Good Things For Skiers Who Wait - The Ski Channel Cometh
In order to ensure we are going to get a top flight operation, The Ski Channel has brought aboard some of the best and brightest veterans from the business world and the television industry. Some of the staff Steve Bellamy, Chairman and CEO of The Ski Channel, has put in place include Rich Tavtigian, Neil Deiter and David Haskell.
Rich Tavtigian, an avid mountain sports enthusiast, 20-year industry veteran from Sony Pictures and 2-time Emmy winner is assuming the role of Vice President of Programming and Content. Neil Deiter, also a 20-year television industry veteran who has worked for NBC, E! and Fox will be Vice President of Development and Operations. Bellamy has also signed Sinah Hoenig as Director of Marketing and is welcoming Kate Donnelly, from Tom Hank’s Playtone Productions.
On the business side, Bellamy has worked hard to solidify significant capital that will guarantee full and long term financing of the enterprise. “The Ski Channel is now capitalized in a great way with wonderful partners,” said Bellamy. “Everything is coming together incredibly well. The programming is second to none, the staff is great and the ad sales are even going well.” David Haskell, who has been a general partner of Haskell and Davis a premier Los Angeles CPA firm for 20 years, will be taking on the duties of COO/CFO.
Recognizing the potential future and success of The Ski Channel, the Bryan Brothers, of world #1 tennis doubles team fame, have joined a virtual who’s who of business luminaries, athletes and notables as financial investors. The Bryans, who were around as part of the growth of Bellamy's Tennis Channel, said, “We got to watch Steve work from the ground floor up with The Tennis Channel. If he is a fraction as successful as he was there, The Ski Channel is going to be huge."
Over and above becoming becoming investors, The Bryans also gave the The Ski Channel, one of the best endorsements I've heard yet when they said, "We don’t ski but understand the power of television. The Tennis Channel grew tennis and The Ski Channel will grow this space.”
Stay tuned for a next week announcement of The Ski Channel launch date.
Logo Copyright The Ski Channel
Comments
This is another round of b-s as far as the ski industry is concerned. He has been announcing this thing for years, and we know he will soon be pounding on our door for ad money. But, no one that really works at the resorts or for the manufacturers has been given a clue what is in the works. Stay in LA boys, lots of ski industry sales contacts there.
In this day and age of everything costing so much and upfront money dictating schedules I don’t think taking a couple of years to present a quality product is a long time.
Maybe, the hype began a little premature or testing the water got a carried away. But if it wasn’t such a good a idea would skiers and riders be anticipating the launch as much as they are?
No doubt the quality of their other property, the Tennis Channel, is great, if this is half that, outstanding … but this season is underway and the bulk of budgets are allocated until the next planning phase. If they try to sell to buyers in the spring, that at best would mean a fall 09 launch, maybe.
What might be cool is a web channel of some kind until then, something to keep momentum going, because as of now people are starting to hear crickets. Thoughts?
I’m sure only certain cable companies will carry The Ski Channel. No doubt, Cablevision customers will not have access, as there is no access to tennis channel. Do I have to put a satellite on my house?