ESPN Plus

:Not to be confused with the now-defunct programming syndicator, which was in existence from 1996-2015.
ESPN Regional Television (known on-air as ESPN Plus) is a regional sports network that is owned by ESPN Inc. ESPN Plus is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and shares its operations with ESPNU. ESPN Plus was launched in response to the CBS Regional Sports Network. The company was founded as Creative Sports, a sports programming syndicator that merged with Don Ohlmeyer's Ohlmeyer Communications Corporation Sports (OCC Sports) in 1996. After ESPN purchased the merged company, the division was renamed ESPN Regional Television (known on-air as ESPN Plus). ESPN Plus' programming includes airing games from outside markets that usually air on ESPN 3, SEC+, and ACC Network Extra. ESPN Plus also airs programming and games from ESPN College Extra, NHL Center Ice, and MLS Direct Kick.
== History ==
The company traces its history to Creative Sports, Inc., a North Carolina-based sports syndicator owned and founded by Bray Cary. ESPN Inc. purchased Creative Sports, Inc. and OCC Sports, Inc. in the mid-1990s.
ESPN Regional Television was formed in 1996, through ESPN Inc.'s combination of Creative Sports and OCC Sports, under the direction of Chuck Gerber and Loren Matthews. On March 12, 1999, ESPN Regional Television was incorporated in New York.
In January 2000, Loren Matthews left ESPN Regional Television for an executive position at sister division ABC Sports. By February 2000, ERT acquired the production rights to the Arena Football League; this included responsibilities for AFL broadcasts on The Nashville Network, which had ESPN retain duties for the events in lieu of its own unit, World Sports Enterprises. In 2001, ESPN Regional Television moved beyond broadcasting college football bowl games, when it purchased the Las Vegas Bowl.
In August 2008, ESPN Regional Television secured a 15-year broadcast rights agreement with the Southeastern Conference, assuming the conference syndication rights from Raycom Sports. ERT syndicated games involving the conference's team under the "SEC Network" brand; through the deal, some SEC games also began airing on ESPNU beginning in 2009, as well as on ESPN and ESPN2 under the "SEC on ESPN" brand.
In 2015, ESPN mostly exited the terrestrial syndication business and integrated its remaining properties into its cable networks and into its online services, WatchESPN and ESPN3. ESPN Events remains active as an event organizer.
=== Relaunch ===
In 2016, CBS Sports and the CBS Corporation announced plans of launching CBS Regional Sports Networks. In response, ESPN, Inc., announced the return of ESPN Plus, which, unlike CBS Regional Networks, will be one network, but airs programming based on what region ESPN Plus is in. To have more programming, ESPN Plus also airs programming that airs on SEC+, ACC Network Extra, and ESPN3, as well as ESPN College Extra, NHL Center Ice, and MLS Direct Kicks.
Category:Charlotte, North Carolina
Category:Walt Disney Company
Category:Hearst Television
Category:Fictional sports networks