ABN Sports

**ABN Sports** is a 24-hour American sports television network targeting the 18-39 year demographic. As a fully-funded commercial-free sports-oriented TV network, ABN Sports is operated by American Broadcast Network as a part of the ABN Domestic Television Corporation . The company launched in 1964 following the initial launch of ABN. When it launched, it was billed as the first 24-hour sports-friendly cable network in the country, launching fifteen years before ESPN.

## Sporting events

These are the sporting events that air on ABN Sports

* IMSA stock car racing
	+ Delta Cup Series
	+ Tecate Grand National Series
	+ K & N Truck Series
* Formula USA open-wheel racing
* Major League Football
	+ National Conference Division Series
	+ American Conference Division Series
	+ National Conference Championship Series
	+ American Conference Championship Series
	+ Eagle Bowl (MLF's version of the NFL's Super Bowl)
* Major League Slamball
* Intercontinental Basketball League
	+ Diamond Cup Series
	+ IBL World Finals
* NCAA college level sports
	+ NCAA conference championships
* NAIA college level sports
* ACA college level sports
	+ ACA conference championships
	+ College World Finals
* American Baseball League
	+ National Division Series Championship
	+ American Division Series Championship
	+ The Baseball World Finals (the ABL's version of MLB's World Series)
* National Lacrosse League
* Championship Soccer of North America (commonly referred as simply Championship Soccer or ChampSoccer)
* Super G Skiing
* 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and 2016 Rio Summer Olympics
* 2015 Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles

## Slogans

* *The Game is About to Begin* (1964-1966)
* *The Greatest Sports Spectacles Are Here*(1966-1973) (there were several variations of this slogan)
* *Get Ready!*(1973-1978)
* *Watch the Greatest Sports Stories Unfold*(1978-1985)
* *ABN Sports: If It's In the Game*(1985-1993) (\*not to be confused with the slogan used by EA Sports)
* *The Leader in Sports Television*(1994-2007)
* *Any Game, Any Time, Anywhere, It's on ABN Sports*(2008-2009)
* *ABN Sports: America's Sports Television Leader*(2009-present)

## 50th Anniversary

As part of ABN's 50th anniversary, ABN Sports is celebrating 50 years in the industry. ABN Sports reintroduces its 1964 design with the gray diamond and brown octagon cross design, likewise with ABN's blue octagon and red diamond cross design. It uses ABN's current block lettering and "Sports" cursive script. Like the ABN logo, it says above, "1964-2014: 50 Years of Excellence". The gray diamond with brown octagon cross design was the first logo used during its launch before the all brown diamond and oval cross.

## Honoring Stuart Scott

*ABN Sports would like to extend our sincerest condolences to the family, friends, and fellow co-workers of Stuart Scott. We send our deepest sympathies with the ESPN family and those who were deeply impacted by Scott's presence in the sports journalism community. Stuart's fiery aura was seen by all and have been touched by his delivery of the stories that inspired the nation. This is vividly true with his undying fight against cancer. He fought bravely and valiantly. And while it may be hard for you the viewers to know exactly the magnitude of this passage, just remember this: Stuart Scott didn't succumb to the cancer. He fought like a brave soldier until the end and this is the very aspect we at ABN Sports celebrate this year and beyond. To the ESPN family and the friends and family of Stuart Scott, we send our deepest thoughts and prayers with them all. Please keep the friends and family of Stuart Scott and the members of ESPN past and present of whom each have had the utmost of privilege to work with such a fine gentlemen and representative of the African American community in your thoughts and prayers. Farewell and God Speed, Staurt Scott.*

- Lanny Lewis, Chief Executive Director of Network Operations for ABN Sports in addressing the viewers on Scores Center Monday following Stuart Scott's passing.

## Honoring Steve Burns

*We at ABN Sports are sad to inform you of the passage of FOX Sports broadcaster, Steve Burns. Burns had been battling cancer over the past few months after leaving FOX Sports for treatments. We regret to inform you that Mr. Burns is now At Rest. Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the FOX Sports team, the friends and family of Steve Burns and the people of whom many have been touched with his presence. Burns had been an on-field reporter for Turner Sports between 1996-1998 before joining FOX Sports in 2001 where he had served a multitude of capacities including lead broadcaster for its NASCAR Xfinity Series telecasts between 2002 to 2005. Burns also hosted the weekly Inside NASCAR news show on FOX Sports NET from 2001 to 2004. He was also the host of SPEED Channel's NASCAR Classics which reruns past NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series telecasts from CBS Sports, Turner Sports and FOX Sports. Steve Burns is now At Rest at the age of 56 having been born in 1959. We in the sports television community will sorely miss him and thank him for his services to the sports television community and the NASCAR community.*

- Chris Dabeault reporting on the passing of Steve Burns, former FOX Sports broadcaster on ABN Sports Scores Center.