FanDuel Sports Network Indiana explained

FanDuel Sports Network Indiana
Picture Format:720p (HDTV)
480i (SDTV)
Network:FanDuel Sports Network
Owner:Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios (Diamond Sports Group)[1]
Country:United States
Language:English
Area:Central Indiana
Nationwide (via DirecTV; games only)
Headquarters:St. Louis, Missouri
Former Names:FSN Indiana (2006–2008)
Fox Sports Indiana (2008–2021)
Bally Sports Indiana (2021-2024)
Replaced:Fox Sports Midwest (within designated broadcast area)
Sister Channels:FanDuel Sports Network Midwest
Availability Note:
Online Serv 1:FanDuel Sports Network app
Online Chan 1:
Online Serv 2:DirecTV Stream
Online Chan 2:Internet Protocol television
Online Serv 3:FuboTV
Online Chan 3:Internet Protocol television

FanDuel Sports Network Indiana is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, and operates as an affiliate of FanDuel Sports Network. The channel broadcasts local professional and high school sports coverage throughout the state of Indiana, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Indianapolis, namely the NBA's Indiana Pacers.

The channel is available on cable providers throughout Central Indiana, and is also available nationwide on DirecTV.

History

FanDuel Sports Network was launched as FSN Indiana was launched on November 1, 2006, as a spin-off channel of Fox Sports Midwest, after the regional sports network obtained the exclusive regional cable television rights to broadcast games from the Indiana Pacers NBA franchise. The first live sporting event broadcast on FSN Indiana featured the Pacers at the Charlotte Bobcats on the day of launch at 7PM. The game was preceded by the special Beyond the Glory:Reggie Miller and a one hour pregame show.[2]

A high definition simulcast feed of Fox Sports Indiana, launched on December 17, 2007, which broadcasts in the 720p format. Originally, the channel broadcast most of its Pacers game telecasts as well as Cincinnati Reds games from Fox Sports Ohio, and games and events broadcast nationally by Fox Sports Networks in HD. Today, nearly all programming is in HD.

On October 16, 2009, Dish Network removed Fox Sports Indiana and sister networks Fox Sports Midwest and Fox Sports Kansas City in a carriage dispute over a proposed increase in retransmission consent revenue paid by the satellite provider.[3] The dispute lasted for one year, with all three channels being restored on October 29, 2010, through the signing of a new carriage agreement.

On December 14, 2017, as part of a merger between both companies, The Walt Disney Company announced plans to acquire all 22 regional Fox Sports networks from 21st Century Fox, including Fox Sports Indiana. However, on June 27, 2018, the Justice Department ordered their divestment under antitrust grounds, citing Disney's ownership of ESPN. On May 3, 2019, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios (through their joint venture, Diamond Holdings) bought Fox Sports Networks from The Walt Disney Company for $10.6 billion.[4] The deal closed on August 22, 2019.[5] On November 17, 2020, Sinclair announced an agreement with casino operator Bally's Corporation to serve as a new naming rights partner for the FSN channels. Sinclair announced the new Bally Sports branding for the channels on January 27, 2021.[6] On March 31, 2021, coinciding with the start of the 2021 Major League Baseball season, Fox Sports Indiana was rebranded as Bally Sports Indiana, resulting in 18 other Regional Sports Networks renamed Bally Sports in their respective regions.[7] The first live sporting event shown on Bally Sports Indiana was the Pacers-Heat game at 7 PM on that day. It was preceded by the "Pacers Live" pregame show at 6:30 PM.[8]

On March 14, 2023, Diamond Sports filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.[9]

On October 16, 2024, it was revealed in a court filing that Diamond had reached a new sponsorship agreement with FanDuel Group, under which it intends to rebrand Bally Sports as the FanDuel Sports Network; on October 18, 2024, Diamond officially announced the rebranding, which will take effect October 21.[10] [11] Under the agreement, FanDuel will have the option to take a minority equity stake of up to 5% once Diamond Sports exits bankruptcy. The branding will be downplayed within programming related to high school sports.[12] [13]

Programming

FanDuel Sports Network Indiana holds the regional cable television rights to the Indiana Pacers. The channel also broadcasts select Major League Baseball games from its sister regional networks, airing Cincinnati Reds games televised by FanDuel Sports Network Ohio,[14] St. Louis Cardinals game telecasts originating from FanDuel Sports Network Midwest and Detroit Tigers games from FanDuel Sports Network Detroit to areas of the state within the home television territories of those teams as defined by Major League Baseball.[15]

FanDuel Sports Network Indiana also broadcasts athletic events from the Missouri Valley Conference and Indiana High School Athletic Association.[16]

On December 10, 2016, FanDuel Sports Network Indiana, then Fox Sports Indiana aired the first edition of Basketball Day Indiana, which comprised several high school, college and professional basketball games featuring Indiana-based teams.[17] The event was broadcast annually until 2021.[18]

Region servedMLBNBANHL
Cincinnati Reds
(FanDuel Sports Network Ohio)
Detroit Tigers
(FanDuel Sports Network Detroit)
St. Louis Cardinals
(FanDuel Sports Network Midwest)
Indiana PacersDetroit Pistons
(FanDuel Sports Network Detroit)
St. Louis Blues
(FanDuel Sports Network Midwest)
Central Indiana
Southwest Indiana
Fort Wayne

Former Programming

FanDuel Sports Network Indiana previously had right to the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. It has carried telecasts of events and conference magazine programs from the Atlantic 10 Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East Conference, Big 12 Conference, Conference USA, Western Athletic Conference, and Horizon League. Additionally, it aired weekly magazine programs for Notre Dame's football and men's basketball teams.

Notable on-air staff

Indiana Pacers

Indiana Fever

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Justice Department Approves Disney's Acquisition of 21st Century Fox With Divestiture of Regional Sports Networks . Littleton . Cynthia . June 27, 2018 . Variety . live . March 8, 2019. mdy-all. https://web.archive.org/web/20180627173834/https://variety.com/2018/biz/news/disney-21st-century-fox-justice-department-approval-1202859241/ . June 27, 2018 .
  2. Web site: Pacers Programming On FSN Indiana Tips Tonight . Indiana Pacers . FSN Indiana . July 1, 2021 . en.
  3. Web site: Dish Network Now Has the Hockey Blues. https://archive.today/20120913045922/http://www.tvpredictions.com/dishhockey101609.htm. dead. September 13, 2012. TVPredictions.com. October 16, 2009.
  4. Web site: Sinclair Clinches Disney-Regional Sports Networks Deal, Byron Allen Joins as Partner. Littleton. Cynthia. Variety. May 3, 2019 . en. May 5, 2019.
  5. Web site: Sinclair completes acquisition of regional sports networks from Disney. Bloomberg . August 22, 2019 . August 23, 2019.
  6. Web site: Novy-Williams. Eben. November 19, 2020. Bally's Buys Sinclair RSN Naming Rights As Part of Sports Betting Push. March 31, 2021. Sportico.com. en-US.
  7. Web site: Bally Sports, Coming March 31. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/7YLiKlSLkSM . December 15, 2021 . live. YouTube (Fox Sports Midwest) . March 17, 2021 . March 17, 2021.
  8. News: Newell . Nat . Pacers broadcasts will look different on Bally Sports Indiana starting Wednesday . April 1, 2021 . Indianapolis Star . March 31, 2021.
  9. News: Bouma. Luke. Bally Sports Just Declared Bankruptcy – The Death of RSNs?. March 14, 2023 . Cord Cutters News . March 14, 2023.
  10. Web site: Steinberg . Brian . 2024-10-18 . FanDuel Takes Over Naming Rights to Diamond Sports RSNs . 2024-10-19 . Variety . en-US.
  11. Web site: 2024-10-18 . Diamond Sports branded as FanDuel in new deal . 2024-10-19 . ESPN.com . en.
  12. Web site: Paul . Tony . Bally Sports Detroit set to become FanDuel Sports Network; what you need to know . 2024-10-17 . The Detroit News . en-US.
  13. Web site: Randles . Jonathan . 2024-10-16 . Diamond Seeks Approval to Rebrand From Bally Sports to FanDuel . 2024-10-17 . BNN Bloomberg . en.
  14. Web site: Fox Sports Indiana Announces 2011 Cincinnati Reds Telecast Schedule. Fox Sports Indiana. March 21, 2011.
  15. Web site: Cardinals on FSN. https://web.archive.org/web/20090626153558/http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/stl/schedule/fsn_faq.jsp. dead. June 26, 2009. St. Louis Cardinals. Major League Baseball.
  16. Web site: About Bally Sports Indiana . www.ballysports.com . April 19, 2021 . en.
  17. http://www.wibc.com/news/local-news/basketball-day-indiana-embrace-hoosier-hysteria-saturday "Basketball Day in Indiana": Embrace Hoosier Hysteria This Saturday
  18. News: Sims . Chris . Basketball Day Indiana to feature 27 hours of hoops for Hoosiers . April 19, 2021 . The Indianapolis Star . January 7, 2020.