Games

1:28 PM |

Nickelodeon Games and Sports for Kids (commonly referred to as Nickelodeon GAS, Nick GAS, or GAS) was an American cable television network that was part of MTV Networks's suite of digital cable channels. The channel was available to all Digital cable providers and satellite provider Dish Network. However the channel was not available to satellite provider Directv because the channel was not offered at the time of launch and even with viewer demand to add the channel to the line-up in later years, Directv still could not add the channel due to the announcing of Nick GAS chaging to The N in 2007. The VP/General Manager of GAS was Nickelodeon executive Mark Offitzer, producer of numerous Nick specials including the Kids Choice Awards.
Summer Sanders was named on-air Commissioner of the network; Dave Aizer (1999-2003) and Vivianne Collins (1999-2003) were the network's original on-air hosts, with Mati Moralejo (2001-2005) joining soon after and later on Nadine (2004).
With its focus on classic Nickelodeon game shows (all of which had been removed from the parent network by 2000), Nick GAS was essentially a children's version of (and Viacom's answer to) Game Show Network, which launched on December 1, 1994
History and programming
Nick GAS launched on March 1, 1999 and its programming primarily consisted of children's game shows and sports-related programs from Nickelodeon, its parent network. This included shows such as GUTS, all versions of Double Dare from 1986 onward, and Figure It Out (which ended its run on the parent network nine months after GAS's launch).

Nick GAS also produced its own original programming, such as Gamefarm and Splash TV. Programs were usually grouped together in the blocks Heads Up!, Wild Card, Family Fuel, Extreme GAS (all removed in 2002), Camp GAS, Double Dare Double Play (both removed in 2004), and Pumping GAS (removed in 2005).

In lieu of commercials, Nick GAS aired interstitial segments, some of which were produced at Nickelodeon On Sunset and the defunct Nickelodeon Studios at Universal Studios Florida. However, in-show advertising (like consolation and grand prizes of the network's shows) were left intact, as it was part of the show itself.
The studio segments often included competitions between families, or interviews with athletes and other celebrities. Other interstitials included "Heroes of the Game", "GAS Grill", "Trade Tricks", "Time Out", "Skill Drill", "MLS Play of the Week", and in the early years of the network "This Day in History".
By 2005, Nick GAS's programming was fully automated, putting shows on a permanent time slot and regular segments.