2487 replies to this topic

[DJ MC]

The article compares the concept to Bill Maher. If it is a sports version of Politically Incorrect, that would be very interesting.

[mweb08]

http://espn.go.com/e...ltifaceted-role

 

How about Nate Silver to ESPN? It seems like he's going to be at the head of a mini Grantland featuring his type of analysis, which is exciting imo.

[DJ MC]

http://espn.go.com/e...ltifaceted-role

 

How about Nate Silver to ESPN? It seems like he's going to be at the head of a mini Grantland featuring his type of analysis, which is exciting imo.

Having him doing sports again is going to be great, especially since it sounds like he'll still do his political analysis.

[Chris B]

Deadspin with another great research article.

 

http://deadspin.com/...dium=socialflow

 

My favorite:

• The word most associated with the Baltimore Orioles was "win."

[BSLChrisStoner]

Sports on Earth: Fox Sports Live hopes to be the next SportsCenter
http://www.sportsone...ticle/55116954/

[Chris B]

Sports on Earth: Fox Sports Live hopes to be the next SportsCenter
http://www.sportsone...ticle/55116954/

 

Fox has the resources to bring in smart people to say smart things about sports. But the panel described here sounds like it takes a page from the ESPN "embrace debate" playbook, which is what Fox Sports 1 should be offering an alternative to. And remember: Viewers these days can watch not just ESPN's or Fox Sports 1's nightly highlight show, but the sport-specific ones airing on the league networks. Those networks may not be perfect, but baseball fans have the option of watching baseball people talk about their sport, just like, say, hockey fans have the option of watching the NHL Network's nightly show. They don't want to watch Gary Payton talk about baseball or hockey any more than they want to watch him talk about badminton.

 

I have now seen this description of FOX's intentions in 2 different articles. I'm pretty disappointed they are going for the "entertainment" aspect. I frankly hate when ESPN has athletes/analysts/journalists talk about a sport that they're not familiar with.

 

Very disappointing that FS1 is planning on doing just this.

[Oriole85]

I have now seen this description of FOX's intentions in 2 different articles. I'm pretty disappointed they are going for the "entertainment" aspect. I frankly hate when ESPN has athletes/analysts/journalists talk about a sport that they're not familiar with.

 

Very disappointing that FS1 is planning on doing just this.

Best Damn Sports Show Redux?

[Markus]

Today I just looooooooooooved it on Sportscenter when they were doing their usual spiel but they also let us look in "live" with some grainy footage in a small box of the divers swimming around in some random lake looking for Aaron Hernandez's gun. Talk about absolutely riveting television.

[DJ MC]

Best Damn Sports Show Redux?

At least they were pretty clear which side of the entertainment/sports line they fell on. I mean, Tom Arnold hosted

 

The line about Gary Payton talking badminton (which I of course realize isn't literal) distresses me. Because no matter how entertaining those two anchors are, there is no chance I'm going to want to watch that "roundtable" for very long.

 

That could end up being the worst outcome of them all; ESPN and FS1 ending up in a Cold War where they are balancing out each other but neither has an incentive from an outside force to do anything differently.

[Oriole85]

Today I just looooooooooooved it on Sportscenter when they were doing their usual spiel but they also let us look in "live" with some grainy footage in a small box of the divers swimming around in some random lake looking for Aaron Hernandez's gun. Talk about absolutely riveting television.

That had to be the easiest story to send a crew to in the history of ESPN.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I still like what NBC Sports Network is attempting, but they need to invest more into it.

 

Doesn't help that the Dan Patrick Show airs on the network everyday, and rarely (almost never) do they ever have on NBC Sports talent.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Informing viewers in 2013 needs to go beyond reading scores and showing clips. Fans already know what's happened by the time a nightly show like this goes on the air. Fans today are smarter than ever, and they can handle smart analysis, should a network choose to provide it.

 

Those sentences need to be repeated, beaten if necessary, into the brains of every sports network executive, programming director, producer, anchor, ex-jock, etc., etc., etc.

[Markus]

Lead story on OTL and ATH (and probably PTI in a 1/2 hour) is the "blown call" during the Sox/Rays game. 

 

Somehow I think if it happened during an Astros/Royals game this wouldn't even have been mentioned.  Silly media.

[Oriole85]

Lead story on OTL and ATH (and probably PTI in a 1/2 hour) is the "blown call" during the Sox/Rays game. 

 

Somehow I think if it happened during an Astros/Royals game this wouldn't even have been mentioned.  Silly media.

I see your point, but let's be honest, we're talking about a pennant race game versus a game that probably won't matter much at the end of the day (yes I know the Royals are making a comeback).

[Markus]

Yeah I do get that point.  Of course, if he was ruled safe it'd still just be a tie game and who knows who wins it in extras.

 

But most of the commentators I've heard today are going with the "it's just one game and doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things" mantra.  Heck even one of the guys on PTI said "C'mon, we're only talking about this because it's Boston."  Hahahaha.  Zing.

[DJ MC]

ESPN's ratings dropped again.

 

http://deadspin.com/...n-too-967158007

[Chris B]

One week until the launch of FS1.

 

Last I heard Fox still didn't have deals with a few cable companies (inc. DirecTv) for FS1.

 

Let's assume all of those get completed in time. FS1 definitely has the programming to go up against ESPN. It appears that they have the sports personalities/analysts to challenge them as well. I believe that where FS1 lands on each cable company's list of channels is going to determine if it is successful right now.

 

As an example, I have Comcast in Baltimore County. Here is the channel lineup for sports channels on regular programming:

2 NBC Sports

3 Golf

4 MASN

5 ESPN2

6 ESPN

7 Comcast Sports

8 Cooking Network

9 USA

 

Currently, FOX's Speed channel is on 55. (Same thing with DirecTv in Cincinnati. The ESPNs are all together with "normal" channels, but Speed is in the premium sports programming section.) I think for FS1 to be truly successful, it needs to be placed right next to the ESPNs. Will they be able to negotiate contracts with Comcast/DirecTv/Cox/Time-Warner/etc. to place FS1/FS2 next to ESPN? Are they going to even try?

[Mike in STL]

One week until the launch of FS1.
 
Last I heard Fox still didn't have deals with a few cable companies (inc. DirecTv) for FS1.
 
Let's assume all of those get completed in time. FS1 definitely has the programming to go up against ESPN. It appears that they have the sports personalities/analysts to challenge them as well. I believe that where FS1 lands on each cable company's list of channels is going to determine if it is successful right now.
 
As an example, I have Comcast in Baltimore County. Here is the channel lineup for sports channels on regular programming:
2 NBC Sports
3 Golf
4 MASN
5 ESPN2
6 ESPN
7 Comcast Sports
8 Cooking Network
9 USA
 
Currently, FOX's Speed channel is on 55. (Same thing with DirecTv in Cincinnati. The ESPNs are all together with "normal" channels, but Speed is in the premium sports programming section.) I think for FS1 to be truly successful, it needs to be placed right next to the ESPNs. Will they be able to negotiate contracts with Comcast/DirecTv/Cox/Time-Warner/etc. to place FS1/FS2 next to ESPN? Are they going to even try?

I remember fox sports from back in the day being grouped in the regular lineup.

[DJ MC]

I remember fox sports from back in the day being grouped in the regular lineup.

That's because they were the "national" part of CSN.

[mweb08]

So Whitlock is going back to ESPN.