CNN/SI
Former 24-hour sports news network
title: "CNN/SI" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cnn", "sports-illustrated", "sports-television-networks-in-the-united-states", "english-language-television-stations-in-the-united-states", "television-channels-and-stations-established-in-1996", "defunct-television-networks-in-the-united-states", "tnt-sports-(united-states)", "television-channels-and-stations-disestablished-in-2002", "cnn/si-original-programming"] description: "Former 24-hour sports news network" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNN/SI" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Former 24-hour sports news network ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox television channel"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | CNN/SI |
| logo | CNN Sports Illustrated second logo.PNG |
| logo_alt | CNNSI logo used from 1996 to 1999. |
| launch_date | |
| closed_date | |
| picture_format | 480i (SDTV) |
| country | United States |
| language | English |
| area | Nationwide |
| replaced_by | NBA TV (on many cable systems) |
| sister_channels | CNN |
| CNN Headline News | |
| TNT | |
| TBS Superstation | |
| Turner South | |
| Turner Classic Movies | |
| Cartoon Network | |
| Boomerang | |
| CNNfn | |
| owner | Turner Broadcasting System |
| :: |
| bgcolor = | name = CNN/SI | logo = CNN Sports Illustrated second logo.PNG | logo_size = | logo_alt = CNNSI logo used from 1996 to 1999. | launch_date = | closed_date = | picture_format = 480i (SDTV) | country = United States | language = English | area = Nationwide | replaced_by = NBA TV (on many cable systems) | sister_channels = CNN CNN Headline News TNT TBS Superstation Turner South Turner Classic Movies Cartoon Network Boomerang CNNfn | owner = Turner Broadcasting System CNN/Sports Illustrated (CNN/SI) was a 24-hour sports news network. Created when Time Warner merged its CNN and Sports Illustrated brands, it launched on December 12, 1996.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/CNNSI.png" caption="CNN/SI's first logo"] ::
Other news networks like ESPNews provided 30-minute blocks of news and highlights in a similar fashion to CNN Headline News at the time, but CNN/SI was live daily from 7am to 2am. Its purpose was to provide the most comprehensive sports news service on television, bringing in-depth sports news from around the world, and integrating the internet and television.
Closure
CNN/SI's closure had been attributed to competition with other all-sports news networks and sports newscasts which started around the same time, such as ESPNews and Fox Sports Net's National Sports Report. Though CNN/SI aired exclusive content, such as the tape of former Indiana University coach Bob Knight choking player Neil Reed, the channel reached only 20 million homes, not adequate enough to receive a rating by Nielsen Media Research, which reduced sponsorship. ESPNews, in contrast, benefited from being bundled with ESPN (86.5 million homes). The news channel parent CNN did not have the same influence with cable operators for its all-sports news channel. CNN's cancellation of their flagship sports program, Sports Tonight (which had already been retooled to compete with SportsCenter) after the September 11 attacks contributed to the closure of CNN/SI, as it lost all connections to their mother network.
Near its closure, Sports Tonight was exclusive to CNN/SI. CNN/SI added NASCAR qualifying, Wimbledon matches, National Lacrosse League matches, and televised the now-defunct Women's United Soccer Association
CNN/SI shut down on May 15, 2002. On many cable systems, CNN/SI was replaced by NBA TV. NBA TV, which launched in 1999, eventually evolved into a joint venture between Time Warner and the NBA that officially launched on October 28, 2008.
Following the network's closure, its international sports program World Sport continues to air, and since 2002 has been produced by CNN International.
CNN itself would not produce another regular sportscast until 2024, when a new CNN-produced newscast, TNT Sports Tonight, debuted on TruTV as part of a plan to increase sports programming on that network.
Website
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/CNN_Sports_Illustrated_Sitelogo_2002.gif" caption="CNN Sports Illustrated site logo (2002)"] ::
The CNN/SI name was maintained for Sports Illustrateds online presence at cnnsi.com. In January 2013, CNN acquired Bleacher Report and after Time Warner's spin-off of their publishing assets into Time Inc. (and subsequently sale to Meredith Corporation and later, to IAC's Dotdash), they dropped all use of the Sports Illustrated name.
Programming
- Sports Tonight (1996–2001) hosted by various anchors
- NFL Preview hosted by Bob Lorenz with analysts Trev Alberts, Irving Fryar and Peter King
- College Football Preview hosted by Bob Lorenz with analyst Trev Alberts and Ivan Maisel
- This Week in the NBA hosted by Andre Aldridge and Kevin Loughery
- Sports Illustrated Golf Plus hosted by Bob Fiscella and Phil Jones
- World Sport hosted by various anchors
- Page One hosted by Laura Okmin
- NASCAR Plus hosted by Johnny Phelps
- Sports Illustrated - Cover to Cover
- Trev Alberts' Full Tilt
- The Sporting Life with Jim Huber
References
References
- (December 12, 1996). "CNN/SI pairing channels energy into sports information battle". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
- (23 December 1996). "New York Magazine". New York Media, LLC..
- (December 12, 2000). "CNN 20: CNN/SI Debuts, December 12, 1996". CNN.com.
- Diamond Joe. (January 24, 2013). "Rachel Nichols' New Quarters Are At CNN, Turner Sports". SportsRants.com.
- Glick, Shav. (August 10, 2001). "Long Is Closing In on His F-1 Dream". Los Angeles Times.
- (June 21, 2000). "Nick Charles to Host CNN/Sports Illustrated's Exclusive Prime Time Wimbledon Coverage". [[Business Wire]].
- (August 20, 2001). "National Lacrosse League Tabs CNN/Sports Illustrated As National Broadcast Partner". [[National Lacrosse League]].
- (February 20, 2001). "WUSA: TNT and CNNSI to show 22 games". [[Soccer America]].
- (April 6, 2002). "CNN/Sports Illustrated Channel to Go Off Air in May". [[Highbeam Research]].
- (April 6, 2002). "AOL: CNN/SI to shut down May 15". [[MarketWatch]].
- (May 9, 2002). "CNNI sports unaffected by CNN/SI shutdown". [[Digital Spy]].
- Steinberg, Brian. (2024-03-07). "Warner Bros. Discovery to Overhaul TruTV With Sports; Sets Nightly Block for Games and More (EXCLUSIVE)".
- (January 30, 2013). "CNN's Bleacher Report Programming Launches Saturday". [[Adweek]].
- (November 9, 2001). "The Channel". CNNSI.com.
- "THE SPORTING LIFE WITH JIM HUBER".
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