| Fox Sports Houston | |
|---|---|
| Launched | April 2005 (FS Southwest feed) January 12, 2009 (Standalone feed) |
| Network | Fox Sports Net |
| Owned by | Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation (2005-present) |
| Picture format | 480i (SD) 720p (HD) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | American English |
| Broadcast area | Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Eastern New Mexico, and Arkansas |
| Headquarters | The Woodlands, Texas |
| Sister channel(s) | Fox Sports Southwest Fox Sports Oklahoma KRIV KTXH |
| Website | Fox Sports Houston Official Website |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| DirecTV | 678 (SD) 678-1 (HD) |
| Dish Network | Channels vary by date |
| Cable | |
| Available on many cable systems in Texas | Check Local Listings |
Fox Sports Houston (stylized as FS HOUSTON) is a regional sports network that covers sports in Houston, Texas. The network operates out of Downtown Houston.
It is the home for the Houston Rockets (NBA), Houston Aeros (AHL), Houston Astros (MLB), Houston Dynamo (MLS) plus Houston Cougars (NCAA) and Rice Owls (NCAA) coverage of the Conference USA athletic conference. It also features local Houston-area high school sports.
Beginning as a subfeed of sister network Fox Sports Southwest in 2005, the network became its own 24-hour channel on January 12, 2009. [1]
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A separate FSN feed for Houston and the surrounding area began in 2005, just as the Astros and Rockets were working together to establish their own local sports network with the city's then-dominant cable television provider, Time Warner Cable. For the better part of two seasons (2003–2005), all Rockets games not nationally televised on cable were only available on over-the-air television, splitting games between KNWS-TV and the then-KHWB (now KIAH). Working out with the new deal with the Astros and Rockets, FSN decided to establish a completely separate feed for Houston and its surrounding outer television markets, however just operating evenings and weekends, while the Fox Sports Southwest brand continues to air in the rest of the dayparts. In addition to Astros and Rockets telecasts, FSN Houston also broadcast games featuring the University of Houston and Rice University football and basketball teams, and local high school sports. The channel also features a Houston-branded edition of the Southwest Sports Report, the network's nightly sports news and highlights program.
Fox Sports Houston produces Rockets and Astros games for co-owned KTXH.
On January 12, 2009 Fox Sports Houston split from Fox Sports Southwest and re-launched as a 24 hour stand-alone channel. The new feed allows the station to provide more local content and have its own identity, as well as show replays of Houston Rockets and Astros games, which the station had not been able to do before, according to Ramon Alvarez, spokesman for Fox Sports Houston. It also allows for more extensive Houston Texans coverage. Previously, Fox Sports Southwest’s Dallas feed was carried in Houston for most non-event programming. [1]
Due to lack of bandwidth, DirecTV and Dish Network still treat Fox Sports Houston as a subfeed and only turn it on during Rockets and Astros games.
Most Rockets and Astros games and national Fox Sports Net games and events on Fox Sports Houston are available in 720p high definition. Prior to July 2009, the HD version of the channel was only on the air during games and displayed colored test pattern bars the rest of the time. Since July 2009, FS Houston HD has transitioned to full time channel although live sports games as well as their late night replays are the only programs in HD.
A small logo bug on the top right corner of the screen is displayed during programming, reading FSHOUSTON. This is shown during most shows as well as nationally-broadcast games (with the FS colored in light blue). This changes during local games, though. During Rockets games and Rockets Live, the logo changes to FSROCKETS (with the FS in red). Finally, during Astros games and Astros Live, the logo is FSASTROS (with the FS shown in a red).
Fox Sports Houston will continue to be the television home of the Astros through the 2012 season, and the Rockets until the completion of the 2011-12 season. The following seasons, Comcast SportsNet Houston will begin its reign as the home to both teams. [2] Although losing the Astros and Rockets will be a huge programming loss for Fox Sports Houston, the network has announced it will continue broadcasting after their leave. Fox recently signed the Texas Rangers to a $1.6 billion contract over 20 years thus allowing Fox Sports Houston to continue broadcasting Rangers games in the Houston market. Other programming that the network will broadcast includes Houston Texans-related programming and Big 12 Conference football and basketball. [3] The Houston Dynamo of MLS has yet to announce whether they will keep Fox Sports Houston as a broadcasting partner or follow the Astros and Rockets to Comcast SportsNet Houston.
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