
| Replaced | SportsChannel Los Angeles |
| Sister channel(s) | KTTV Los Angeles KCOP Los Angeles Fox Sports San Diego |
| Website | foxsportswest.com |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| DirecTV | 692 Fox Sports West (SD/HD) 693 Prime Ticket (SD/HD) |
| Dish Network | 411 Prime Ticket (SD/HD) 417 Fox Sports West (SD/HD) |
| Cable | |
| Available on select cable systems | Check local listings for channels |
Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket are Los Angeles-based regional sports networks serving Southern California, Central California, southern Nevada, and Hawaii. They are owned by Fox Cable Networks, a subsidiary of News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group.
Fox Sports West/Prime Ticket's general and sales offices are located in downtown Los Angeles, across from Staples Center.
Contents |
Team coverage [edit]
| Team | League | Number of telecasts (per season) |
Announcers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 50 | John Ahlers (play-by-play), Brian Hayward (color) |
| C.D. Chivas USA | MLS | 16 | Christian Miles (play-by-play), Bernardo Osuna (color) |
| Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | MLB American League |
150 | Victor Rojas (play-by-play), Mark Gubicza (color) |
| Los Angeles Clippers | NBA | 75 | Ralph Lawler (play-by-play), Mike Smith (color) |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | MLB National League |
100 | Vin Scully (play-by-play, home, California and Arizona road games), Eric Collins (play-by-play, other road games), Steve Lyons (color, other road games) |
| Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 65 | Bob Miller (play-by-play), Jim Fox (color) |
| Big West Conference | NCAA | varies | varies |
| West Coast Conference | NCAA | varies | varies |
History [edit]
1980s [edit]
Fox Sports West was launched on October 19, 1985 as the original Prime Ticket network. The network's founders were Dr. Jerry Buss, majority owner of the Lakers and then-majority owner of the Kings hockey team, and cable television pioneer Dr. Bill Daniels, who was a minority-interest owner in both franchises. Unlike many of the regional sports networks that were operating at the time of Prime Ticket's launching, the channel was (and still is) a basic cable channel, as opposed to being a premium cable service. The first contract with Prime Ticket was negotiated and signed by Tony Acone as President of Prime Ticket and Bob Kerstein as Chief Financial Officer of Falcon Cable TV. Leslie Watson, a CPA employed by the accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand joined Prime Ticket as its first Financial Controller through the early years of growth. Prior to the launch of Prime Ticket, Lakers and Kings games (primarily the non-nationally televised home games) were on the ONTV/SelecTV subscription service. Its original general offices were located in small office building located across the street from the Great Western Forum in Inglewood.
Prime Ticket became one of the leading regional sports networks in the country, rivaling that of New York's Madison Square Garden Network. The network was founded at the height of the Lakers' 1980s championship run, and also got a boost from the trade of Wayne Gretzky to the Kings in 1988. It was a charter affiliate of the Prime Network group of regional sports networks.
1990s [edit]
In 1990, the network became the cable television home of the then-California Angels, as well as serving as the cable home of the Clippers for one season (1990–91), before they moved to the now-defunct SportsChannel Los Angeles (originally Z Channel) the following season.
In August 1994, Buss and Daniels sold off Prime Ticket to Liberty Media, owner of Prime Network. It was rechristened Prime Sports West and became a sister network to Prime Sports Arizona (now Fox Sports Arizona), Prime Sports Midwest (now Fox Sports Midwest), Prime Sports Rocky Mountain (now Root Sports Rocky Mountain), SportSouth (now Fox Sports South), KBL (now Root Sports Pittsburgh), Prime Sports Northwest (now Root Sports Northwest) and PASS Sports (Pro-Am Sports Systems; now defunct).
In 1996, Prime Sports West became part of the new Fox Sports Net, which formed after News Corporation purchased the Prime Sports networks from Liberty Media. It was then that the network took on its current name. It was one year later that the new Fox Sports Net merged with SportsChannel America, to undertake its current configuration.
In January 1997, Fox Sports Net West 2 was formed to serve as a cable home for the Clippers, Dodgers, Ducks, and all other events that FSN West didn't have room for. This is after the December 1993 shut-down of SportsChannel Los Angeles, which left their home teams with only over-the-air and part-time cable coverage locally.
2000s [edit]
In 2001, Fox Sports West and West 2 relocated its offices and studios from the Century City section of Los Angeles to Downtown, in an office building two blocks east of Staples Center. During this time, they also opened and operated a streetside studio on the Staples Center exterior, at the southwest corner of 11th Street (Chick Hearn Court) and South Figueroa Street. However, in the fall 2009, just as rival ESPN opened its new Los Angeles-based broadcast center directly across the street, in the L.A. Live complex, Fox Sports West shuttered its streetside studio, and now produces its pre- and postgame reports at the site of each event being televised on each of the networks; as weather permits, most Clippers, Lakers, and Kings home pre- and postgame shows are produced at Star Plaza, near the main entrance of Staples Center. The former Fox Sports Staples Center studio is now a conference center, with Nike as the corporate sponsor.
On April 3, 2006, FSN West 2 officially became FSN Prime Ticket, (and later, simply as Prime Ticket), making its change with the season opener between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. The network's new philosophy is to concentrate more on local originally-produced content (such as Before the Bigs, In My Own Words, and team-themed Insider shows) and less on the supplemental programming provided nationally from Fox Sports Net.
For a small number of selected Lakers, Ducks, and Kings home telecasts on Fox Sports West, Prime Ticket provides an alternate feed known as "Courtside View", featuring distinct camera angles and no commentary to provide a broadcast simulating the experience of a spectator at the arena.
Loss of contracts to Time Warner Cable [edit]
In 2012, Fox Sports West and KCAL-TV lost coverage of the Lakers to Time Warner Cable SportsNet and Time Warner Cable Deportes, a new regional sports network established as a result of a 20-year agreement between the team and the cable provider, which begins with the 2012-13 season. The networks have also acquired the rights to air games featuring the Los Angeles Galaxy and Los Angeles Sparks.
Fox Sports West's current deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which are aired via sister network Prime Ticket, expires at the end of the 2013 MLB season. On June 20, 2011, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig rejected a proposed contract extension between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Prime Ticket, citing concerns that the contract was structured in a way that most of the proceeds would end up in the hands of beleaguered Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and not the Dodgers. [1] Both Fox Sports West and the Dodgers were involved in separate lawsuits over the team's broadcast rights as well as the sale of the club.[2][3] On January 10, 2012, Fox and the Dodgers reached a settlement in court, clearing the way for the sale of the team.[4] Fox's exclusive negotiating period with the Dodgers expired on November 30, 2012—leaving the team open to competing offers.[5]On January 22, 2013, reports surfaced that Time Warner Cable had agreed to be a partner with the Dodgers to form a new regional sports network, SportsNet LA, which would be majority-owned by the team.[6] The deal became official on January 28.[7]
Carriage in San Diego County [edit]
Fox Sports West has wide cable carriage in San Diego County. However Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications have refused to carry Prime Ticket in San Diego since it launched in 1997, claiming that the network asks too much money to be put on the expanded basic tier. It should be noted that some Time Warner Cable systems acquired from Adelphia receive Prime Ticket. Adelphia had added the channel to their lineup in 2001.
On March 17, 2012, as part of a deal to bring the San Diego Padres to FSN, a new channel Fox Sports San Diego was created for the San Diego market.[8] Fox Sports West continues to be available in San Diego. Fox Sports San Diego also shows programming (including most live sporting events) from Prime Ticket, which now makes Prime Ticket carriage unnecessary.
Because the San Diego Padres have the territory rights for all of San Diego County, games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are blacked out on Prime Ticket and Fox Sports West in that county no matter what the cable or satellite provider, requiring purchase of the MLB Extra Innings package to view those telecasts. All other sports programming with the exception of Angels baseball games on Fox Sports West and Dodgers baseball games on Prime Ticket are available in San Diego County.
On-air staff [edit]
- John Ahlers - Anaheim Ducks announcer
- Dain Blanton - High School Spotlight reporter, Lexus Gauntlet reporter, Clippers sideline reporter
- Michael Cage - USC commentator, Clippers Live analyst, Lakers Live analyst, Bruins Live analyst
- Eric Collins - Dodgers road announcer, for games East of Arizona.
- Michael Eaves - Clippers Live anchor, former Clippers Courtside anchor, former Southern California Sports Report anchor
- Sean Farnham - NCAA basketball analyst, host The Lexus Gauntlet, The High School Spotlight, sideline reporter
- Jim Fox - Los Angeles Kings commentator, former Kings "Break The Ice" analyst
- Adrian Garcia- Dodgers Live reporter
- Mark Gubicza - MLB analyst, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim commentator
- Brandon Hancock - Lexus Gauntlet reporter, co-host of High School Game of the Week coverage
- Brian Hayward - Anaheim Ducks commentator
- Marques Johnson - Pacific-10 basketball commentator, 2007 Trojans Live March Madness analyst
- Ralph Lawler - Los Angeles Clippers announcer
- Steve Lyons - Los Angeles Dodgers road commentator and Dodgers Live analyst
- Don MacLean - Clippers Live analyst and UCLA basketball commentator
- José Mota - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim announcer and reporter
- Joel Meyers - Los Angeles Lakers and Big 12 football announcer
- Bob Miller - Los Angeles Kings announcer
- Tom Murray - NHL analyst
- Norm Nixon - Lakers Live analyst
- Patrick O'Neal - Kings Live anchor, Dodgers Live Anchor, and Lakers Live Anchor. Formally a sideline reporter for the Lakers before assuming the anchor position in 2011, when Bill Macdonald became the play-by-play announcer.
- Petros Papadakis - USC football analyst and Pacific-10 football commentator
- Lindsay Rhodes - Trojans Live anchor, sideline reporter, former Southern California Sports Report anchor
- Ted Robinson - Pacific-10 basketball announcer
- Victor Rojas - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim announcer
- Vin Scully - Los Angeles Dodgers announcer (Beginning in the 2005 season, Scully worked only Dodger away games versus teams West of Colorado. In 2012, Scully will not travel further east than the Dodger road games versus the Arizona Diamondbacks; the exceptions to these occurred on June 18, 2010, when he traveled to Boston's Fenway Park to call the interleague game between the Dodgers and the Red Sox and when the Dodgers are participating in playoffs.)
- Michael Smith - Clippers commentator
- Charley Steiner - Dodgers road announcer
- Matt Stevens - UCLA football analyst
- Paul Sunderland - Pacific-10 and Big West basketball announcer, former Lakers announcer
- Barry Tompkins - Pacific-10 football and basketball announcer
- Jim Watson - Dodgers Live anchor, Pacific-10 announcer, sideline reporter, former "Dodgers Dugout" anchor, LA Galaxy announcer
Former on-air staff [edit]
- Heidi Androl - Los Angeles Kings reporter
- Todd Donoho - Southern California Sports Report anchor
- John Fricke - Southern California Sports Report anchor
- Carolyn Hughes - Southern California Sports Report anchor, 2005 Dodgers Dugout anchor
- Jack Haley - Lakers Live analyst, Big West basketball commentator
- Chick Hearn - Lakers play-by-play announcer (deceased)
- Rex Hudler - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim commentator, former "Angels in the Infield" analyst, Angels Live Analyst
- Eric Karros - 2003 Dodgers posteason studio analyst
- Kevin Kennedy - MLB analyst
- Tom Kelly - USC commentator
- Mark Langston - 2002 Angels postseason studio analyst
- Stu Lantz - Los Angeles Lakers commentator
- Barry Lebrock - Southern California Sports Report anchor
- Christine Nubla - Clippers and Ducks sideline reporter
- Chris McGee - Lakers Live reporter, Clippers live reporter, High School football announcer
- Bill Macdonald - Angels Live anchor, Ducks Live anchor, former Lakers Live anchor, Avengers football announcer, UCLA football and basketball announcer, former Kings "Break The Ice", "Duck on Ice" and "Angels in the Infield" anchor. Current play-by-play broadcaster for the Los Angeles Lakers.
- Rory Markas - Angels announcer (deceased)
- Marty McSorley - 2006 NHL analyst
- Rick Monday - Dodgers play-by-play announcer and Dugout analyst
- Ross Porter - Dodgers play-by-play announcer
- Steve Physioc - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim announcer, former Pacific-10 basketball announcer
- Pooh Richardson - 2006 Clippers Live Analyst
- Suzy Shuster - Southern California Sports Report anchor
- Christian Steckel - High School Spotlight reporter
- Paul Westphal - NBA analyst, USC basketball commentator
- Van Earl Wright - Southern California Sports Report anchor, 2004 Dodgers Dugout anchor and 2004 Kings "Break the Ice" anchor
References [edit]
- ^ Commish: TV deal not in Dodgers' best interests MLB News June 20, 2011
- ^ Dodgers sue Fox Sports over alleged interference in team's sale Los Angeles Times November 16, 2011
- ^ FOX Sports reportedly sues Dodgers FoxSports.com September 28, 2011
- ^ Settlement with Fox removes obstacle to sale of Dodgers USA Today January 12, 2012]
- ^ Dodgers, Fox Sports talking $6-billion TV deal Los Angeles Times November 25, 2012]
- ^ "Dodgers, Time Warner Cable have a deal". Dodgers Now. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ^ Dodgers announce deal with Time Warner, launch of SportsNet LA CBSSports.com January 28, 2013
- ^ Posner, Jay (February 16, 2012). "Fox Sports San Diego to launch in March". UT San Diego. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
See also [edit]
- Broadcasting of sports events
- Fox Broadcasting Company
- Fox Sports
- Fox Sports Net
- SportsChannel Los Angeles
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