FOX Sports attempting to beat the ESPN establishment: FS1

[Blake]

FOX Sports Media Group officially announced Tuesday what had been known for months. It will launch its sports cable channel FOX Sports 1 on Saturday, Aug. 17.

FS1 will be 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," FSMG co-president and COO Eric Shanks said. "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."FS1 will have college basketball, college football, NASCAR, soccer and UFC. On launch day, FS1 Iwill have 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.

http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/schott/2013/mar/05/fox-sports-meida-groups-fs1-to-launch-aug-17/

[DMX7]

Fans are definitely ready for an alternative to the establishment.

[coyotes_geek]

It's the programming that matters. Not fans being "ready for an alternative to the establishment". As long as ESPN (Disney) has more money to throw around to buy sporting events to put on their networks than anyone else does, ESPN will continue to be the top dog in sports television. Third tier college basketball/footballl, nascar, soccer and UFC isn't going to cut it, no matter how much better a Sportscenter equivalent they can come up with.

[coyotes_geek]

We've also got to be getting pretty close to the point of over-saturation in the sports television market. You've got all the ESPN's, all the regional Fox sports stations + FS1, NBC and CBS now have their own dedicated sports networks, NFL/NBA/MLB each have their own network, plus the collegiate athletic conferences have or are trying to get their own networks.

[GaryJohnston]

I am so ready for an alternative. I am really looking forward to see what Fox Sports 1 will bring to the table as far as new programing goes.

[Blake]

Welp, for better or worse:

" Regis Philbin will have a daily show called "Rush Hour." The one-hour show will air at 5 p.m.

Following "Rush Hour," FS1 will have "FOX Football Daily." The show will feature Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Jay Glazer, Gus Johnson, Erin Andrews and Mike Pereira."

[Sisk]

...Regis Philbin will be talking about sports? Who thinks of this shit?

[Blake]

Probably the same crew that thought Rush Limbaugh being on the ESPN NFL set was a good idea.

[coyotes_geek]

" Regis Philbin will have a daily show called "Rush Hour." The one-hour show will air at 5 p.m.

Yuck.


Following "Rush Hour," FS1 will have "FOX Football Daily." The show will feature Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Jay Glazer, Gus Johnson, Erin Andrews and Mike Pereira."

Good cast, but an everyday show about a sport that only has games 2 days a week seems like it's doomed to have a bunch of stupid filler material to take up airtime. Recaps on Mondays, previews on Fridays, and a whole bunch of recycled material and stupid bits in between.