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HISTORY
After three years of successfully growing the channel, Cooley and Hansen finalized an agreement with InterMedia Partners VII, L.P., a media private equity firm in April, 2006. InterMedia made a considerable equity investment in The Sportsman Channel, which helped take The Sportsman Channel to the next level in conservation efforts and original programming. A year later, The Sportsman Channel Inc. merged with InterMedia Outdoor Holdings to now control over 17 different media outlets, including television programming and publications. The combined companies are now one of the largest outdoor media group in the states. Cooley still remains as President/CEO and Hansen as Sr. Vice President/CMO of The Sportsman Channel Inc. |
The concept for The Sportsman Channel, Inc was developed and founded by C. Michael Cooley in the fall of 2002. As an avid sportsman, entrepreneur and an independent producer of numerous hunting and fishing television programs, Cooley identified a need to secure an outlet for his programming along with hundreds of other independent producers. Cooley and his fellow producers were finding it difficult to work with established channels that are only interested in promoting their own agenda and not dedicating their airwaves to hunting and fishing. Thus, the concept for a channel dedicated to the preservation of our hunting and fishing lifestyle was born. After Cooley garnished an overwhelming response and interest from producers and the industry to start the channel, he partnered with long time friend, local entrepreneur and avid sportsman, Todd D. Hansen. Together, they laid the foundation and infrastructure necessary to launch the channel on April 7, 2003. Today, The Sportsman Channel is recognized as the premier destination for hunting and fishing television programming.