Rainbow Programming Holdings, a subsidiary of
Cablevision Systems Corp., announced it will launch
"American Sports Classic" (ASC), a new 24-hour vintage
sports service on July 9. The new network, which will
include old games, movies, documentaries and original
interviews, will draw on more than 5,000 hours of
programming from Rainbow's sports library. ASC also will
look to build upon Rainbow's existing relationships with
Phoenix Productions, makers of "Baseball's Greatest Games,"
and NFL Films. The network has currently acquired more than
5,000 hours of sports programming from other libraries. It
has also licensed sports-themed movies and documentaries and
has a multi-year production deal with Black Canyon
Productions and producer Lewis Bogach to create first-run,
original programs. ASC will be offered as a 24-hour stand-
alone service following its launch, which will be previewed
by up to 25 million subscribers via SportsChannel (Rainbow).
CLASSIC CONFRONTATION: ASC's announcement came as rival
Classic Sports Network (CSN) filed a formal complaint with
the FCC "accusing Cablevision of illegally blocking
distribution on Cablevision systems," according to Stefan
Fatsis of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. In a statement, CSN CEO
Brian Bedol said that Cablevision's plan for a vintage-
sports network resulted from its failure to acquire CSN and
said Cablevision's announcement, "coupled with its refusal
to carry Classic Sports in any meaningful way, would
constitute unfair competitive tactics" (WALL STREET JOURNAL,
3/18). Bedol: "This is part of their negotiation to try to
get us to sell to them. This makes it hard for them to deny
that they wanted to own us" (Jon Elsen, N.Y. POST, 3/18).
Cablevision said it "never made such a demand" for ownership
or distribution rights, but CSN execs say they have
"documentary evidence" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 3/18).
PROGRAMMING A GO OR A NO? The N.Y. TIMES' Richard
Sandomir disputed some of Rainbow's programming claims,
noting that although Cablevision "claims to have a deal"
with IMG's TV arm, TWI, "no one could confirm the existence
of such a deal. Nor does it have a deal for its new service
with N.F.L. Films, as it implied." Phoenix Productions Exec
Producer Geoff Belinfante also "contradicted" Rainbow's
claim that it will receive MLB programming from Phoenix,
saying: "They called for material, but not for a new
network. ... This is weird. Because of our relationship
with Classic, we wanted to go slowly" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/18).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Fatsis notes "it wasn't clear how
far along Cablevision was in acquiring the game footage" it
would need, and it "announced no agreements with any of the
major sports leagues" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/18).
CARRIAGE: The TIMES' Sandomir notes that Cablevision's
"effort has an edge" in its ability to sample ASC through
SportsChannel: "A major test will be whether Cablevision
refuses to carry Classic but carries its own service" (N.Y.
TIMES, 3/18). Rainbow CEO Josh Sapan said ASC would appear
from 6-18 hours daily "for as many as six months" on the
SportsChannel networks (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/18). The
N.Y. DAILY NEWS' George Mannes: "It's unclear which systems
will pick up the new service, but Cablevision will be able
to give it a big launch" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/18).
