FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin

{{More citations needed section|date=March 2021}}

The first effort to air the Bucks and Brewers on cable, Sportsvue in 1984, was hampered by multiple factors, including dispersed systems and uncabled parts of the state of Wisconsin (including Milwaukee itself), team nadirs for the Bucks and Brewers and the availability of Chicago Bears games via superstation WGN-TV throughout the state. Sportsvue was discontinued at the beginning of 1985 and resulted in the sale of the Bucks to future senator Herb Kohl. In the meantime, the Bucks and Brewers returned to a statewide broadcast network originated by Gaylord Broadcasting's WVTV, and later WCGV-TV, which was hampered by the two teams limiting their schedule to mainly road games.

Wisconsin Sports Network (unrelated to the current-day high school-focused sports publishing operation), a gametime-only network that broadcast Milwaukee Brewers baseball and Milwaukee Bucks basketball games. The channel was owned by Time Warner Cable's Milwaukee franchise and Group W.{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Rich |title=Filling the cracks of regional sports |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/96-OCR/BC-1996-05-13-OCR-Page-0053.pdf |access-date=April 20, 2021 |work=Broadcasting |date=May 13, 1996}} In 1996, it was taken over by the Minneapolis-based Midwest Sports Channel (MSC), which was owned by CBS (as a result of CBS' 1995 merger with Group W's corporate parent Westinghouse).{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77896261/ |access-date=April 20, 2021 |work=Wisconsin State Journal |date=April 12, 1997 |language=en |title=Football springs into action |first=Bryan|last=Kleinmaier|page=2D}} Shortly afterward, MSC became an affiliate of the fledgling Fox Sports Net in the fall of 1996.

From then on until 2007, Wisconsin was served by one of three regional subfeeds of MSC/FSN North; the other two being a feed for the Twin Cities metropolitan area and a feed for the rest of Minnesota (as well as Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota). CBS sold the network to News Corporation in 2000, ultimately rebranding as FSN North in April 2001. Despite being well out of the station's market area, MSC's late night encore of WCCO's 10:00 p.m. newscast also aired on the Wisconsin network until the Fox purchase. The network then began maintaining offices at the studios of Fox owned-and-operated station WITI (channel 6, now an affiliate of the network) in the Milwaukee suburb of Brown Deer, along with sharing limited programming with that station.

FSN North converted the Wisconsin feed into a separate channel, FSN Wisconsin. The channel launched on April 1, 2007, coinciding with the start of the 2007 Milwaukee Brewers season, originating from facilities in Milwaukee. That year it aired 125 Brewers games and 70 Bucks games. Other programming included the Minnesota Wild (NHL), University of Wisconsin athletic events, WIAC events, and WIAA high school sports, including live telecasts of the annual football championships. At launch FSN Wisconsin was available to more than 1.5 million homes and produced nearly 2,600 hours of local programming.{{cite news |title=FSN North relaunched as FSN Wisconsin |url=https://www.sportsvideo.org/2007/04/02/fsn-north-relaunched-as-fsn-wisconsin/ |access-date=July 1, 2021 |work=Sports Video Group |date=April 2, 2007 |language=en}}

After Fox Television Stations sold WITI to Local TV in 2008, FSN Wisconsin relocated its operations to facilities in downtown Milwaukee. As part of the national rebranding of the Fox Sports Networks in 2012, FSN Wisconsin was rebranded as Fox Sports Wisconsin.

File:Bally Sports Wisconsin.png

On December 14, 2017, as part of a merger between both companies, The Walt Disney Company announced plans to acquire all 22 regional Fox Sports networks from 21st Century Fox, including Fox Sports Wisconsin. However, on June 27, 2018, the Justice Department ordered their divestment under antitrust grounds, citing Disney's ownership of ESPN. On May 3, 2019, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios (through their joint venture, Diamond Holdings) bought Fox Sports Networks from The Walt Disney Company for $10.6 billion.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/sinclair-disney-regional-sports-network-deal-1203204685/|title=Sinclair Clinches Disney-Regional Sports Networks Deal, Byron Allen Joins as Partner|last=Littleton|first=Cynthia|website=Variety|date=May 3, 2019 |language=en|access-date=May 5, 2019}} The deal closed on August 22, 2019, thus placing Fox Sports Wisconsin in common ownership with the Milwaukee and Green Bay duopolies of WVTV/WVTV-DT2, WLUK-TV/WCWF and Madison Fox affiliate WMSN.{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2019-08-23/sinclair-completes-acquisition-of-regional-sports-networks-from-Disney|title=Sinclair completes acquisition of regional sports networks from Disney| publisher=Bloomberg |date=August 22, 2019 |access-date=August 23, 2019}} On November 17, 2020, Sinclair announced an agreement with casino operator Bally's Corporation to serve as a new naming rights partner for the FSN channels. Sinclair announced the new Bally Sports branding for the channels on January 27, 2021.{{Cite web|last=Novy-Williams|first=Eben|date=November 19, 2020|title=Bally's Buys Sinclair RSN Naming Rights As Part of Sports Betting Push|url=https://www.sportico.com/business/sports-betting/2020/ballys-sinclair-naming-rights-1234616912/|access-date=March 31, 2021|website=Sportico.com|language=en-US}} On March 31, 2021, coinciding with the 2021 Major League Baseball season, Fox Sports Wisconsin was rebranded as Bally Sports Wisconsin.{{cite web |title=Bally Sports Wisconsin FAQ |url=https://www.foxsports.com/wisconsin/story/bally-sports-wisconsin-faq-031721 |website=FOX Sports |publisher=FOX Sports Wisconsin |access-date=March 17, 2021 |date=March 17, 2021}}

In February 2021, the Brewers and Sinclair announced a new contract that gave the Brewers a minority share in the network. The deal is reportedly worth around $34 million per year for four years.{{cite news |last1=Kirchen |first1=Rich |title=Milwaukee Brewers take minority ownership stake in Bally Sports Wisconsin |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2021/05/07/brewers-take-minority-ownership-stake-bally-sports.html |access-date=May 10, 2021 |work=Milwaukee Business Journal |date=May 7, 202 |language=en-us}} The network also originated the official team coverage of the Bucks' 2021 championship parade.

On March 14, 2023, Diamond Sports filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.{{cite news |last1=Bouma|first1=Luke|title=Bally Sports Just Declared Bankruptcy – The Death of RSNs?|url=https://cordcuttersnews.com/bally-sports-just-declared-bankruptcy-the-death-of-rsns/ |access-date=March 14, 2023 |work=Cord Cutters News |date=March 14, 2023}}

On October 9, 2024, after the Brewers' contract with Diamond expired, MLB Local Media announced that it would take the Brewers' media rights in-house, which would have ended the team's relationship with Bally Sports and its forerunners after 27 years.{{Cite web |date=October 8, 2024 |title=MLB to produce, distribute local games for Guardians, Brewers and Twins in 2025 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-to-produce-local-guardians-brewers-twins-games-2025 |access-date=October 8, 2024 |work=MLB.com}}{{Cite web |last=Crupi |first=Anthony |date=October 8, 2024 |title=Guardians, Brewers, Twins Head to MLB Media as RSN Era Ends |url=https://www.sportico.com/business/media/2024/guardians-brewers-twins-rsn-era-mlb-media-shift-1234800346/ |access-date=October 9, 2024 |website=Sportico.com |language=en-US}}

On October 21, 2024, the network was rebranded as FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin, as part of a new sponsorship agreement between Diamond and sports betting company FanDuel.{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |date=October 18, 2024 |title=FanDuel Takes Over Naming Rights to Diamond Sports RSNs |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/fanduel-naming-rights-diamond-sports-rsn-1236182511/ |access-date=October 19, 2024 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=October 18, 2024 |title=Diamond Sports branded as FanDuel in new deal |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/41871214/diamond-sports-groups-channels-branded-part-fanduel-sports-network-deal |access-date=October 19, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Paul |first=Tony |title=Bally Sports Detroit set to become FanDuel Sports Network; what you need to know |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2024/10/16/bally-sports-detroit-set-to-become-fanduel-sports-network-what-you-need-to-know/75707857007/ |access-date=October 17, 2024 |website=The Detroit News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Randles |first=Jonathan |date=October 16, 2024 |title=Diamond Seeks Approval to Rebrand From Bally Sports to FanDuel |url=https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/2024/10/16/diamond-seeks-approval-to-rebrand-from-bally-sports-to-fanduel/ |access-date=October 17, 2024 |website=BNN Bloomberg |language=en}}

On March 19, 2025, the Brewers announced that through a deal made with WTMJ radio owner Good Karma Brands and MLB Local Media, LLC that former sister station WITI, along with a state network of stations within the team's territory, would carry three spring training and ten regular season games in the 2025 season locally in a simulcast with the streaming channel.{{cite press release|title=Fox6 Milwaukee to simulcast 10 Brewers regular season games|work=MLB.com|date=March 12, 2025|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/brewers-announce-broadcast-partnership-with-good-karma-brands|access-date=March 14, 2025}}

FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin holds the regional cable television rights to NBA games from the Milwaukee Bucks (whose telecasts became exclusive to the network starting with the 2007–08 season) and since 2000, simulcasts most of the NHL games from the Minnesota Wild televised by FanDuel Sports Network North (usually through FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin Extra), as well as pre-game, post-game and fan shows for all three teams. In 2018, simulcasts of Major League Soccer's Minnesota United FC matches were added to Fox Sports Wisconsin after Fox Sports North assumed that team's rights.

The channel also carries high school sports competitions sanctioned by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) (the girls' and boys' state tournament final rights are held by Allen Media Group's Wisconsin broadcast cluster and a statewide network of broadcast stations, though Bally Sports Wisconsin is allowed to carry replays of the tournament), weekend outdoor sports programming, and many of the national programs distributed by Bally Sports. It also airs NCAA competitions from the Big East Conference, Big Ten Conference and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and a limited schedule of Marquette men's games through a sub-licensing deal with sister network Fox Sports 1 in which some games not of national interest are distributed to their regional sports network partners, CBS Sports Network and the ESPN family of networks as part of the "new" Big East's television contract{{cite news|title=Buzz Williams show, MU games exit Time Warner SportsChannel|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/blog/2013/09/buzz-williams-show-mu-games-exit-time.html|author=Rich Kirchen|newspaper=The Business Journal of Milwaukee|publisher=American City Business Journals|date=September 19, 2013|access-date=September 22, 2013}} (Bally Sports Wisconsin acquired the partial rights to Marquette sports events from Time Warner Cable Sports (the now-defunct Spectrum Sports), a regional network available only on Time Warner systems in eastern Wisconsin, which had been carrying the games since 2006 until 2013).

The channel now carries select programming from FanDuel TV due to the naming rights deal with FanDuel and syndicated programming like Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Family Feud, how-to shows and many other syndicated shows.

From 2007 to 2011, FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin sub-licensed a package of fifteen Milwaukee Brewers games for broadcast on Milwaukee independent station WMLW-CA (channel 41, now Me-TV owned-and-operated station WBME-CD); the Fox Sports-produced broadcasts aired outside of the Milwaukee market on Bally Sports Wisconsin, while WMLW owner Weigel Broadcasting sold advertising for those telecasts.{{cite news|title=HR for Brewers' viewers|url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=566493|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|publisher=Journal Communications|date=February 15, 2007}} The deal was discontinued after the 2011 season due to the Brewers wanting a schedule of games entirely in high definition (until a move of WMLW's schedule to a full-power signal in August 2012, this was impossible for them to do, along with multiplexing limitations) and the launch of a secondary feed allowing live coverage of both Brewers and Bucks games, making the team exclusive to the network.

;NBA

• Milwaukee Bucks

;NHL

• Minnesota Wild (through FanDuel Sports Network North)

;NCAA Division I athletics

• Wisconsin Badgers (coaches shows only)
• Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off men's hockey tournament
• WCHA Hockey

;NCAA Division III athletics

• Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin HD is a 720p high definition simulcast feed of FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin. All Bucks games are broadcast in HD, as well as sports, magazine and first-run syndicated programs distributed nationally by FanDuel Sports Network. Depending on the market, FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin Extra is also transmitted in high definition. Since 2012, the HD feed has been downscaled in letterbox on the channel's standard definition feed, as had become standard for all of Fox's cable networks.

FanDuel Sports Network Extra is an overflow feed that launched on April 9, 2012, and is available in both high definition and standard definition on most cable and satellite providers.{{cite news |title=Bally Sports Wisconsin announces Milwaukee Bucks 2022 first-round playoff broadcast schedule |url=https://www.ballysports.com/wisconsin/news/bally-sports-wisconsin-milwaukee-bucks-tv-schedule-2022-first-round-playoffs-nba |access-date=May 19, 2022 |work=Bally Sports |publisher=Bally Sports Wisconsin staff |date=April 25, 2022}} The channel is mainly used to allow the network to air games that cannot air on Bally Sports Wisconsin due to events with conflicting scheduling – for example, when a Minnesota Wild game airs on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin, a Milwaukee Bucks game scheduled to start during the duration of the game is carried over FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin Extra (this example often occurs from March to April (or as late as June), when the NBA and Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons overlap, although the reverse situation may occur whenever the Bucks are involved in a pre-Conference Final playoff game), along with Wild and Minnesota United games where scheduled. It also carried national college sports rights they held as FSN, such as the lower-interest Big 12 Conference matchups which were usually pre-empted locally, and were of spare interest to Wisconsin viewers.

FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin Extra also airs Minnesota Wild hockey games simulcast from FanDuel Sports Network North that can be shown in-market when Bally Sports Wisconsin is airing a game of local interest. Due to blackout restrictions imposed by MLB and the NBA, Minnesota Twins and Timberwolves games are not broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin, although games from both teams are cleared to air via FanDuel Sports Network North in parts of Wisconsin. Some systems carry the Extra channel on a full-time basis, while others carry it only for game telecasts; non-game Extra programming contains a loop of national Bally Sports Networks and syndicated programming such as the World Poker Tour, Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Family Feud and how-to shows.{{cite web|title=FS Wisconsin to Broadcast Milwaukee Brewers|url=http://www.foxsportswisconsin.com/04/05/12/FS-Wisconsin-to-broadcast-Milwaukee-Brew/landing.html?blockID=703126&feedID=5065|website=Fox Sports Local|date=April 5, 2012}}

• Lisa Byington – play-by-play announcer
• Dave Koehn – alternate play-by-play announcer
• Steve Novak - color analyst
• Marques Johnson - color analyst
• Craig Coshun – Bucks Live host
• Stephen Watson – Bucks Live host (mostly for road games)
• Melanie Ricks – sideline reporter

• Matt Lepay – host of syndicated Badger Sports Report, for Wisconsin Badgers athletics

• Davey Nelson – Brewers Live analyst (deceased)
• Jerry Augustine – Brewers Pregame/Postgame analyst (moved to the Milwaukee Brewers Radio Network in 2021)
• Jon McGlocklin - Bucks color analyst
• Telly Hughes – Bucks & Brewers field reporter
• Jim Paschke - Bucks play-by-play announcer
• Katie George – Bucks sideline reporter (now at ESPN and ESPN on ABC)
• Zora Stephenson – sideline reporter & fill-in play-by-play announcer

• Jeff Levering - lead play-by-play announcer
• Brian Anderson – alternative play-by-play announcer
• Bill Schroeder – color analyst
• Chris Singleton - alternative color analyst
• Craig Coshun – Brewers Pregame/Postgame host, field reporter, and alternative play-by-play announcer
• Stephen Watson – Brewers Pregame/Postgame host (mostly for road games)
• Sophia Minnaert – field reporter
• Tim Dillard – Brewers Pregame/Postgame analyst
• Vinny Rottino – Brewers Pregame/Postgame analyst

{{reflist}}

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• {{Official website|https://www.fanduelsportsnetwork.com/wisconsin}}

{{Bally Sports}}

{{Milwaukee Brewers}}

{{Milwaukee Bucks}}

{{Milwaukee TV}}

{{Madison TV}}

{{SBGI}}

{{U.S. regional sports networks}}

Category:Fox Sports Networks

Category:Bally Sports

Category:FanDuel Sports Network

Category:Sports in Wisconsin

Category:Television stations in Wisconsin

Category:Television stations in Milwaukee

Category:Television channels and stations established in 2007

Category:2007 establishments in Wisconsin

Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023

Category:Milwaukee Brewers

Category:Milwaukee Bucks