World Fishing Network (WFN) is an American television network, which offers online and mobile platform dedicated exclusively to
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
. Based on the
Canadian television network of the same name. The network's programming covers
instruction, tips,
tournaments
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
, travel, food,
boating, outdoor lifestyle and more. Hosted by some of the world's top anglers, WFN is available to cable, satellite and
telco subscribers throughout the United States and the Caribbean. WFN's lineup also includes a selection of the best and most diverse species coverage of any programming on television.
History
The channel's roots began in Canada on December 2, 2005, when it was launched under the ownership of
Insight Sports
Insight Sports Ltd. is a sports media and entertainment company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The company is owned in part by Larry Tanenbaum, part owner of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
Properties
Insight Sports operates Aquila Product ...
. The company expanded the channel in the United States in November 2007 with its launch on
Verizon FiOS as a standard definition channel. A few months later, in May 2008, WFN launched a
high definition (HD) channel on
Dish Network, called "World Fishing Network HD", a channel with a separate schedule from its standard definition counterpart. The HD channel was added to Verizon FiOS that year.
[WFN: World Fishing Network HD Launches on Verizon FiOS in the New York City Metro Market](_blank)
Reuters.com; 2008-08-19. Since WFN's launch on Verizon and Dish Network, it has been added to several other television providers such as
Charter Communications
Charter Communications, Inc., is an American telecommunications and mass media company with services branded as Spectrum. With over 32 million customers in 41 states, it is the second-largest cable operator in the United States by subscribe ...
, and television providers in the Caribbean, including Flow Cable in Jamaica.
On January 10, 2011, WFN announced that it had sold a 50% stake in its U.S. operations to
Altitude Sports and Entertainment
Altitude Sports and Entertainment (usually referred to as simply Altitude) is an American regional sports cable and satellite television channel owned by Stan Kroenke's Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. The channel, which serves the Rocky Moun ...
. Also, in 2011, Altitude Sports and Entertainment purchased a 19.9% interest in the Canadian channel through its division Altitude WFN ULC.
CRTC ownership chart
CRTC Altitude would later purchase the remaining 50% interest in the channel.
On January 14, 2019, World Fishing Network in Canada officially relaunched as Sportsman Channel
Sportsman Channel is an American sports-oriented digital cable and satellite television network owned by the Outdoor Sportsman Group subsidiary of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. The channel is dedicated to programming about outdoor sports, incl ...
.
See also
* Sportsman Channel (Canadian TV channel)
Sportsman Channel is a Television in Canada, Canadian English language Category B Services, Category B specialty channel owned by Keywest Marketing Ltd. and the Outdoor Sportsman Group subsidiary of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment. It airs enterta ...
* Extreme Angler TV
References
External links
*
{{Sports television in the United States
Television channels and stations established in 2007
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment