BCN to Broadcast 13-Week Television Series

BCN to Broadcast 13-Week Television Series 31 Million Cable and Satellite Homes Will Get BCtv ST. LOUIS, MO – APRIL 19, 2003 – Billiard Club network announces broadcast agreements with Empire Sports Network and Sunshine Network for a 13-week cable TV series. The broadcast premier is schedule for May 31, 2003. BCn’s production of Billiard Club television (BCtv) will reach 11 million cable homes in New York and Florida, along with 20 million DISH Network and DirecTV satellite subscribers. As affiliates of FOX Sports Net, the conglomerate that serves more than 79 million homes nationwide, both Empire's and Sunshine's programming are available to an additional five million digital cable subscribers who have access to Fox Sports Digital Networks. BCtv features professional match footage, instructional segments and a slice of reality TV with an exclusive look at the happenings inside BCn affiliate clubs and sponsored tours in a segment called "Club Cam." The match footage will feature BCn’s production of the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship along with highlights from other pro events produced in association with Accu-Stats Video and Matchroom Sport..
BCn has an inventory of twelve 30-second commercial spots for sale during each one-hour broadcast. Advertisers can choose from several packages including a limited number of Full Series Sponsorships which will give the client 156 national commercial airs in the 13-week schedule. Simonis Cloth is the first sponsor to secure a position in the series with other advertisers in negotiation. Empire Sports Network will air the program on Saturday evenings at 7:00 PM with two scheduled repeats, while Sunshine Network schedules BCtv for Thursday’s at 10:00 PM, also with two repeats. As a result, BCtv will air 78 separate times to a national audience on DISH Network, DirecTV and Fox Sports Digital."We’re looking forward to our relationship with Billiard Club TV," said Paul Martello, Empire Sports Network Director of Media and Public Relations. "We believe this agreement will continue to help this rapidly growing sport become even more recognizable and offers us a strong complement to our regular programming."The deal reflects the evolving structure of BCn to become the official TV network for the sport of pool. And for the first time ever, billiard programming will air on a regularly scheduled day and time slot during a 13-week televised series. "We’re committed to establishing a regularly schedule broadcasts of billiard sports programming and this is a big step towards accomplishing that goal," said Rob Sykora, BCn President. "The plan is to continue the series beyond the initial 13 weeks with expanded distribution to other networks and markets. We already have several programming directors considering the opportunity to make one night of the week, Pool Night."What about the existing Billiard Club network Affiliates? "The club membership program just became a much more dynamic offering for proprietors," commented Sykora. "We're working out the details right now to offer the programming via satellite to each of our affiliates who will then have several broadcast packages to choose from, which will include BCtv. Plus, we gain access to millions of home subscribers who we'll push out of the house and into a network club to play the game."Empire Sports Network is in it’s 13th year of providing the best national and regional coverage and is available to a universe of more than five million households via Upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania cable systems and through DirecTV (ch. 626), and DISH Network (ch. 432) home satellite systems.Sunshine Network is Florida’s largest and leading regional sports network, and the nation’s fourth largest, with over 5.7 million homes as well as the DirecTV (ch. 632), and DISH Network (ch. 422) home satellite systems. Sunshine Network fills a unique niche in sports programming with complete emphasis on local and regional teams/events as opposed to the inclusion of large amounts of national sports programming found on the majority of US regional sports networks. BCn is a national network of billiard establishments that join together to promote pool by broadcasting Billiard Club television as their in-house video entertainment for their customers. BCtv features match footage, instructional segments, and other entertainment including video footage from Affiliates Clubs in the network. BCtv is sponsored in part by: Accu-Stats Video Production, Affinity online Media, American Poolplayers Association, Aramith Billiard Balls, Billiards.com, Billiards Digest, Inside Pool, Matchroom Sport, and Simonis Cloth

Pool Balls and Billiard Balls at LOW PRICES!!!

About the Author:
Inside Pool Magazine publishes billiard news. Definitive Synergy creates pool and billiard management software.