The Ski Channel
In April 2007, Bellamy announced the formation of The Ski Channel television network that would focus on mountain oriented sports, activity and lifestyle. That announcement brought a long term cable distribution deal with Time Warner and advertising deals with: Panasonic, Fender Guitars, Marquis Jets and Mirage Resorts. Panasonic's President, Andy Nelkin stated they were going to use the networks affluent audience to market their new 107 inch hi definition television that cost $70,000. Shortly after a flurry of programming announcements were made with ski film maker Rage Films, episodic television series Ride Guide and a series with legendary action sports photographer Tony Harrington, entitled, “Storm Hunter.”
A big announcement was a partnership with Olympic Gold Medalist Jonny Moseley that made Moseley an investor in the channel, a spokesperson and gave Moseley a signature show on the network. The Moseley announcement came at “The Ski Channel Baby Shower” and was attended by ski and snowboard stars: Julia Mancuso, Kirstina Koznick, Lauren Ross and Dash Longe. Alexandra Paul, Donna Mills, Melissa Rivers, Dawnn Lewis, Jaron Lowenstein, Scott Grimes, Kevin Durand, Amy Pietz, Jason Gray Stanford, Sinjin Smith, Pam Shriver and George Lazenby attended as well.
On Nov, 10th 2008, it was reported in the media that the network had secured enough capital through a private placement to fund the channel through the life of the business, that it had hire a senior management team and that the network would be launching shortly.
On Nov. 17th 2008, it was reported by Business Week that the channel had added DirecTV and Verizon to its list of distributors, that it was launching on Christmas Day of 2008 and that it had acquired the broadcast rights to classic Warren Miller movies.
On June 1, 2009, it was announced that The Ski Channel had entered into a long term partnership with AT&T Uverse that would put the channel in approximately 20 Million Households.
As of May 1, 2010, The Ski Channel is in 26 million US television households and in every market in America. The channel has distribution partnerships with Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, Dish Network, Cablevision, AT&T, Verizon, RCN, Cox, Frontier Cable and programming partnerships with Warren Miller, Greg Stump and the US Freeski Tour.
In July of 2010, The Ski Channel announced a deal with Comcast that brings the network to 43 million US television households when added to the previous distribution.
Read more about this topic: Steve Bellamy, Biography
Famous quotes containing the words ski and/or channel:
“The goal for all blind skiers is more freedom. You don’t have to see where you’re going, as long as you go. In skiing, you ski with your legs and not with your eyes. In life, you experience things with your mind and your body. And if you’re lacking one of the five senses, you adapt.”
—Lorita Bertraun, Blind American skier. As quoted in WomenSports magazine, p. 29 (January 1976)
“There may sometimes be ungenerous attempts to keep a young man down; and they will succeed too, if he allows his mind to be diverted from its true channel to brood over the attempted injury. Cast about, and see if this feeling has not injured every person you have ever known to fall into it.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)