Sun Sports (sometimes referred to on-air as Fox's Sun Sports) is a Floridasports broadcasting network, with its headquarters in Orlando. Launched in 1988 as Sunshine Network, the station is now affiliated with virtually every cable company throughout the state of Florida and can be picked up by some satellite providers around the United States.
Sunshine Network changed its name to Sun Sports in 2004 to reflect its sports-focused programming. Originally an affiliate of Prime Network, it was acquired with the rest of Prime by Fox Sports Net in 1995.
Sun Sports airs professional, collegiate and high school sporting events. It offers split feeds for the state's regions. Along with sister network Fox Sports Florida it is the cable home to the NBA's Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, and MLB's Tampa Bay Rays. In addition the channel offers baseball, basketball, football, and other sporting events from University of Florida, Florida State University, and the SEC. Longtime partnered with FSU & UF, Sun Sports produces all regular season football games for both schools and airs them statewide on a next-day delay basis. The network also has the rights to the FHSAA Football and Basketball Finals.
Through Sun Sports, South Florida can view Miami Heat basketball, as Central and Northern Florida can view Orlando Magic basketball. Ultimately however, Sun Sports and Fox Sports Florida are sister channels, and games can air on either channel depending on who is playing at what time (particularly with the Marlins and Rays, since both teams routinely play at the same time). The two channels do not focus on one region of Florida (it was long rumored that Sun Sports would carry only the North/Central Florida teams, while Fox Sports Florida would carry Miami-area teams) so that the Lightning, Heat, Marlins, Magic,[1] and Florida Panthers are all cable-exclusive.
In 2010, the Miami Marlins moved all their games to Fox Sports Florida, while Tampa Bay had all their games on Sun Sports. Prior to 2009, some Rays games were available on over-the-air stations.
Personalities
Dewayne Staats - Tampa Bay Rays Play-by-Play
Todd Kalas - Tampa Bay Rays Pre-Game Host and In-Game Reporter
