ESPN Classic ESPN Classic is a sports channel that features reruns of famous sporting events , sports documentaries , and sports themed movies . Such programs includes biographies of famous sports figures or a rerun of a famous World Series or Super Bowl , often with added commentary on the event . As of late 2009 , ESPN Classic is the only remaining member of the ESPN family and the only Disney network that is not available in high definition , due to the majority of its content being vintage footage produced before the days of high definition television . Launched in 1995 as Classic Sports Network by Brian Bedol and Steve Greenberg , with partial funding from Allen & Company , it was purchased for $ 175 million and renamed by ESPN ( 80 % owned by Disney , 20 % owned by Hearst ) in 2000 . The current logo incorporates the " boxer " logo that Classic Sports Network used . ( Bedol and Greenberg went on to found CSTV ( now CBS Sports Network ) . Programming . In a cost - cutting move , the schedule ( as of December , 2008 ) is largely composed of ESPN original programming , highlighting sports such as poker , bowling , and boxing , with less emphasis on re - airing classic major league sporting events ( a practice which has however , been adopted by sports networks associated with a league or individual teams , among other channels ) . Since 2005 , it has also frequently broadcast overflow programming from the main ESPN channels , and reruns of ESPN - produced telecasts of recent sporting events that the network has declared an " Instant Classic " . It is the only U . S . - based ESPN network ( and one of two Disney - owned cable channels in the U . S . ; ABC Family being the other ) to air infomercial s ; they air from 6 a . m . to 7 a . m . ET , seven days a week . As of May 20 , 2012 , it is the final ESPN network to both not have a companion simulcast channel in high definition , and outside of specific programming in widescreen , airs all programming with a analog aspect ratio . It is also the only ESPN network not available on the network ' s WatchESPN app for mobile devices . Older sports programming from the nineties and earlier have almost entirely moved to their respective networks . These networks include The Big Ten Network , MLB Network , NBA TV , NHL Network , NFL Network , The Tennis Channel , or various team - owned regional sports network s . As of 2011 , the channel has drifted toward rerun s of entertainment series in prime time , while movies ( mostly ESPN Films productions and documentaries such as the " 30 for 30 " series ) make up the majority of ESPN Classic ' s weekend schedule . The majority of " classic " sports in ESPN Classic ' s library are college football and basketball games from the past decade . Broadcasting of live events . The first live event to be shown on ESPN Classic was the implosion of the Seattle Kingdome in March 2000 . By 2005 however , ESPN Classic began to broadcast more live sporting events , such as special " ESPN Classic Live " telecasts of college basketball games which featured veteran commentators and older - styled graphics . At this time , ESPN Classic also began to be used as an overflow channel for programming that could not be shown on ESPN or ESPN2 due to scheduling conflicts ( these have since been moved to ESPNEWS ) ; these have additional college football and basketball games , the " ESPN Classic Game of the Week " ( a Sunday rebroadcast of a ESPN / ABC - televised college football game from the past Saturday ) , IRL events , live coverage of selected HBCU games ( especially since the term " classic " is used for special neutral - site HBCU games ) , and tape - delayed UEFA Champions League soccer games . ESPN Classic was also the official broadcaster of the annual Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony until 2009 ( when these moved to MLB Network ) . On August 25 , 2012 , ESPN Classic aired an Atlantic League baseball game between the Sugar Land Skeeters and Bridgeport Bluefish ; featuring Roger Clemens as a starting pitcher for the Skeeters . While not a live event , in 2008 ESPN Classic also notably broadcast an originally untelevised college basketball game played on January 23 , 2008 between Baylor and Texas A & M , which was won by Baylor 116 - 110 in five overtimes . Due to an unlikely set of circumstances , the actual game , held at Reed Arena on the A & M campus , was never televised . ESPN Classic used the feeds from the arena ' s in - house cameras , normally used to allow highlights to be displayed on Jumbotron screens , and the original play - by - play and commentary from A & M ' s radio broadcasters to create a complete telecast . The telecast aired on March 5 , 2008 on ESPN Classic before the rematch between the two teams at Baylor aired on ESPN2 . Fan interactive specials . A recent development of ESPN Classic is a series of specials in which fan balloting determines the greatest teams in the history of particular sports . In March 2006 , the 1981 - 82 North Carolina Tar Heels won the fan poll for best - ever college basketball team , in October 2006 , the 1927 New York Yankees won for best Major League Baseball team , and in December 2006 , the 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers won the fan poll for best - ever college football team . Each of these programs features expert analysis and live interactive voting online at ESPN . com . The first votes are cast one week before the scheduled live show , and balloting continues online and via text messaging until the end of the show . Cessation of original programming . On January 14 , 2007 , Deadspin . com reported that ESPN Classic would no longer create or air original programming . It was not immediately clear what would replace that programming , however , it was assumed that such shows already produced , but not yet aired , would be broadcast at least for a few more months . Over the next few months , new episodes of " Missing Link " , " Top 5 Reasons You Can ' t Blame " , and " Ringside " did air as scheduled . However , " Missing Link " was cancelled in June 2007 , at which time production was also halted on the other two shows . The long - term future of ESPN Classic appears to be uncertain . However , ESPN Classic still airs occasional live sporting events if neither ESPN nor ESPN2 are available to carry them . Some examples from the third quarter of 2007 : Since then , these games or events have been shown live on ESPN Classic : NFL Network partnership . In a report from " The Wall Street Journal " , Steve Bornstein , chief executive of the NFL Network , has been in “ high - level discussions ” with NFL and Disney executives including CEO Robert Iger and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell . An analyst quoted in the report suggested combining NFL Network with ESPN Classic which has a wide distribution on expanded basic cable line - ups but attracts a modest audience . ESPN could use its market weight and demand more than the 16 to 17 cents per month that it currently receives from ESPN Classic . Though a full merger has not yet materialized , ESPN networks and NFL Network have begun sharing programming ( for instance , an episode of " NFL ' s Greatest Games " will air on NFL Network one night , then air on ESPN2 the next ) . Dish Network lawsuit . On August 4 , 2009 , Dish Network sued ESPN for $ 1 million in a federal lawsuit , alleging that ESPN breached its contract by not extending the same carriage terms the programmer provided to Comcast and DirecTV for ESPNU and ESPN Classic . The lawsuit claims ESPN violated the " Most Favored Nations " clause . The next day , ESPN announced they will fight the lawsuit and said in a press release : " We have repeatedly advised Dish that we are in full compliance with our agreement and have offered them a distribution opportunity with respect to ESPNU and ESPN Classic consistent with the rest of the industry . We will not renegotiate settled contracts and will vigorously defend this legal action , the apparent sole purpose of which is to get a better deal . " ESPN Classic on Saturday Night Live . In a recurring series of " Saturday Night Live " skits , ESPN Classic is parodied . The scenes are archived obscure women ' s sportscasts from the 1980s such as bowling , weight lifting and curling , with announcers who know nothing about the sport , and instead focus on promoting the sponsors , which are always women ' s hygiene products .