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disctv News
Here's the latest
DISCTV CANCELS 2003 BROADCAST SEASON
February 17, 2003
Chicago, IL -- The creators of disc golf sports television show 'disctv' announced today that the program would not return for the 2003 season due to a lack of operating funds to complete a 39 week schedule.
"While this is a great disappointment to us, we remain confident that disc sports are a viable and highly marketable television product," said co-producer Leo Borowski. "We have immediately begun working with potential sponsors to return to the air in 2004. This is a setback, but we will continue to move forward."
Disctv had been scheduled to begin broadcasting its second season on April 6th.
"We would like to thank the PDGA, disc golf tournament directors and all disc golfers around the world for all their support, and look forward to working together again in the near future," said Borowski.
The program's inaugural season debuted on April 14 2002, and aired 32 episodes on the Fox Sports Digital cable networks, and on the Empire Sports Network. It marked the first time the sport of disc golf had been broadcast on a regular basis to a national audience.
The weekly one-hour program was produced entirely by a three-man team in 2002: co-producers Borowski and John Sink, along with host Brian Sullivan. Borowski is a longtime disc golfer and network television sound engineer. Sink's roots are in television production, and previously produced a number of series, including 'Chicago Blues Jam' and 'Boating the Great Lakes.' Sullivan is a former radio broadcaster and operates the disc golf web site 'DiscLife.com,' which he created in 1997.
disctv Added To Fox Sports Network Programming
Disc Golf Now Available On Many Cable TV Systems
July 16, 2002
Chicago, IL -- Disc golf sports television show disctv has been added to the Fox Sports Digital Networks, extending the weekly, one-hour show's availability to millions of cable subscribers.
"This is another strong step toward our goal of bringing disctv to every television household," said disctv executive producer John Sink. "Fox Sport Digital Networks are currently available in five million US households. Many people already get all three FSD networks, but don't know it. They're that new."
In fact, the FSD Nets are so new, they don't have a website yet. A stop at www.foxsportsdigitalnets.com yielded a 'coming soon' page at press time.
The three FSD Networks are regionally branded: Fox Sports Digital Pacific, Fox Sports Digital Central and Fox Sports Digital Atlantic. Each offers unique 24-hour programming from Fox Sports Net's 22 owned and affiliated regional sports networks (including Empire Sports). Other FSD programming includes NCAA football, basketball and other collegiate sports, NASCAR, PGA Tour and more.
complete list of US cable systems which currently carry FSDN.
disctv Fox air schedule (subject to change):
Fox Sports Digital Central: Mondays 3pm ET
Fox Sports Digital Atlantic: Sundays 7pm ET
disctv can also be seen nationally on Empire Sports via satellite:
Dish Network (channel 432): Sundays 7pm ET, Mondays 3pm ET
Direct TV (channel 626): Sundays 7pm ET, Mondays 3pm ET
disctv fans are encouraged to check their local cable listings for Fox Sports Digital Networks, and to request them if not found.
FSDN representative Denise Harnage said that the fledgling Sports Digital networks were gaining fast entrance into a large number of cable systems, and new growth is expected quickly.
April 27, 2002
Disctv Now Available Nationwide
Disc golf sports television show disctv makes its national television debut tomorrow, Sunday April 28 2002 at 7pm ET on the Empire Sports Network. Empire Sports is available everywhere via the Dish Network or Direct TV satellite systems.
"While viewers will need access to satellite programming to view the show, we're very pleased to announce that disctv is now available to every community in the country," said disctv producer John Sink.
The show is available through the Dish Network (www.dishnetwork.com) on channel 432, and through Direct TV (www.directv.com) on channel 626. Each service charges a small monthly fee to subscribers who choose to receive the Empire Sports Network, either as a single channel or as part of a larger sports programming package.
"This is a great day in the continuing history of disc golf," said show host Brian Sullivan. "I personally don't subscribe to a satellite television service, but some friends do and we're already organizing a disctv party where we can watch tomorrow's debut. And you can bet that a dozen nearby sports pubs will have it on as well."
This week's episode includes coverage of the Gator Country Classic from Gainesville, Florida, putting tips from Mark Ellis, and an interview with ten-time world champion Ken Climo. The broadcast runtime for the weekly show is one hour.
What People Are Saying About disctv:
Disctv is on the Air
by Scott 'Ching Magnet' Nee
April 19, 2002
excerpted from the PDGA Discussion Board
(Editor's note: Scott viewed the show's Chicago debut, a market which currently runs a half hour edited version of the show)
"Brian Sullivan’s style was just right. He looked confident and self-assured and presented the world of disc golf with a well-tempered enthusiasm. Not over-the-top like Dick Vitale. Not jargon-laced psychobabble like Jim Rome.
"The Ken Climo interview was nicely done and seemed to last almost 10 minutes. Brian, again, was very professional. He didn’t chum up to him or call him “Kenny”, like the highly-paid goofballs, Ahmad Rashad and Dan Patrick are prone to do. Pleasant, well-prepared and straight to the point.
"Climo shared alot of good information and even opens up to mention an argument he had with another (named) player during a past Championship. Ooooo, juicy!
"The event coverage is picks up from the final 5 or 6 holes. Brian’s half-whispered play-by-play was pretty good. Some commentators can be annoying when doing it, but he was fairly smooth. He even showed glimpses of an individual style. He kept the viewer engaged in the action without drawing attention to himself. He subtly used disc golf terms and didn’t talk down to the viewer.
"One improvement on the play-by-play, which will probably come with time, would be to prepare background information about the golfers we’re watching ie. where they’re from, recent tournament wins, a club their associated with and so forth.
"The camera work was good. One from the tee and one near the basket off to one side, which was used to follow the disc's flight - nice and smooth work. The putting coverage was very good when you consider there’s only (I assume) 2 cameras and the golfers aren’t standing around waiting for them to get into the ideal position.
"The only 'small glitch' happened when they interviewed Climo,the winner, at the 18th basket. Right at the end of it, engine noise from a nearby car half drowns out the audio. I’m sure the crew is pissed they didn’t redo that part. Their professionalism and craftsmanship is so evident everywhere else, it was something easy to overlook. Remember, they don’t have the benefit of technicians in a truck telling them if there’s a problem.
"In just 30 minutes, DiscTV succeeded in giving a taste of the week’s competition, plus offering up a feature story.
"Great job!"
March 21, 2002
Disc TV Announces Program Distribution Agreements
Disc golf sports show disctv has signed agreements with national and international television distribution interests, whose services were secured to assist in bringing this innovative program to millions of additional viewers.
Wonderful Life Entertainment will serve as the exclusive distributor of disctv in the United States, while Beckmann International, UK, has signed as exclusive international distributor.
Wonderful Life Entertainment of Toronto, Canada specializes in outdoor and sports related program placement. Pat Perdue, spokesman for Wonderful Life Entertainment and himself a disc golfer, brings a knowledge and passion as a player to his syndication efforts.
Perdue said he is "confident that disctv will be in ten million domestic households" when the show premiers in April 2002.
"What sparked our initial interest in each other was a shared passion for disc golf," said disctv co-producer Leo Borowski. "We soon learned that Wonderful Life Entertainment has a strong reputation in the business."
Beckmann International has a long history of providing quality non-fiction, documentary, music and sports television product to over 300 stations throughout the world.
"Our staff is genuinely enthused to begin marketing disctv to the world audience," said
Beckmann International CEO and president Stuart Semark, who projects that disctv will penetrate a minimum of 12.5% of the international cable and satellite television markets in 2002.
"I've worked with Stuart in the past placing other product, and we couldn't be in better hands," said disctv's John Sink. "Stuart knows the international market, and feels certain that disctv will make an immediate impact on the international sports scene."
Production has already begun on the weekly sports program, which makes its broadcast debut in April. disctv's 2002 schedule runs 29-weeks from April to November, delivering an hour of PDGA National Tour disc golf coverage each week, along with disc golf news, tips, reality segments and other features.
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