Not to be a shill for CSN, but Comcast SportsNet will celebrate its 15th anniversary on October 1*, and yesterday, the network announced some planned events… as well as fun facts, which I got way too much enjoyment out of. The press release is after the jump, with the interesting parts bolded for your reading pleasure. The Postgame Live analysts list is a trivia game waiting to happen.
*I still remember watching an hour and a half Daily News Live as, I think, Bill Conlin told Michael Barkann he would be the answer to a trivia question– who was the first live voice in Comcast SportsNet history?
Barkann, of course, is still going strong… and Conlin is a child molester. Allegedly. My, how times change.
PHILADELPHIA, PA (September 24, 2012) – Philadelphia sports television was changed forever on October 1, 1997 when Comcast SportsNet, Philadelphia’s first and only 24-hour regional cable sports network was launched. And now 15 years later, Comcast SportsNet is part of the fabric of the Philadelphia sports scene. To mark the anniversary, the network is offering viewers the opportunity to reminisce about the past 15 years and participate in the celebration through various on-air programs and a special We Live Philly Sports Festival.
Daily News Live
On Monday, October 1, Comcast SportsNet will celebrate the network’s anniversary beginning at 5 p.m. with “Daily News Live.” Host Michael Barkann and guests will reminisce about the past 15 years, with show bloopers and behind the scenes moments.
SportsNite at 10:30 p.m.
A very special edition of “SportsNite,” presented commercial free by Chevrolet, will air on Monday, October 1 at 10:30 p.m. and will feature a retrospective of the people and personalities that have impacted the Philadelphia sports landscape over the past 15 years. Viewers will hear from Jimmy Rollins (Phillies) the city’s longest tenured athlete, Villanova product and Eagles all-time RB great Brian Westbrook (Eagles), 76ers standout Thaddeus Young (Sixers), Keith Jones (Flyers) – the only athlete to play on Comcast SportsNet and retire to become a game and postgame analyst, and Phil Martelli long-time head coach at Saint Joseph’s University, narrate the stories of the teams they played on or coached. Fans can join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #CSN15.
We Live Philly Sports Festival
Viewers are invited to be a part of the celebration at the “We Live Philly Sports Festival” at Xfinity Live in South Philadelphia on Sunday, October 21 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. There will be surprise guests and great giveaways. More details will be released in coming weeks.
Comcast SportsNet Across the Nation
Since the launch of Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia 15 years ago, the company's regional sports business, now under the NBC Sports umbrella, has grown to consist of 13 local networks that deliver more than 2,400 sporting events annually, along with breaking news and comprehensive analysis to more than 50 million cable and satellite homes.
Comcast SportsNet Fun Facts:
By the Numbers:
Ratings Highlights:
Fun Facts:
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Special Guests:
Do You Remember?
The following have appeared on Pre/Post Game Live over the past 15 years:
CSN Launch Pad
Comcast SportsNet has been the launching ground for many national sports analysts including MLB Network’s Mitch Williams and Matt Yallof, NBC’s Keith Jones and NFL Network’s Scott Hanson and Brian Baldinger.
In the Community:
Comcast SportsNet has strong community ties through 15 year partnerships with the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer program, the ALS Association and the American Heart Association’s Home Runs for Heart event. The network also created a PAL Scholarship in memory of one of the networks’ founders Sam Schroeder, and the Shining Star Awards benefitting the March of Dimes.