TVS Television Network
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The TVS Television Network was one of several "occasional" national television networks that sprang up in the early 1960s to take advantage of the establishment of independent (mostly UHF) television stations and relaxation of the AT&T long-line usage rates.
Founded by Eddie Einhorn, the network originally telecast college basketball games to regional networks at a time that the sport was of no interest to the national networks. Taking advantage of intense regional collegiate rivalries, the network blossomed in the 1960s and developed into a full service sports network. While college basketball remained the TVS Television Network's signature series, they also expanded into tennis, college football bowl games, NASL pro soccer, tennis, and golf.
In 1968, they broke the college basketball audience viewing record with the legendary Houston vs. UCLA game from the then remarkable Houston Astrodome. TVS later entered into a cooperative agreement with NBC Sports in order to augment NBC's regional college baketball coverage (NBC talent, TVS production crews). In 1974, they added the World Football League and the network became recognized as a national presence.
In the 1970s, TVS began producing entertainment programming, including Frank Sinatra: The Main Event in 1974. For many years, TVS produced sports and entertainment programming from Las Vegas including The Alan King Tennis Championship at Caesars Palace; Arm Wrestling at the Imperial Palace, Fun Moments in Sports at Bally's; Bowling from Sam's Town and the Showboat; and One Club Golf from the Desert Inn.
By 1980, Eddie Einhorn had sold his interest in the network and became the head of CBS Sports, and later became an owner of the Chicago White Sox. The network stalled in the 1990s and passed through several owners before being acquired by Margate Entertainment Company in 2005. Today, the network continues to distribute programming via TV, home video, and the Web in North and South America. The Copyright Group distributes TVS internationally. They have also returned to Las Vegas, shooting new versions of The Hollywood Palace at the Plaza Casino Hotel.
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