New Lakers Networks
Encyclopedia
The new Lakers networks are future regional sports networks that will carry Los Angeles Lakers
games, starting in the 2012-13 NBA season. The two networks, each in English and Spanish, are a joint venture between the Lakers and Southern California division of Time Warner Cable
. The Lakers' telecasts on these channels are expected to be carried in high definition in both English and Spanish. The Lakers' Spanish network will be the first of its kind among regional sports networks in the United States.
On February 14, 2011, the NBA franchise and the cable television provider signed a 20-year agreement (reportedly worth $3 billion over the life of the agreement, according to some sources) to take effect starting in fall 2012, and will televise every Laker game not designated for an exclusive broadcast by either ABC or TNT. The new venture will also end long-standing broadcast partnerships with KCAL-TV
, which has televised (dating back to its days as KHJ-TV) Laker road games since the 1977–78 season, and with Fox Sports West, which in all of its incarnations has broadcast the team's home games since the 1985–86 season
. The Lakers will join a growing list of sports franchises in North America that will have a stake (whether wholly owned or partial) in a regional cable sports network, as well as being a part of growing list of NBA franchises that will abandon over-the-air local telecasts in favor of their games being available exclusively on cable and satellite television. Besides live games, much in the mold of other team-owned cable networks (such as YES
, NESN
, Altitude
, and SportsTime Ohio
), the new networks will also feature a team news magazine program, classic games, profiles featuring Laker players past and present, and exclusive video-on-demand content to be broadcast both online and on television.
As part of the agreement with Time Warner, the team stated that it will work with the cable provider to ensure that non-Time Warner subscribers within the Lakers' designated broadcast territory (all of Southern California, including the San Diego and Palm Springs DMAs, as well as Southern Nevada and Hawaii) will have access to the two networks. Presently, it is unknown whether other television service providers, such as DirecTV
, Dish Network
, Cox Communications
, Charter Communications
, AT&T U-verse, and Verizon FIOS
will carry the Laker networks.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
games, starting in the 2012-13 NBA season. The two networks, each in English and Spanish, are a joint venture between the Lakers and Southern California division of Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
. The Lakers' telecasts on these channels are expected to be carried in high definition in both English and Spanish. The Lakers' Spanish network will be the first of its kind among regional sports networks in the United States.
On February 14, 2011, the NBA franchise and the cable television provider signed a 20-year agreement (reportedly worth $3 billion over the life of the agreement, according to some sources) to take effect starting in fall 2012, and will televise every Laker game not designated for an exclusive broadcast by either ABC or TNT. The new venture will also end long-standing broadcast partnerships with KCAL-TV
KCAL-TV
KCAL-TV, channel 9, is an independent television station in Los Angeles, California, USA, owned by the CBS Corporation. KCAL-TV shares its studio facilities with KCBS-TV inside CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, and its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson.-Digital...
, which has televised (dating back to its days as KHJ-TV) Laker road games since the 1977–78 season, and with Fox Sports West, which in all of its incarnations has broadcast the team's home games since the 1985–86 season
1985–86 Los Angeles Lakers season
-NBA Draft:The 1985 NBA Draft took place on June 18, 1985. It was also the first NBA Draft of the "Lottery" era. The lottery was put into place so teams did not have to intentionally lose games to receive the number one pick.-Player stats:...
. The Lakers will join a growing list of sports franchises in North America that will have a stake (whether wholly owned or partial) in a regional cable sports network, as well as being a part of growing list of NBA franchises that will abandon over-the-air local telecasts in favor of their games being available exclusively on cable and satellite television. Besides live games, much in the mold of other team-owned cable networks (such as YES
YES Network
The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
, NESN
New England Sports Network
The New England Sports Network, or NESN [NESS-en], is a regional cable television network that covers the six New England states except Fairfield County, Connecticut and Southbury, Connecticut, a town in New Haven County, Connecticut which is covered by New York City sports networks...
, Altitude
Altitude Sports and Entertainment
Altitude Sports and Entertainment is a regional sports network that serves the Rocky Mountain region, specifically Denver. It officially launched on Sept...
, and SportsTime Ohio
SportsTime Ohio
SportsTime Ohio is a regional sports network in Cleveland and northern Ohio, launched in 2006. It was created to air Cleveland Indians games, and is owned by the family which owns the team. It is also the cable television home of the Cleveland Browns...
), the new networks will also feature a team news magazine program, classic games, profiles featuring Laker players past and present, and exclusive video-on-demand content to be broadcast both online and on television.
As part of the agreement with Time Warner, the team stated that it will work with the cable provider to ensure that non-Time Warner subscribers within the Lakers' designated broadcast territory (all of Southern California, including the San Diego and Palm Springs DMAs, as well as Southern Nevada and Hawaii) will have access to the two networks. Presently, it is unknown whether other television service providers, such as DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
, Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
, Cox Communications
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
, Charter Communications
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
, AT&T U-verse, and Verizon FIOS
Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...
will carry the Laker networks.