Category Archives: Fox Sports

Fox to use All-Star Game to pump up Fox Sports 1; will feature elaborate promo spot

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Aug. 17 is coming soon. Time for Fox Sports to really start beating the drums for the debut of Fox Sports 1.

Fox has a major 90-second ad slated for its telecast of the All-Star Game. As you’d expect with Fox involved, it won’t be subtle.

Here is a video about the making of the promo, which features Miguel Cabrera, Joe Flacco, Mike Tyson, Patrick Willis and others.

Here are the details from Fox:

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What do you get when you are preparing for the biggest sports network launch in history and you’re televising what likely will be the most-watched sports event of the summer?  A golden opportunity.

That’s what FOX Sports Co-Presidents and COOs Randy Freer and Eric Shanks saw when they commissioned FOX Sports marketing chief Robert Gottlieb to create a rare 90-second promotional spot that would define for America the essence of FOX Sports 1, the nation’s new sports network, launching on August 17.  The spot premieres in-game during FOX Sports’ coverage of the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 16.  The MLB All-Star Game is traditionally the highest-rated, most-watched television program in July and August in non-Olympic years.  Pregame coverage on FOX begins at 7:30 PM ET.

Enlisting the help of powerhouse HSI Productions and highly sought director Joseph Kahn (http://josephkahn.com/bio), a Grammy Award-winner who has worked with dozens of A-list artists from Lady Gaga to Eminem, as well as directing award-winning commercials, a concept was designed with one solitary goal — define FOX Sports 1.

“This spot really is about introducing FOX Sports 1 to America, and letting fans know what they can expect come August 17,” Gottlieb said. “We recognize that sports ultimately is about the fun of loving your team and hating your rival. It’s about the fun of buzzer beaters, comebacks and huge hits. That is what we, as fans, look for in our favorite sports. Because fourth-and-goal with the game on the line may just be the most fun you have all year. So, this spot is about celebrating what only sports provides. The fun of anticipation … the fun of competition … the fun of celebration.”

Building a production team that includes two-time Academy Award nominee Jeff Cronenweth (The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as director of photography, sports choreographer Mike Fisher (http://www.mikefisheronline.com/), editor Adam Petrofsky (Rock Paper Scissors), veteran visual effects supervisor  Patrick Murphy from A52 and renowned commercial music house Elias Arts (http://eliasarts.com/), the production scale far exceeds any previous FOX Sports commercial effort.

Major facilities — Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Gillette Stadium, Los Angeles Sports Arena, The Galen Center and Comerica Park — provide the backdrop.

Star athletes and sports personalities who have agreed to participate include Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco; former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson; four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon; U.S. Women’s Soccer Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan; UFC champion Georges St. Pierre; boxing champ Canelo Alvarez; NFL Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis; USC head football coach Lane Kiffin; Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson III, St. John’s basketball coach Steve Lavin, NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne; and reigning American League MVP Miguel Cabrera.

“Using any measure, this is the most ambitious commercial project we have taken on,” Gottlieb said. “This spot sets the tone for everything.”

The shoot, set to an energized version of the classic tune Happy Days are Here Again, opened in Charlotte, N.C., where Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kasey Kahne, worked with a 150-person production crew, dozens of extras and a few high-tech toys to re-create the intense on-track action of a 200-mph NASCAR race.

“You never know what to expect when doing something like this,” Gordon said of the shoot. “Things come together fast and they can change at the last second … it definitely takes you out of your element. You’ve got to be open-minded to what the director or the script may call for and have fun with it.”

Trailed by a tricked-out black Mercedes SUV equipped with the Ultimate Arm (http://www.ultimatearm.com/) and filmed from above by a high-speed, drone helicopter equipped with a Blackmagic cinema camera, racing action is captured from angles never before seen on race day.

Two days later, the entire production team moved nearly 900 miles north, setting up a shoot at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., with Morgan, who scored the game-winning goal in the 123rd minute against Canada, sending the U.S. team to the gold medal game against Japan at the 2012 London Olympics.

Following Foxboro, production moved to Los Angeles for several days before wrapping in Detroit.

“I’m putting on a different hat today … from being the guy giving the orders, to being the guy receiving the orders,” Thompson said.  “I haven’t worn that hat in a while but [Joseph Khan] had control of the situation and it was much like a practice, where we had to run the same scene over and over and over again … he’s a perfectionist and that’s a good thing.”

Added Flacco: “It should be fun, and that’s what it’s all about out here … we’re having fun and we’ll see where it goes.”

Gus Johnson soccer experiment: ‘I knew I’d get shot before I walked in door’

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Gus Johnson soccer bashers can take a breather. He is done for a while.

Johnson called his final European game of the season Saturday for Fox Sports. His critics wish it was his final soccer game, period.

Johnson admits it hasn’t been easy. He discussed his first season with Sam Borden of the New York Times:

Borden writes:

Johnson understands the seeming absurdity of the situation; he was a star basketball and football announcer, known for his spasmodic eruptions during CBS’s coverage of the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament. Then he left for Fox and in his second year was thrust into an international sport with a rabid and passionate fan base that was used to hearing a British accent call the action. “I knew I’d get shot before I walked in the door,” he said. “Maybe justifiably.”

He went on: “But it’s like the Jack Kent Cooke quote, ‘Criticism is like walking in the rain — once you’re wet, what’s another drop?’ Plus, all I can worry about is preparing. …”

I am not a soccer guy. So I am going to leave it to others to weigh in about Gus after Season 1. Much of the reaction has been like Tom Jones in the Tampa Bay Tribune:

What bothers me about Gus Johnson as a football and basketball announcer is the same thing that bothers me about him as Fox’s featured soccer announcer. His speaker-busting volume is so over-the-top ridiculous that I honestly don’t understand what he’s yelling half the time. During one of Johnson’s explosions Saturday during the Champions League soccer final, I think I might have heard the words “London” and “Wembley,” but I’m really not sure. And if he’s screaming a name? Forget it. Whatever the name is, it comes off as, “Ayaaamaaaanreeeaaee.”

Many people out there love Johnson’s passion. They dig all the screaming. I’m just not one of those people.

However, way over on the other end of the Gus meter, Marc Tracy of the New Republic thinks the grand experiment could work in enticing American viewers to soccer:

Enter Gus Johnson. Whether or not the Law of Gus leads to more dramatic moments, he can certainly make the moments—those wonderfully drawn-out, attenuated soccer moments—more dramatic. Or maybe the Law of Gus is valid? Check out his call from a tilt in England’s FA Cup tournament that he announced earlier this month. In the second injury time,2 underdog (and soon-to-be-relegated) Wigan scored the game’s only goal, defeating the reigning Premier League champion, Manchester City. It was an incredibly exciting moment, and Johnson rightly let loose a vintage scream while his color man, the Englishman Ian Wright, could only giggle.3 Johnson is making soccer his own; which is to say, American; which is to say, kind of fun!

Meanwhile, ever the voice of reason, Richard Deitsch of SI.com, says more time is needed for the experiment to play out.

Johnson is still slow on name recognition — you saw that on the goal by Bayern striker Mario Mandzukic— but I think that will improve with more reps and more familiarity with world soccer. The one thing I hope Fox Sports executives learned from Johnson’s debut season is he needs a consistent partner. Of all the broadcasters the network floated his way, I thought Barton was the best fit. He complements Johnson stylistically, and allows the game to breath.

 

Big name hires: Roddick joins Fox Sports 1; Paul Finebaum to do radio show for ESPN

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Richard Deitsch of SI.com reports that Fox Sports 1 is adding Andy Roddick to its roster. The former tennis star will be one of the hosts of Fox Sports Live, the new network’s version of SportsCenter.

From Deitsch:

The 30-year-old Roddick said he will appear on Fox Sports Live nightly between Monday and Friday, working either four or five nights depending on the week. Fox Sports executives initially contacted him a few weeks after he announced his retirement from tennis at the U.S. Open in August. Roddick told Fox Sports executives he was not looking for a full-time job in television, but the two sides stayed in touch throughout the next couple of months, as Fox Sports executives told Roddick their vision for a competitor to ESPN’s SportsCenter.

“Throughout the interview process I was very honest,” Roddick said. “I was the way I have always been: pretty direct and pretty opinionated. I think that’s what they were looking for. I don’t know if they were looking for a typical, run-of-the-mill type of show or someone with fabricated opinions.”

The interview process heated up a couple of months ago as Roddick embarked on three in-person interviews with Fox Sports executives in Los Angeles and multiple phone interviews.

“It started with gauging interest on both sides and I don’t know that I was in a hurry to rush into anything that wasn’t a perfect opportunity in my mind,” Roddick said. “It was a fascinating process for me. I really haven’t had to earn my keep in a given job since I was 18 years old. Getting the gig is a start, but I am certainly prepared to put the work in and learn about this side of it, and try to prove my worth to the guys taking a shot with me.”

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Paul Finebaum might not be a nationwide personality, but few are bigger than him in the Southeast. The long-time Birmingham columnist and sports talk show host gets them fired up in SEC country.

Now Finebaum will his national platform. From the Wall Street Journal:

Finebaum, the polarizing personality of college football’s signature call-in show, is leaving the Birmingham, Ala., market where his contract expired in January, for Charlotte, N.C., and a national forum: ESPN. His multi-tiered platform will include a radio program on ESPN networks, 100 televised appearances annually on ESPN and a TV simulcast of his radio show on the ESPN-owned SEC Network launching in August 2014.

“It would be the understatement of my life to say I wasn’t thrilled,” Finebaum said. “It is incredibly exciting to be part of a new adventure, particularly one that involves the premiere brand in sports along with the pre-eminent conference in sports.” Finebaum has a five-year contract. Neither he nor ESPN would give financial details.

Programming news: A Fox Sports 2 debut in August? ESPN seeks entire U.S. Open in tennis

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It seems the new Fox Sports 1 might have a partner when it debuts in August.

Joe Flint in the Los Angeles Times reports the network might also launch Fox Sports 2 at the same time.

News Corp.‘s Fox Sports will launch not one, but two new national sports cable channels in August, according to people familiar with the plan.

In March, Fox Sports said it would debut Fox Sports 1 on Aug. 17. At the time, the company downplayed talk that it had plans for a second national service — Fox Sports 2 — as well.

But now insiders say Fox Sports 2 will launch around the same time and perhaps even the same day as Fox Sports 1. The new channel will take the place of Fuel TV, a News Corp.-owned network that currently carries a heavy load of Ultimate Fighting Championship programming.

Should be an interesting August for Fox.

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John Ourand in Street and Smith’s Sports Business Daily reports that ESPN is looking to land exclusive rights to the entire U.S. Open in tennis, beginning in 2015. That would end CBS’ association with the tournament, which dates back to 1968.

Nothing has been finalized yet, as CBS is still in contact with the USTA and hopeful of keeping a piece of the tournament. But several sources have said that ESPN and the USTA have agreed on a framework that would have ESPN pay an average of more than $60M per year for exclusive access to the tournament, representing around a 50% increase in the average annual value of the contract. In its current deal, which ends in ’14, CBS pays an average of more than $20M per year as part of a three-year pact that went into effect in ’12. ESPN, which already holds the cable rights through ’14, pays an additional $20M per year, on average, though that figure is partially offset by a sub-license deal ESPN has with Tennis Channel. CBS started negotiations with the USTA earlier this year, and the net’s exclusive negotiating window ended last month, opening the door for ESPN.

The package has to be enticing for the United States Tennis Association. ESPN’s blanket coverage of Wimbledon has been a big success. The same dynamic would work for the U.S. Open.

 

New Fox Sports 1 kicks off with NASCAR, UFC on Aug. 17; Regis show named ‘Crowd Goes Wild’

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Looks like I won’t be watching much of Fox Sports 1 on its opening day.

Fox Sports 1 announced its schedule for its big debut Aug. 17. Lots of NASCAR and UFC.

So that’s great if you enjoy NASCAR and the UFC fans are excited about a big day.

However, if you are like me, and NASCAR and UFC aren’t your thing, you probably won’t be investing much time with Fox Sports 1 on Day 1.

Fox Sports 1 is more promising more announcements tomorrow.

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Here’s the schedule for Aug. 17:

All times Eastern.

8:00-8:30 AM NASCAR LIVE (L)
8:30-9:30 AM NASCAR SPRINT CUP PRACTICE (L)
9:30-11:00 AM NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES QUALIFYING (L)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM NASCAR SPRINT CUP FINAL PRACTICE (L)
12:00-12:30 PM NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK RACE PRERACE (L)
12:30-2:30 PM NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES RACE (L)
2:30-3:30 PM TRACKSIDE LIVE (L)
3:30-4:00 PM UFC ULTIMATE INSIDER
4:00-5:00 PM UFC UNLEASHED
5:00-6:00 PM UFC TONIGHT (L)
6:00-8:00 PM FOX UFC SATURDAY PRELIMS (L)
8:00-11:00 PM FOX UFC SATURDAY (L)
11:00 PM-12:00 AM FOX SPORTS LIVE (L)
12:00 AM-1:00 AM FOX SPORTS LIVE (L)
1:00-2:00 AM FOX SPORTS LIVE (L)
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More from Fox Sports1, including the new name for Regis’ show. Wonder why they changed?:
Once past the launch, the stage is set for several major premieres on Monday, Aug. 19, including CROWD GOES WILD (formerly Rush Hour), starring Regis Philbin (weekdays 5:00-6:00 PM); FOX FOOTBALL DAILY, hosted by Curt Menefee and Jay Glazer (weekdays, 6:00-7:00 PM); and FS1’s MONDAY NIGHT FIGHTS franchise (9:00-11:00 PM), with bouts from Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.
FS1’s exclusive live coverage of the 2013-14 UEFA Champions League season begins on
Tuesday, Aug. 20 and Wednesday, Aug. 21 (2:00-5:00 PM ET), providing the preeminent
competition in world club soccer greater with early round exposure than ever before. Later on Aug. 21, live coverage of the NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES race from Bristol Motor Speedway is on display in prime time (7:30-10:30
PM). The prime time schedule on Thursday, Aug. 22 features exclusive live action from CONCACAF Champions League, the most prestigious club competition in North American soccer (8:00-9:30 PM).
Next up is the first UFC-branded Wednesday night on Aug. 28 featuring a FOX UFC
WEDNESDAY LIVE event and prelims scheduled from 8:00-11:00 PM ET.
The 2013-14 college football season premieres on Thursday, Aug. 29 (8:00-11:30 PM), followed by a game on Friday, Aug. 30 (8:30 PM ET-12:30 AM ET) and a tripleheader on Saturday, Aug. 31 (12:00-4:00 PM; 4:00-8:00 PM; and 10:00 PM-2:00
AM). Game action on Aug. 31 is preceded by the weekly two-hour FOX COLLEGE SATURDAY pregame show (10:00 AM-12:00 PM). Between the late afternoon and late night games are two hours of hard-hitting UFC 164 Prelims (8:00-10:00 PM).

 

Can a couple of Canadian guys enable Fox Sports 1 to take on SportsCenter? ‘We will bring maple syrup’

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Meet the guys who will be taking on SportsCenter for the new Fox Sport 1: Jay Onrait (right) and Dan O’Toole. They will anchor Fox Sports Live at 11 p.m.

They are supposedly huge in Canada. In fact, Stephen Harper, the prime minister of Canada bemoaned their departure in a tweet. (Show of hands for those who knew the name of the Canadian PM).

However, will their act, reportedly a modern version of Patrick-Olbermann, go over in the U.S.? One thing is for sure: The guys probably won’t short-change hockey.

Here’s the official release from Fox Sports 1:

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Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole, who since 2005 have formed a popular, smart and irreverent anchor team for TSN’s SportsCentre, Canada’s most-watched sports news program, join FOX Sports as the primary highlight team for FOX SPORTS LIVE, FOX Sports 1’s flagship news, opinion and highlights program airing nightly at 11:00 PM ET.  The announcement was made today by FOX Sports’ Co-President and COO Eric Shanks and Executive Vice President, Studio Production, Scott Ackerson.  Onrait and O’Toole, along with Producer Tim, are the first FOX SPORTS LIVE personalities to be announced. The show premieres in conjunction with the network’s launch on Saturday, Aug.17.

“Nowhere in America today are there sports anchors with the style and rapport that Jay and Dan have,” said Shanks. “We respect their work and the tremendous relationship they’ve established over the years with Canadian sports fans. We’re excited to have had a chance to get to know them, and that they’ll have a major role in the launch of FOX Sports 1.”

“It’s obvious that Jay and Dan are a great tandem and really enjoy themselves when they’re on-air,” added Ackerson.  “FOX SPORTS LIVE is going to deviate from existing sports news formulas, and we expect Jay, Dan and Tim to use their unique brand of humor to make the show fun for fans to watch.”

Onrait and O’Toole have been co-hosts of the 1:00 AM ET weekday edition of SportsCentre, which repeats hourly until 1:00 PM ET, entertaining viewers with a brand of humor all their own while delivering a summary of the day’s sports news and events.

“We are thrilled to join FOX Sports 1 and can’t wait to start working with the rest of the team on FOX SPORTS LIVE,” said Onrait. “We like sports and we like to laugh, so that’s pretty much the show.  Dan and I are also looking forward to getting free tickets to a taping of American Idol.  That sealed it for us.”

“We are extremely excited to be joining FOX Sports 1,” added O’Toole.  “This is an enormous opportunity for us and we are so honored to have been asked to take part in this bold new venture by FOX.  Jay and I can’t wait to introduce ourselves to Americans across the country and look forward to being invited into their homes.  We will bring the maple syrup.”

Onrait, (pronounced: ON-right) a native of Athabasca, Alberta, Canada, Onrait first joined TSN in 1996 as an editorial assistant while attending Ryerson University.  Upon his graduation in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in Radio and Television Arts, he went on to become sports director at a Saskatoon television station, before spending two years as the host of the Big Breakfast on A-Channel.  Onrait joined NHL Network in 2001, serving as host of the network’s flagship show NHL on the Fly as well as Molson That’s Hockey 2. A year later, he re-joined TSN in his current role on SportsCentre.

Onrait’s work assignments over the years have included hosting SportsCentre with O’Toole live from Trafalgar Square during the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London, co-hosting Olympic Morning on CTV with Beverly Thomson for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and coverage of the NHL Trade Deadline, NBA Finals, Vanier Cup and in-studio host of Toronto Raptors broadcasts on TSN.  In 2011, he was honored for his outstanding contributions to the world of sports with a Gemini Award for Best Sportscaster/Anchor.

In addition to hosting SportsCentre with Onrait from the 2012 Olympic Summer Games, O’Toole co-hosted the show with Cory Woron from the International Broadcast Centre for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Prior to joining TSN in 2002, O’Toole was part of Citytv’s launch in Vancouver, where he worked as an anchor and reporter.  In 1998, O’Toole moved to Fort McMurray, Alberta, where he worked as sports director for CJOK-FM and CKYX-FM radio stations for three years. While at the radio stations, O’Toole called play-by-play for the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the AJHL.  In 2000, O’Toole worked at CTV Edmonton as the Fort McMurray news reporter in the evenings while continuing to work mornings as the radio sports director.

Originally from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, O’Toole graduated from Algonquin College in 1996 with a diploma in broadcasting. While in college, O’Toole did play-by-play for the Ottawa 67s. O’Toole moved to Vancouver in 1997 to work as a traffic reporter for CJJR-FM and CFUN-AM radio stations, reporting from a four-seater plane.

 

 

A tribute to Pat Summerall: His few words said it all

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Could Pat Summerall have been given the assignment to call 16 Super Bowls, all those Masters and U.S. Opens in tennis in today’s landscape?

It is an interesting question. The networks likely wouldn’t have been jumping all over each other to sign a former kicker who really didn’t say much on the telecasts. It’s more about color and flash, and unfortunately, sometimes screaming and yelling in today’s game. Summerall hardly was a flamboyant personality.

Yet Summerall, who died yesterday at the age of 82, leaves behind one of the greatest legacies in TV sports history. All those Super Bowls; all those big NFL games; all those golf tournaments when Jack Nicklaus was in his prime; all those big U.S. Opens when John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, and Jimmy Connors made that event appointment TV.

Summerall did it because of two main assets: A wonderful deep voice that punctuated his wonderful sense of brevity. He didn’t overwhelm a telecast. Rather, he melted into it, providing the ideal sound track to accompany the hum of the venue and the pulse of the action taking place down below.

There was this quote from Summerall in the New York Times obit:

“I always remember a bit of great advice from a producer doing golf for CBS. He told me that TV is a visual medium, and you don’t have to tell people what they already can see. His last words were, ‘If I ever hear you say that he made the putt, you’re fired.’ ”

Summerall let the pictures tell the story, adding just the right words to bring those pictures to life.

If you have a minute, take a listen to the clip above. It is the final minutes of the Green Bay-49ers playoff game that culminated in the famous Terrell Owens catch for the winning touchdown.

“Three-man rush…Young stumbles…Pass over the middle…Pass is caught by Owens…Owens made the catch!”

And then Summerall fades, first letting the crowd and then John Madden add the accent points to the memorable play. Perfect.

In a fine piece at Sports on Earth, Chuck Culpepper wrote how all Summerall had to say was “Third and 10” to set up a big play.

I still hear Pat Summerall saying something spare — “Third and ten . . .” — and I know the light has been fading outdoors. I know just as sure as any clockwork that Daylight Saving Time might be on its way, or that Daylight Saving Time has crashed in and blackened 5:30 already. I do not need to move from this seat. I do not need to look through a window. I know.

Indeed, Summerall was the voice of several generations. He always was there, first with “Brookie” and then the whacky coach from the Raiders. He played the straight man, always bringing out the best in his partners.

What Summerall did really was an art. Would it work today with the volume turned up several levels in 2013? Who knows?

All we need to know is that it worked wonderfully back then. All those Sundays in our minds contain the voice of Summerall, perfect, clear and succinct.

“Montana….Rice….Touchdown!”

Really, was there a better call than that?

 

 

 

 

Madden: Pat Summerall is voice of football and always will be

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Tributes are coming in for Pat Summerall:

John Madden on his long-time partner at CBS and Fox: “Pat was my broadcasting partner for a long time, but more than that he was my friend for all of these years. We never had one argument, and that was because of Pat. He was a great broadcaster and a great man. He always had a joke. Pat never complained and we never had an unhappy moment. He was something very special. Pat Summerall is the voice of football and always will be.”

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CBS noted Summerall’s impact on its coverage of sports:

Pat Summerall worked for CBS Sports from 1962-94.  He called 13 Super Bowls, 26 Masters and 21 U.S. Open Tennis Championships for the Network.

“There is no one more closely associated with the great legacy and tradition of CBS Sports than Pat Summerall.  His voice was synonymous with big events whether it was NFL football and the Super Bowl, the Masters or U.S. Open Tennis.” – Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports

“Pat Summerall was a hero to me.  I treasured the gift of friendship that I had with him.  I was his understudy for 10 years.  He could not have been more generous or kind to a young broadcaster.  He was a giant and one of the iconic figures in the history of the CBS Television Network.” – CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz

“In 1976 I was a junior in college and Chuck Will put me in the 18th tower as a spotter for Pat Summerall.  He told me, ‘You’re not going to meet a finer man in this business than Pat Summerall.’ And to this day, I never have.  He was kind to everyone.  When you were around him you never knew that he was the number one broadcaster.  He taught me so much, not only about this business, but how to treat people.  I’m sad on this day, but also smiling because I know he will be with his good buddy Tom Brookshier.” – Lance Barrow, Coordinating Producer, CBS Sports, Golf and NFL

“Pat was a friend of nearly 40 years.  He was a master of restraint in his commentary, an example for all of us.  He was also one of the great storytellers who ever spoke into a microphone.” – CBS Sports’ Verne Lundquist

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Fox Sports noted Summerall and Madden gave their new sports enterprise instant credibility:

Pat was an icon in his profession, and was the voice that defined the NFL on television for generations of fans.  He and John Madden helped give FOX Sports and the NFL on FOX credibility when it launched almost 20 years ago, and for that we’ll be forever grateful.  Pat’s 50-year record as an NFL player and broadcaster is truly unique, and it will be very difficult for anyone to ever walk in his footsteps.  Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to Pat’s wife Cheri and the Summerall family.

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Al Michaels told Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead what made Summerall so good:

Pat Summerall was just a classy, classy man. He had a very soothing style. Pat was what I would call a very comfortable listen. You could sit back and enjoy the game, and by design, he was more of a minimalist in how he approached things.

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Mike Tirico on ESPN:

Pat was the gold standard….When the moment got bigger, Pat had a way to find the right phrase, right word that set the tone, captured the moment, but never got in the way of the event.

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And there will be more.

 

 

Essentials for Fox Sport 1: Acquiring NBA rights; develop its own SportsCenter to take on ESPN

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If there is one thing Fox Sports does well, it is talk big.

Sure enough when network executives announced the formation of Fox Sports 1 yesterday, plenty of bluster was in the air.

From Michael Hiestand in USA Today:

“Our hope is that we can be equally professional” with ESPN, says David Hill, who headed Fox Sports when it launched 20 years ago and is overseeing the new channel. “It’s going to take us a while. We’re not expecting to knock ESPN off in the first week or two. It’s going to take two to three years. It will be a slog.”

Two or three years isn’t a slog. It would be a Usain Bolt-like sprint.

The notion of Fox Sports 1 knocking off ESPN at this point is as preposterous as an NBA rookie saying, “Move over LeBron.”

While Fox Sports 1 will debut at No. 2 on the sports network rankings, reaching No. 1 will require quite a trek over Mt. Bristol.

However, if Fox is going to back up Hills’ big words, it has to score on two fronts:

Acquire rights to NBA: This is a must if Fox is serious about challenging ESPN. The league is the next biggie coming up in the market; the current rights deal with ESPN and TNT runs through the 2015-2016. That means it won’t be long before the NBA opens bidding for a new agreement.

Fox Sports 1 needs premium live programming to bolster its portfolio. The NBA is premium. FS1 then becomes more of a go-to channel from November through June.

As an added bonus, if Fox Sports 1 can do this deal and also squeeze ESPN out of the NBA picture, it will leave a hole in its competitor.

At the very least, the presence of Fox Sports 1 will cause ESPN and TNT to shell out considerably more cash if they want to keep the NBA. New commissioner Adam Silver says, thank you very much.

Fox Sports 1 SportsCenter: The new FS1 will have its share of original programming, including a show featuring 81-year old Regis Philbin (somebody still has to explain that one to me). However, the most important vehicle will be Fox Sports Live. Airing at 11 p.m. ET, and with a morning version coming in 2014, this will be Fox’s answer to SportsCenter.

While critics take swings at SportsCenter, there’s little doubt that it is an iconic brand that continues to deliver big numbers to ESPN. Sports fans are mentally conditioned to turn to SportsCenter for the latest news. Fox Sports 1 has to get some of those viewers to switch to Fox Sports Live.

It is interesting to note that Fox Sports 1 didn’t reveal its plans for Fox Sports Live Tuesday. The likely reason is that they aren’t fully hatched yet.

Obviously, the execs are trying to develop the right tone that will differentiate Fox Sports Live  from SportsCenter. It is a massive undertaking with no guarantee of success.

Fox should know. The network tried this once before when it did a nightly sports show on its local cable outlets in the late 90s. It even featured a big star: Keith Olbermann.

Hmm, look who’s available: Keith Olbermann. Pair him with Karl Rove and let them argue about Tim Tebow.

People would watch.

 

 

 

The menu for Fox Sports 1: Nightly SportsCenter-type show; UFC on Wednesday nights; and Regis!

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The big press conference is taking place this afternoon in New York. Here’s what Fox Sports told the rest of the world about its new sports channel on FoxSports.com:

Today, FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) makes television history, officially unveiling plans to launch a new, national, multi-sport network called FOX Sports 1. The announcement was made by FSMG Co-Presidents and COOs Randy Freer and Eric Shanks. Set to debut on Saturday, Aug. 17, just as FOX Sports kicks-off its 20th anniversary year, FS1 is available in over 90 million homes, making this the biggest sports cable network launch in history, and one of the largest network launches ever. At the outset, FS1 boasts nearly 5,000 hours of live event, news and original programming annually.

“Our ‘secret,’ admittedly a very poorly kept one, is now revealed,” said Shanks. “Fans are ready for an alternative to the establishment, and our goal for FS1 is to provide the best in-game experience possible, complemented by informative news, entertaining studio shows and provocative original programming.”

A robust schedule of live events forms the backbone of FOX Sports 1’s programming from Day 1, with college basketball, college football, NASCAR, soccer and UFC all on tap between launch and year’s end. In fact, the schedule on Aug. 17 features live events morning, noon and night including a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from Michigan and “UFC on FS1 1” in prime time. In 2014, FSMG’s new rights agreement with MLB takes effect, bringing regular and postseason games to FS1.

Here are the programming highlights:

Fox Sports 1 version of SportsCenter: Hey, somebody should tell Fox Keith Olbermann is available. Yeah, probably not.

FS1 introduces FOX SPORTS LIVE, a 24/7 news franchise providing around-the-clock coverage through regularly scheduled programs, hourly updates and an information-rich ticker that provides a network agnostic sports event television schedule. Thousands of hours of news programming are expected annually from newly minted sets including a nightly program at 11:00 PM ET or immediately following events. A morning newscast is expected to launch in January 2014 in conjunction with FSMG’s expansive coverage of Super Bowl XLVIII.

“Building credibility and trust with our audience is paramount, so naturally we’ll provide the staples, like news, scores and highlights, but we’ll do it in a FOX Sports way,” offered Shanks. “Just as FOX NFL SUNDAY reinvented the pregame show, FOX SPORTS LIVE breaks new ground in the way sports news is presented. We already have the home-team advantage of significant audiences watching local games on our 22 regional sports networks as a platform to launch our new national news.”

Baseball: As expected, Fox Sports 1 will carry a healthy dose of live games.

 Beginning in 2014, select League Championship Series and Division Series games; regular-season games over 26 Saturdays; live game-in-progress look-in show.

UFC: The growing sport figures to be a big part of the new endeavor.

Featured on Wednesday nights; live FIGHT NIGHTS through 2014, the first is scheduled for launch night, Saturday, Aug. 17; FOX event preliminary cards; UFC Tonight, the weekly authority for UFC news and information; 14 Saturday pay-per-view preliminary cards; hundreds of hours of library programs and events.

Regis and other studio shows: Novel approach using an 81-year-old to anchor a key show.

Complementing FS1’s live events and news coverage at launch are several original programs, highlighted by RUSH HOUR, hosted by Regis Philbin, airing live weekdays (5:00-6:00 PM ET). Originating in New York City, Regis leads the charge along with a panel of sports professionals, celebrity guests and die-hard fans in this brand new, unpredictable, talk show. Following RUSH HOUR live every day is FOX FOOTBALL DAILY (6:00-7:00 PM ET), an extension of FOX NFL SUNDAY, the most-watched NFL pregame show for 19 straight years. FOX FOOTBALL DAILY, hosted by NFL on FOX personalities, including Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Jay Glazer, Gus Johnson, Erin Andrews and Mike Pereira, provides a daily dose of news, interviews and commentary from pro and collegiate football worlds. Both shows are expected to premiere at launch in August.

Mike Tyson: Do we want to see him in anything besides those Hangover movies?

Earlier this year, FSMG unveiled a unique and groundbreaking documentary franchise titled BEING:, a deep look into today’s greatest athletes, teams and sports icons via unprecedented access. The first subject to appear this fall on FS1 is BEING: MIKE TYSON, the most feared man ever to step in a boxing ring. The multi-episode series is now in production.

And there’s more. Stay tuned.