 SportsChannel logo from 1995 to 2000 | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Nationwide (available in select regions) |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Cablevision (1979–1998) Rainbow Media (1983–1998) NBC (1988–1998) |
| Sister channels | Prime Network |
| History | |
| Launched | 1976 (New York Tri-State area; as Cablevision Sports 3) March 1, 1979 (launch of SportsChannel brand) |
| Closed | January 1998 (most) March 2000 (Florida) |
| Replaced by | Fox Sports Networks Comcast SportsNet |
SportsChannel is the collective name for a former group of regional sports networks in the United States that was owned by Cablevision, which from 1988 until the group's demise, operated it as a joint venture with NBC.
Operating from March 1, 1979, to January 27, 1998, it was the country's first regional sports network, and along with Prime Network, was an important ancestor to many of the regional sports outlets in the U.S., particularly Fox Sports Networks and Comcast SportsNet. At its peak, SportsChannel operated nine networks serving several of the nation's largest cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia.