Cox Sports Television
| Cox Sports Television | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Launched | October, 2002 |
| Owned by | Cox Communications |
| Country | United States |
| Broadcast area | Regional (Gulf South) |
| Headquarters | Metairie, Louisiana |
| Website | www.coxsportstv.com |
Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| Dish Network | 421 |
| Cable | |
| Available on some cable systems in the Gulf South region | Check local listings |
Cox Sports Television (CST) is a regional sports network that serves the United States Gulf South region. It launched in October 2002 and is owned by Cox Communications.
The creation of the network played a key role in the relocation of the New Orleans Hornets from Charlotte, NC. The only regional sports network serving New Orleans area viewers at the time was Fox Sports Southwest, and its coverage of Louisiana sporting events was limited.
Programming
The network was the exclusive local television home of the New Orleans Hornets of the National Basketball Association from the 2002-03 season until the 2011-12 season. [1] It is currently the home of the New Orleans Zephyrs of the AAA Pacific Coast League, and also broadcasts preseason games of the National Football League's New Orleans Saints. Local college sports on the network are LSU Tigers men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, and rebroadcasts of football games on a tape-delayed basis, as well as coverage of the Bulldogs, Southern Jaguars and Lady Jaguars, New Orleans Privateers, Southeastern Louisiana Lions, Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, and other regional college teams. The LHSAA has a contract to broadcast championship events in football, boys' and girls' basketball, volleyball, baseball, and softball, as well as an additional 14 football games on a weekly basis.
Also broadcast on CST are ESPN Plus out-of-market college football and basketball games, contests from the CFL, coaches' shows for the above-mentioned teams, outdoors programming, ESPNews, and assorted other events, as well as "CST Tonight", an hour-long highlights/news show. CST is also produces, and airs, the Saints' coaches' show.
Availability
The channel is available in eight states on Cox, Suddenlink, Comcast, Charter, and a few other smaller cable companies. (1)
Dish Network also carries the channel as part of their regional sports package.
A deal has yet to be reached with either AT&T U-verse or DirecTV.
Carriage controversy
From 2005-2010, Charter had no deal in place to carry the network in Louisiana, despite having one in place at the channel's launch in 2002. Because of this, Hornets games were not available to people living outside of the New Orleans metro area during this time. In 2008, there was an attempt to reach a deal by having three Hornets games available to Charter customers before that year's NBA All-Star Game, but talks fell through and no deal was made.
On December 15, 2010, it was announced that a deal was finally reached with Charter to carry the network again starting in 2011. This was done in belief that the Hornets would stay in Louisiana for the long haul.[2]
On January 1, 2011, All of Charter's Louisiana systems started carrying the network's standard feed again, along with its HD feed.[3]
Personalities
- Victor Howell - CST Tonight anchor
- Paul Crane - CST Tonight anchor
- Lyn Rollins - LSU play by play
- Greg Bowser - LSU football analyst
- Jordy Hultberg - LSU football sideline reporter, LSU basketball analyst
- Ronnie Rantz - LSU baseball analyst
- Todd Kalas - Southern University play by play
- Tim Brando - Saints preseason play by play
- Archie Manning - Saints preseason analyst
- Jon Stinchcomb - Saints preseason analyst
- Dennis McCain - High School play by play
- Rob Musemeche - High School analyst
- Eric Richey - Reporter
External links
References
- ↑ Is Cox changing sports strategy? Sports Business Journal, May 28, 2012
- ↑ Report: Hornets to be carried on Northshore cable WWL December 15, 2010
- ↑ Charter, Cox Sports Television sign La. distribution agreement CED December 20, 2010
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