NBA TV
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
NBA TV is a television network that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association (NBA), which also used NBA TV as a way of advertising their Pay Per View programming. Like The Golf Channel, The Tennis Channel, and, during the 1980s, The Boxing Channel, NBA TV dedicates all of its programming to the sport it showcases. At houses with DirecTV and most cable television companies, the channel can be viewed twenty-four hours a day.
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[edit] Early years
Started in 1999 as nba.com tv, the channel, which has its studios at NBA Entertainment in Secaucus, New Jersey, began a multi-year deal with American television companies Cox Communications, Cablevision, and Time Warner on June 28, 2003, allowing the network to expand to 45 million American homes, and 30 different countries. NBA TV replaced Time Warner's CNN/SI on many cable systems after that network shut down a year earlier.
[edit] Programming
NBA TV offers basketball news every day, as well as programming showcasing basketball players' individual lifestyles, life as a basketball team during an NBA season, famous games of the past, and, mostly four days a week (occasionally 5, 6, or even 7 days a week, but no less than 4 days a week), live NBA basketball games (unlike ESPN, blackout restrictions apply on NBA TV's live NBA games, meaning games available on the local channel are blacked out on NBA TV at the local area, while ESPN does not have this restriction).
The channel also shows international games, typically on Saturday evenings, with special emphasis on the Euroleague and the Maccabi Tel Aviv team from Israel. In April 2005, the channel televised the Chinese Basketball Association finals for the first time. [1] NBA TV has 100 regular season games on their schedule for the 2006-07 NBA season, about half of which are also available in high definition. NBA TV also broadcasts WNBA games nationally, along with ESPN2.
[edit] Personalities
NBA TV broadcasters include Andre Aldridge, Ala Albdelnaby, Rick Kamla, Gary Apple, Fred "Mad Dog" Carter, Hall of Famer Gail Goodrich and Bruce Beck, as well as New York area journalists Peter Vecsey and Frank Isola. Spero Dedes left NBA TV to become the radio voice of the Los Angeles Lakers. On the production side, NBA TV[2] has veteran statistician's Dave Katz & Andy Renga.
[edit] International presence
In 2001, Raptors NBA TV begin airing in Canada. Although quite similar to NBA TV, there is a larger focus on the Toronto Raptors basketball team, mainly due to Canadian content requirements.
In 2004, NBA TV began to be seen in Venezuela. Hungry to see American basketball players in action, many Venezuelans asked for the channel, and President Hugo Chávez obliged. Venezuelans receive the NBA TV signal on Saturday nights, and Chávez allows for one recorded game to be shown, although he has chosen two sports broadcasters to do the game's coverage, and he advised them to speak well about his presidential campaign during the transmissions of these recorded games.
As of 2006, NBA TV coverage can be seen in 40 countries via the following partners:
- Hong Kong Cable (Hong Kong)
- Orbit Satellite Television and Radio Network (Pan-Middle East)
- CanalSatellite (France)
- Basketball TV (Philippines)
- NTV (Turkey)
- Raptors NBA TV (Canada)
- NTV Plus (Russia)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Broadcast sports divisions: ESPN on ABC • CBS Sports • Fox Sports • NBC Sports
National cable/satellite networks: ESPN • ESPN2 • ESPN Classic • ESPNEWS • Fox Sports Net • Versus
Specialty networks: Big Ten Network (launches Aug. 2007) • CSTV • ESPNU • Fox College Sports • Fox Soccer Channel • Fuel TV • GOL TV • Horse Racing TV • Men's Outdoor and Recreation • MountainWest Sports Network • NBA TV • NFL Network • Setanta Sports • SPEED Channel • The Golf Channel • The Outdoor Channel • The Tennis Channel • TVG
Occasional broadcasts: HBO • Showtime • Spike TV • Superstation WGN • TBS • TNT • USA Network • Sci Fi Channel • The CW • ION Television • MyNetworkTV
Regional sports networks: Fox Sports Net • 4SD • Altitude • Comcast SportsNet • CSS • CST • MASN • MSG • NESN • SportSouth • SNY • STO • Sun Sports • YES
Syndicators: ESPN Plus • LF Sports • Raycom Sports
Spanish language: ESPN Deportes • Fox Sports en Español
Broadband services: ESPN360 • WCSN
Defunct networks: C-SET • CNNSI • Empire • Mizlou • OnTV • SCORE • SportsChannel America • SportsChannel Los Angeles • Sports Time • TVS • Victory Sports
