CNN/SI

{{Short description|Former 24-hour sports news network}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox television channel | bgcolor = | name = CNN/SI | logo = CNN Sports Illustrated second logo.PNG | logo_size = | logo_alt = CNNSI logo used from 1996 to 1999. | launch_date = {{start date and age|1996|12|12}} | closed_date = {{end date and age|2002|05|15}} | picture_format = 480i (SDTV) | country = United States | language = English | area = Nationwide | replaced_by = NBA TV (on many cable systems) | sister_channels = CNN CNN Headline News TNT TBS Superstation Turner South Turner Classic Movies Cartoon Network Boomerang CNNfn | owner = Turner Broadcasting System }} '''CNN/Sports Illustrated''' ('''CNN/SI''') was a 24-hour sports news network. Created when Time Warner merged its CNN and ''Sports Illustrated'' brands, it launched on December 12, 1996.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kent|first1=Milton|title=CNN/SI pairing channels energy into sports information battle|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1996-12-12-1996347080-story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821073804/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1996-12-12/sports/1996347080_1_cnn-sports-illustrated-newsroom|url-status=live|archive-date=August 21, 2014|access-date=August 20, 2014|agency=MediaWatch|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|date=December 12, 1996}}</ref>

thumb|150px|right|CNN/SI's first logo

Other news networks like ESPNews provided 30-minute blocks of news and highlights in a similar fashion to CNN Headline News at the time, but CNN/SI was live daily from 7am to 2am.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SeECAAAAMBAJ&q=cnn%2Fsi+7am+to+2am&pg=PA38|title=New York Magazine|date=23 December 1996|work=New York Media, LLC.|quote=CNN/SI will not rely on a "wheel" of repeating news segments and highlights. Rather, it promises a nineteen-hour "stream" of news reported fresh throughout the day, starting from 7 AM.}}</ref> Its purpose was to provide the most comprehensive sports news service on television, bringing in-depth sports news from around the world, and integrating the internet and television.<ref>{{cite news|title=CNN 20: CNN/SI Debuts, December 12, 1996|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0012/12/mn.06.html|access-date=August 20, 2014|publisher=CNN.com|date=December 12, 2000}}</ref>

==Closure== CNN/SI's closure had been attributed to competition with other all-sports news networks and sports newscasts which started around the same time, such as ESPNews and Fox Sports Net's ''National Sports Report''. Though CNN/SI aired exclusive content, such as the tape of former Indiana University coach Bob Knight choking player Neil Reed, the channel reached only 20 million homes, not adequate enough to receive a rating by Nielsen Media Research, which reduced sponsorship. ESPNews, in contrast, benefited from being bundled with ESPN (86.5 million homes). The news channel parent CNN did not have the same influence with cable operators for its all-sports news channel. CNN's cancellation of their flagship sports program, ''Sports Tonight'' (which had already been retooled to compete with ''SportsCenter'') after the September 11 attacks contributed to the closure of CNN/SI, as it lost all connections to their mother network.<ref>{{cite news |author=Diamond Joe |date=January 24, 2013 |title=Rachel Nichols' New Quarters Are At CNN, Turner Sports |url=http://sportsrants.com/media/2013/01/24/rachel-nichols-leaves-espn-joins-cnn-turner-sports/ |work=SportsRants.com |access-date=June 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701034032/http://sportsrants.com/media/2013/01/24/rachel-nichols-leaves-espn-joins-cnn-turner-sports/ |archive-date=July 1, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Near its closure, ''Sports Tonight'' was exclusive to CNN/SI. CNN/SI added NASCAR qualifying,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://articles.latimes.com/2001/aug/10/sports/sp-32697/2 | work=Los Angeles Times | first=Shav | last=Glick | title=Long Is Closing In on His F-1 Dream | date=August 10, 2001 | access-date=February 3, 2015 | archive-date=February 3, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203182307/http://articles.latimes.com/2001/aug/10/sports/sp-32697/2 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Wimbledon matches,<ref>{{cite news |date=June 21, 2000 |title=Nick Charles to Host CNN/Sports Illustrated's Exclusive Prime Time Wimbledon Coverage |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Nick+Charles+to+Host+CNN%2fSports+Illustrated%27s+Exclusive+Prime+Time...-a062855626 |work=BW SportsWire |publisher=Business Wire |via=TheFreeLibrary.com |access-date=June 6, 2016}}</ref> National Lacrosse League matches,<ref>{{cite press release |date=August 20, 2001 |title=National Lacrosse League Tabs CNN/Sports Illustrated As National Broadcast Partner |url=https://nll.sportngin.com/news_article/show/119300?referrer_id=389128 |publisher=National Lacrosse League |access-date=June 6, 2016}}</ref> and televised the now-defunct Women's United Soccer Association<ref>{{cite news |date=February 20, 2001 |title=WUSA: TNT and CNNSI to show 22 games |url=http://www.socceramerica.com/article/13138/wusa-tnt-and-cnnsi-to-show-22-games.html |work=Soccer America |access-date=June 6, 2016}}</ref>

CNN/SI shut down on May 15, 2002.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kaplan|first1=Paul|title=CNN/Sports Illustrated Channel to Go Off Air in May|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-122954265.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921193007/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-122954265.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 21, 2014|access-date=August 20, 2014|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|publisher=Highbeam Research|date=April 6, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Wilkerson|first1=David B.|title=AOL: CNN/SI to shut down May 15|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/aol-cnnsi-to-shut-down-may-15|access-date=August 20, 2014|publisher=MarketWatch|date=April 6, 2002}}</ref> On many cable systems, CNN/SI was replaced by NBA TV. NBA TV, which launched in 1999, eventually evolved into a joint venture between Time Warner and the NBA that officially launched on October 28, 2008.

Following the network's closure, its international sports program ''World Sport'' continues to air, and since 2002 has been produced by CNN International.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Welsh|first1=James|title=CNNI sports unaffected by CNN/SI shutdown|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/news/a7337/cnni-sports-unaffected-by-cnnsi-shutdown.html#~oNw6DXdQsUHis6|access-date=August 20, 2014|publisher=Digital Spy|date=May 9, 2002}}</ref>

CNN itself would not produce another regular sportscast until 2024, when a new CNN-produced newscast, ''TNT Sports Tonight'', debuted on TruTV as part of a plan to increase sports programming on that network.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |date=2024-03-07 |title=Warner Bros. Discovery to Overhaul TruTV With Sports; Sets Nightly Block for Games and More (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/warner-bros-discovery-trutv-sports-nba-1235933020/ |access-date=2024-04-03 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Website == thumb|150px|right|CNN Sports Illustrated site logo (2002) The CNN/SI name was maintained for ''Sports Illustrated''{{'}}s online presence at cnnsi.com. In January 2013, CNN acquired Bleacher Report and after Time Warner's spin-off of their publishing assets into Time Inc. (and subsequently sale to Meredith Corporation and later, to IAC's Dotdash), they dropped all use of the ''Sports Illustrated'' name.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Thielman|first1=Sam|title=CNN's Bleacher Report Programming Launches Saturday|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/television/cnns-bleacher-report-programming-launches-saturday-146886|access-date=August 20, 2014|publisher=Adweek|date=January 30, 2013}}</ref>

==Programming== {{div col|colwidth=30em}} *''Sports Tonight'' (1996–2001) hosted by various anchors<ref name=CNNSI.com>{{cite web|title=The Channel|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com:80/thenetwork/shows/|publisher=CNNSI.com|access-date=September 24, 2017|ref=CNNSI.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011110110724/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/thenetwork/shows/|archive-date=November 10, 2001|date=November 9, 2001|url-status=dead}}</ref> *''NFL Preview'' hosted by Bob Lorenz with analysts Trev Alberts, Irving Fryar and Peter King<ref name=CNNSI.com/> *''College Football Preview'' hosted by Bob Lorenz with analyst Trev Alberts and Ivan Maisel<ref name=CNNSI.com/> *''This Week in the NBA'' hosted by Andre Aldridge and Kevin Loughery<ref name=CNNSI.com/> *''Sports Illustrated Golf Plus'' hosted by Bob Fiscella and Phil Jones<ref name=CNNSI.com/> *''World Sport'' hosted by various anchors<ref name=CNNSI.com/> *''Page One'' hosted by Laura Okmin<ref name=CNNSI.com/> *''NASCAR Plus'' hosted by Johnny Phelps<ref name=CNNSI.com/> *''Sports Illustrated - Cover to Cover''<ref name=CNNSI.com/> *''Trev Alberts' Full Tilt''<ref name=CNNSI.com/> *''The Sporting Life with Jim Huber''<ref>{{cite web|title=THE SPORTING LIFE WITH JIM HUBER|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com:80/thenetwork/shows/sporting_life/|website=CNNSI.com|access-date=September 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816164904/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/thenetwork/shows/sporting_life/|archive-date=August 16, 2000|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{div col end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * [http://si.com/ Sports Illustrated Homepage] * [http://www.domaininvesting.com/cnnsi-com-sells-for-less/ CNNSi.com Domain Name Sells for $5,500]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cnn Sports Illustrated}} SI Category:Sports Illustrated Category:Sports television networks in the United States Category:English-language television stations in the United States Category:Television channels and stations established in 1996 Category:Defunct television networks in the United States Category:TNT Sports (United States) Category:Television channels and stations disestablished in 2002 *