Nickelodeon's Scott Fishman says there isn't a joke he hasn't already heard about Nick's newest children's cable network: GAS.
But considering the major contracts being landed by the fledgling network, the vice president and general manager may have the last laugh.
Barely six weeks old, GAS — formally known as Games and Sports for Kids — has inked new partnerships with Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and Major League Soccer.
The agreements allow GAS to show footage of baseball games, provide access to players and provide exclusive soccer play of the week reports.
It's a giant step forward for the Nickelodeon spin-off — even more so because the network is expected to reach only a handful of viewers initially. Unlike Nickelodeon, GAS is an all-digital network, available only through digital cable providers or through satellite dish access.
At some point, that could be a huge audience. Federal regulations require that all broadcast transmissions be converted to digital technology in the next few years. But for now, only a handful of TV stations and cable providers have the technical capability to broadcast the digital network.
Still, Fishman expects GAS to draw a core group of fans through its magazine and Web site.
In addition to the freshly inked contracts with Major League Baseball and Soccer, GAS is producing the National Basketball Association's NBA 2ball, a competition that tests kids' shooting, passing, dribbling and rebounding skills. A leaguewide basketball skills competition for kids ages 9-17, NBA 2ball is supported by all 29 NBA teams and is conducted at youth organizations and schools in cities around the country. The competitions lead to the national finals, slated to be played the day after Game 1 of the NBA Championships this June.
"This has been a great marriage for us," Fishman said. "And it is giving us the opportunity again to produce original programming in our studios."
Donna Young writes for the Orlando Business Journal.
