With more and more people cutting their cable and satellite subscriptions out of their lives, there’s one group of television viewers who must cling tightly to their plan: sports fans. This is especially true for DirecTV subscribers, who have an expansive catalog of sports channels at their disposal. CBS Sports Network is one such example. If you’re a DirecTV subscriber looking to tune into CBS Sports Network, don’t waste your time searching for the channel number. We’ll tell you exactly where to find the station on your DirecTV guide.
CBS Sports Network Channel Guide
| Channel Name | DirecTV Channel Number |
|---|---|
| CBS Sports Network (CBSSN) | 221 |
The History of CBS Sports Network
©Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.com
CBS Sports Network — which you may see referred to as CBSSN interchangeably — first launched in February 2002. Just over 20 years ago, the network began under the name College Sports Television (CSTV). As the name suggests, its primary focus was on college sports. CBS purchased the network in 2006, allowing it to rebrand to the CBS College Sports Network a couple of years later. The focus remained on college sports, but filtered through the lens of CBS’s high-quality cameras and broadcasting equipment.
In the years that followed, CBS College Sports Network dropped the “College” and evolved to become the CBS Sports Network. The name change to CBSSN came with an expansion of the network’s programming beyond just college sports. The station started featuring a much more diverse range of events. This new roster included professional bull riding, motorsport, lacrosse, and even commentary shows before and after the games. This expansion allowed the network to appeal to an even wider audience and become a go-to destination for more sports enthusiasts.
Throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s, CBS Sports Network has continued to evolve and adapt. The sports media landscape is ever-changing, motivating the network to keep things interesting year after year. It has secured rights to unique broadcasts and events such as the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the Professional Fighters League (PFL), the World’s Strongest Man competition, the World Series of Poker, and more. Golf, motorsport, bull riding, and NCAA sports remain key to the network, as well.
CBSSN Sister Stations
| CBS |
| Showtime |
| Nickelodeon |
| Comedy Central |
| Paramount Network |
| MTV |
| MTV2 |
| MTV Live |
| MTV Classic |
| CMT |
| CMT Music |
| BET |
| BET Her |
| BET Gospel |
| BET Hip-Hop |
| VH1 |
| TV Land |
| Logo |
| Pop TV |
| Flix |
| The Movie Channel |
| Smithsonian Channel |
CBS Sports Network Programming
©CBS Sports Network – License
CBS Sports Network offers a diverse lineup of programming that caters to every sports fan’s insatiable appetite. From thrilling college football and basketball games to heart-pounding professional bull riding, CBSSN delivers a wide spectrum of sports entertainment and commentary shows. Whether you’re a die-hard NCAA fan or crave the excitement of combat sports like MMA and boxing, CBSSN has a more eclectic catalog of programs than most other sports stations. Let’s take a look at the types of programming you’ll encounter on the channel.
Live Broadcasts
CBS Sports Network’s live broadcasts are extremely diverse. The station started out highlighting NCAA sports like college basketball, college baseball, college football, college basketball, and more. It still plays these NCAA sports today. For as long as CBSSN is on the air, it will likely continue to put most of its focus on these collegiate sports.
Beyond that, CBSSN highlights a range of popular major league sports. The list includes games from the Union of European Football Associations, professional rugby, PGA golf tournaments, professional tennis matches, and a variety of motorsport races. It’s essentially an extension of the CBS Sports brand name, meaning anything that plays on CBS could reasonably appear on CBSSN.
CBSSN also shines a spotlight on women’s sports leagues. The WNBA has had a home on the CBS Sports Network since 2019. Similarly, the NWSL has been playing on CBSSN since 2020. Don’t be surprised to see other women’s sports leagues join the lineup in the years to come. This gives it a unique edge over rival sports networks that sorely lack female sports coverage.
There’s also a variety of less conventional sporting events on CBSSN. From professional bull riding to strongman competitions to the World Series of Poker and beyond, these interesting sports are difficult to find on any other major sports network. The only other network that gives ample coverage to these alternative sports would be ESPN2, and even then, CBSSN may have them beat.
Commentary Shows
Looking past the live sporting events, CBS Sports Network also has an array of sports commentary shows. This should come as no surprise to CBS Sports Radio listeners, as the radio station has been around nearly as long as CBSSN itself. These shows are comparable in format and content to similar shows on ESPN, FS1, and the like.
Boomer and Gio is one of CBSSN’s most popular programs. Hosted by Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti, the program has existed in some form or another for more than 15 years now. Jim Rome is another radio personality with a longtime home on CBSSN. His show Rome aired on the network at launch, with The Jim Rome Show later replacing it in 2018.
Other popular offerings on CBSSN include Time to Schein with Adam Schein and CBS Sports HQ Spotlight. The latter is one of CBSSN’s newest programs. It focuses on the latest news, highlights, and scores from the world of sports. Not to mention all the pregame and post-game wrap-up shows that air before and after big games.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©CBS Entertainment Group.
