Sportsnet West

Fuelled By Fans

via Wikipedia: Sportsnet · see source

Sportsnet West is one of the four regional feeds of Sportsnet, a Canadian sports media brand owned by Rogers Sports & Media. The network was originally launched in 1998 as CTV Sportsnet.

Quick Facts

Affiliation: Rogers Media
Content: All Edmonton Oilers regional telecasts and overflow via Sportsnet Oilers

Lore & Background

Sportsnet was approved by the CRTC in September 1996 under the tentative name S3. Baton Broadcasting Inc. held a 40% controlling interest, with 20% minority stakes held by Rogers Media and Liberty Media. The network launched on October 9, 1998, as CTV Sportsnet. When CTV purchased NetStar in 2000, the CRTC ordered CTV to sell either TSN or its stake in Sportsnet. CTV chose to retain TSN and sell its stake; Rogers acquired CTV's stake in the summer of 2001 and soon after renamed it Rogers Sportsnet. In 2004, Rogers bought the remaining 20 percent stake from Fox.

Reader's Guide

Sportsnet West is one of four regional feeds that air some common programming and simulcast major national events, but are capable of airing programming autonomously—most prominently regional programming. Only the local Sportsnet channel is available on analogue cable in each region, but all four channels are available nationally via digital cable (subject to blackouts for some out-of-market teams).

Did You Know?

Sportsnet was originally licensed as a category A service but has operated under deregulated category C licensing since 2011.
The network's first live sports event was an NHL opening night telecast between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers.
Sportsnet is the national cable rightsholder of the National Hockey League and holds full regional rights to three Canadian NHL franchises.