Burly Bear Network

About Burly Bear Network

Burly Bear Network operated as an American cable television channel specifically targeting the 18-to-24-year-old college student demographic. It was established in 1994 by a group of four friends from Connecticut: Danny Stein, Brian Nurenberg, Danny Ameri, and James Mairs. The initial concept was sparked during a ski vacation where the founders observed a hyper-local TV channel dedicated to the resort, inspiring them to create a similar network for the underserved college market. Stein served as the CEO, with Nurenberg managing distribution while Ameri and Mairs headed production.

The network's business model focused on providing original programming directly to university and college campuses through their closed-circuit cable systems, a space with significant viewership and limited tailored content. This strategy allowed Burly Bear to reach a substantial audience, eventually broadcasting to over 8 million students across hundreds of U.S. colleges. The network also had a late-night programming block on the national cable channel TBS, expanding its reach beyond campus dorm rooms. In addition to its television programming, the company developed an events business, bringing branded entertainment directly to campuses.

The content was designed to resonate with its target audience, featuring shows like "Half Baked," a rock 'n' roll cooking program, and "Dave and Steve's Video Game Explosion". In May 1997, Lorne Michaels' production company, Broadway Video, acquired a majority stake in the network after Michaels discovered it while channel surfing at his vacation home. Following the acquisition and integration, Stein departed in 1999. In September 2002, National Lampoon purchased the company, which led to the network being folded into the National Lampoon Network.