Battle of the Network Stars
Battle of the Network Stars is a series of competitions in which television stars from ABC, CBS, and NBC would compete in various sporting events. A total of 19 of these competitions were held between 1976 and 1988, all of which were aired by ABC.
In 2003, NBC attempted to revive Battle of the Network Stars with a two-hour special.
In 2005, Bravo premiered a revived version of the show named Battle of the Network Reality Stars. Also in 2005, ESPN premiered a short-lived, sports-themed spinoff version of Battle of the Network Stars as Battle of the Gridiron Stars featuring twenty players from the AFC and NFC competing in a variety of tasks that had nothing to do with football.
In 2017, ABC revived the series as a summer series which premiered on June 29, 2017.
Broadcast history
The first Battle was broadcast on ABC starting in November 1976. The program proved popular and continued for an additional eight and a half years, with subsequent episodes airing approximately every six months until May 1985. One final competition aired in December 1988. NBC tried to revive the competition in 2003, but with an intra-network contest consisting of personalities from the NBC family of networks. Typically, episodes were aired twice per calendar year, once during the spring and once during the fall during Nielsen Ratings sweeps weeks.Sports broadcaster Howard Cosell hosted or co-hosted all but one of the first nineteen competitions, and commented on the action with a semi-serious version of the style for which he was famous.
When ABC revived the program as a weekly series in 2017, Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore took over the hosting duties.
Format
1976–1988
Each network was represented by eight or ten of its stars from various series, and one of those people from each team would be elected to serve as the network's team captain.Some of the events were modeled after those used on The Superstars, another Trans World-ABC production that featured athletes from all sports competing against each other for an overall title. Regular events included swimming, kayaking, volleyball, golf, tennis, bowling, cycling, 3-on-3 football, the baseball dunk, running, and the obstacle course. Also featured as a regular event was a game of "Simon Says", directed by Catskill hotel Grossinger's entertainer Lou Goldstein. Each network received points based on how it performed in the event.
After the regular events were over, the lowest scoring network was eliminated from further competition and the two remaining networks determined the day's winner with the final event, the Tug-Of-War.
2017–present
Two teams of five celebrities compete each week with a professional athlete as their coach. The teams are typically assigned based on the genre or role of the celebrities' notable TV credits. For example, one episode pitted prime-time soap opera stars against actors associated with comedies, while another had had actors who played lawyers vs. those who played White House employees. Teams often include at least one veteran actor or actress who previously competed in the original Battle of the Network Stars and archive footage of their previous appearance is shown. The venue remains Pepperdine University, as was the original.Rosters
1976–1988
Battles I-III: Each network had a roster of 10 stars: six men and four women.Battles IV-VI: Each network had a roster of eight stars: five men and three women.
Battles VII-XIX: Each network had a roster of eight stars: four men and four women.
Events
1976–1988
Battle I: Swimming Relay, Tennis, Golf, Baseball Dunk, Bicycle Relay, Obstacle Course, Volleyball, Running Relay, Tug-of-WarBattle II: Swimming Relay, Kayak Relay, Baseball Dunk, Obstacle Course, Golf, Running Relay, 3-on-3 Football, Tug-of-war
Battle III: Swimming Relay, Kayak Relay, Bowling, Baseball Dunk, Obstacle Course, Golf, Running Relay, 3-on-3 Football, Tug-of-War
Battle IV: Swimming Relay, Kayak Relay, Frisbee Catch, Baseball Dunk, Obstacle Course, Running Relay, 3-on-3 Football, Tug-of-War
Battles V-VII: Swimming Relay, Kayak Relay, 3-on-3 Football, Baseball Dunk, Obstacle Course, Running Relay, Tug-of-War
Battles VIII-XVII: Swimming Relay, Kayak Relay, 3-on-3 Football, Baseball Dunk, Obstacle Course, Tandem Bike Relay, Running Relay, Tug-of-War
2017–present
2017: Running Relay, Swimming Relay, Kayak Relay, Baseball Dunk, Tennis, Archery, Soccer, Basketball, Golf, Women's Obstacle Course, Men's Obstacle Course, Tug-of-WarEpisodes
Battle of the Network Stars I (Nov. 13, 1976)
Battle of the Network Stars II (Feb. 28, 1977)
This edition aired under the title Challenge of the Network Stars.| Hosts: | ABC | CBS | NBC |
| Howard Cosell Bruce Jenner O.J. Simpson | Gabe Kaplan LeVar Burton Darleen Carr Richard Hatch Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs Ron Howard Hal Linden Kristy McNichol Penny Marshall Jaclyn Smith | Telly Savalas Sonny Bono Kevin Dobson Mike Farrell David Groh Linda Lavin Lee Meriwether Rob Reiner Loretta Swit Marcia Wallace | Robert Conrad Elizabeth Allen Lynda Day George Carl Franklin Karen Grassle Dan Haggerty Art Hindle Kurt Russell Jane Seymour W. K. Stratton |
Battle of the Network Stars III (Nov. 4, 1977)
Battle of the Network Stars IV (May 7, 1978)
Battle of the Network Stars V (Nov. 18, 1978)
Battle of the Network Stars VI (May 7, 1979)
Battle of the Network Stars VII (Nov. 2, 1979)
Battle of the Network Stars VIII (May 4, 1980)
Battle of the Network Stars IX (Dec. 5, 1980)
Battle of the Network Stars X (May 8, 1981)
Battle of the Network Stars XI (Nov. 20, 1981)
Battle of the Network Stars XII (May 5, 1982)
Battle of the Network Stars XIII (Oct. 1, 1982)
Battle of the Network Stars XIV (May 4, 1983)
Battle of the Network Stars XV (Nov. 3, 1983)
Battle of the Network Stars XVI (May 3, 1984)
Battle of the Network Stars XVII (Dec. 20, 1984)
Battle of the Network Stars XVIII (May 23, 1985)
Battle of the Network Stars XIX (Dec. 10, 1988)
Total overall wins – ABC: 7, CBS: 6, NBC: 6Battle of the Network Stars (20) (2017)
For this edition, rather than the standard network vs. network format, fielding of the teams is based on the TV characters attributed to each celebrity—cops vs. TV sitcoms, White House vs. lawyers, TV moms & dads vs. TV kids, etc.| Hosts | Sideline Reporters | Blue Team DeMarcus Ware | Red Team Ronda Rousey | Air date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers |
| Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore | Cari Champion and Cassidy Hubbarth | TV Sitcoms Tom Arnold Dave Coulier Tracey Gold AJ Michalka Bronson Pinchot | TV Kids Corbin Bleu Kim Fields Nolan Gould Joey Lawrence Lisa Whelchel | 101 | 4.141 | |
| Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore | Cari Champion and Cassidy Hubbarth | Variety Joanna Krupa Nick Lachey Vanessa Lachey Gilles Marini Jack Osbourne | TV Sex Symbols Keegan Allen Traci Bingham Rosa Blasi Brant Daugherty Galen Gering | 103 | 3.059 | |
| Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore | Cari Champion and Cassidy Hubbarth | White House LaMonica Garrett Joshua Malina Marlee Matlin Mary McCormack Cornelius Smith Jr. | Lawyers Catherine Bell Corbin Bernsen Romi Dias Matt McGorry Elisabeth Röhm | 105 | 2.707 | |
| Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore | Cari Champion and Cassidy Hubbarth | Primetime Soaps Mischa Barton Gabrielle Carteris Josh Henderson Donna Mills Ian Ziering | ABC Stars Shari Belafonte Olivia d'Abo Michael Fishman Jason Hervey Anson Williams | 102 | 2.587 | |
| Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore | Cari Champion and Cassidy Hubbarth | Cops Erik Estrada Kelly Hu Lorenzo Lamas Jodi Lyn O'Keefe Larry Wilcox | TV Sitcoms Leigh-Allyn Baker Todd Bridges Dave Foley Willie Garson Jenna von Oy | 104 | 2.573 | |
| Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore | Cari Champion and Cassidy Hubbarth | TV Moms & Dads Greg Evigan Lesley Fera Jackee Harry Chad Lowe Ted McGinley | TV Kids Jonathan Lipnicki Jeremy Miller Mackenzie Phillips Jimmie Walker Krista Marie Yu | 106 | 2.531 | |
| Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore | Cari Champion and Cassidy Hubbarth | Cops Fred Dryer Roma Maffia Marisol Nichols Ryan Paevey Adrian Zmed | Sci-Fi Fantasy Charisma Carpenter Lou Ferrigno Vinnie Jones Kevin Sorbo Jill Wagner | 110 | 2.319 | |
| Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore | Cari Champion and Cassidy Hubbarth | ABC Stars Joely Fisher Troy Gentile Ted Lange Denise Richards Jill Whelan | Variety Adrienne Bailon Lance Bass Joey Fatone Cameron Mathison Kelly Osbourne | 109 | 2.053 | |
| Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore | Cari Champion and Cassidy Hubbarth | Famous TV Families Willie Aames Danny Bonaduce Beverley Mitchell Charlene Tilton Barry Williams | Doctors Thomas Calabro Taye Diggs Deidre Hall Benjamin Hollingsworth Rachelle Lefevre | 107 | 2.979 | |
| Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore | Cari Champion and Cassidy Hubbarth | Troublemakers Catherine Bach John Barrowman Julie Benz Vivica A. Fox Paul Johansson | TV Lifeguards David Chokachi Nicole Eggert Gena Lee Nolin Brande Roderick Parker Stevenson | 108 | 2.47 |