This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Contrary to some reports, the American Sports Network is not going out of business. It is, however, undergoing some changes.

Why should anyone in Utah care? If you're aware of the American Sports Network at all, it's probably because you've seen the logo during KMYU's local telecasts of Real Salt Lake games.

KMYU is owned by Sinclair Broadcasting. So are KUTV and KJZZ. And Sinclair is the parent company of the American Sports Network.

Sinclair is merging and rebranding ASN with Silver Chalice and 120 Sports, forming a "multi-platform" sports network. What exactly that means isn't altogether clear yet, but one thing is absolutely certain — none of this will affect KMYU's RSL telecasts. Or the RSL telecasts on other Sinclair stations in other states.

In other words — there's no reason to worry, RSL fans.

Well, not about the telecasts. You certainly can worry about the team.

FROM ASN TO CBSSN • In other American Sports Network news, the outlet has lost the Arizona Bowl to the CBS Sports Network, beginning this year. Which could affect Utah State, if the Aggies are bowl eligible, because the Mountain West sends a team to the Arizona Bowl.

The MWC sent both Colorado State and Nevada to the inaugural Arizona Bowl in 2015 … but that's the subject of a whole 'nother column about what's wrong with the bowl system.

BOWL FOR BYU? • Speaking of bowls, BYU doesn't have a tie-in this year. And that means that, barring some announcement from Provo, if the Cougars are bowl-eligibile they'll have to hope that some conference doesn't have enough eligible teams to fill its commitments.

The only "open" bowl berths are in the New Year's Six. And the odds of BYU getting an invitation to one of those is negligible.

This is a chance to see how much BYU's relationship with ESPN can help because ESPN owns the Armed Forces, Birmingham, Bahamas, Boca Raton, Camelia, Famous Idaho Potato, Hawaii, Heart of Dallas, Las Vegas, New Mexico, St. Petersburg, Texas and soon-to-be renamed Miami Beach Bowl. (ESPN just bought that one and is moving it to Frisco, Texas — to the stadium where MLS' FC Dallas plays.)

So if the AAC, Big Ten, Big 12, Conference USA, MAC, MWC, Pac-12, SEC or Sun Belt fall short or Army fails to become bowl-eligible, then ESPN ought to be able to help.

Stay tuned …

FOX LOVES MEXICO • Fox has the rights to the 2018 World Cup, and it's making a really smart business decision that could anger a few people. Including the current occupent of the Oval Office.

Fox Sports president Eric Shanks told Advertising Age "that in a bid to siphon off English-speaking Hispanic viewers from Telemundo, Fox will cover the Mexican national squad 'as if it's a second home team.'"

Assuming, of course, that the U.S. and Mexico both qualify for the 2018 World Cup. And that hasn't happened yet, although it might.

Again, that makes a lot of sense. There is a huge Spanish-speaking audience for soccer, and this is all about ratings.

Just don't tell Donald Trump.

THAT'LL TEACH 'EM • Now that the Chargers have moved to Los Angeles, San Diego Fox affiliate KSWB no longer will telecast the Bolts' preseason games.

KSWB instead will air — the Los Angeles Rams' preseason games.

Really.

Scott D. Pierce covers TV for The Salt Lake Tribune. Email him at spierce@sltrib.com; follow him on Twitter @ScottDPierce.