Morale at FS1/Fox Sports has never been lower. Execs actively dislike each other...

[CaribouJim]

...News basically eliminated. Personalities enabled.

This from SI's media columnist's Twitter post yesterday - no story that accompanied it though. Lot's of other Tweets by him on the subject yesterday as well.

This from yesterday's WSJ: http://www.wsj.com/articles/fox-sports-1-attempts-makeover-of-its-talk-shows-1460576052

This is an unlikely scenario, but what if Fox throws in the towel on FS1? They theoretically still $ obligated to the BE for the balance of the contract? Depends on the contract I guess.

[TheSultan]

They won't throw in the towel. But it retrospect they were way too ambitious when they launched, and now I think they are heading in exactly the wrong direction by throwing resources at "hot take" kind of guys like Colin Cowherd.

NBC Sports Network was a better model. They built by acquiring rights to live events, even minor events, which draw more eyeballs. They get more viewers for EPL soccer on Saturdays and Sundays than the BE gets for basketball on FS1. By a long shot. (Granted not much competition.) But NBC correctly viewed this as a marathon, not a sprint. That's not sexy. That doesn't make a splash, but in the long run it may have been a better course.

[MU/Panther]

FS1 is doing fine with LIVE events, they just need more of them. That's what really matters!

[MU88]

They won't throw in the towel. But it retrospect they were way too ambitious when they launched, and now I think they are heading in exactly the wrong direction by throwing resources at "hot take" kind of guys like Colin Cowherd.

NBC Sports Network was a better model. They built by acquiring rights to live events, even minor events, which draw more eyeballs. They get more viewers for EPL soccer on Saturdays and Sundays than the BE gets for basketball on FS1. By a long shot. (Granted not much competition.) But NBC correctly viewed this as a marathon, not a sprint. That's not sexy. That doesn't make a splash, but in the long run it may have been a better course.

Ratings matter very little. Networks receive very little income from advertising. ESPN gets more than2/3rds of its total income in payments from the cable/sat providers. FS1 is in almost 100 million homes at between $.85 and $1.15 per pop. It is in significantly more homes than CBSSN and NBSSN. As long as FS1 gets into the homes, it will be fine. It doesn't need significant numbers on a Tuesday afternoon. While ratings would be nice, a bigger key is having events that generate demand for the network among cable and sat providers. I have to believe that is the sole reason for the BE contract. Having the BE bball games helped FS1 get on cable systems in major markets which, in turn, has made the network profitable. In other words, charging a bit more in advertising revenue is nice. Being on all the cable providers in the Milwaukee area, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers paying $.85 a month, every month, is worth so much more. If MU wasn't on FS1, there would be little incentive for the providers to have added FS1. Its the same strategy the NFL Network uses. It has what, 8 events that people want to see? Those 8 events generate a huge amount of subscriber fees, even if daytime ratings are nil.

[IWB]

I still say the #1 problem with FS1 is that it is damn near impossible to find on the channel lineup so they will never get the channel surfers.

There have been times I was at MU game, my kids at home. They text me asking what channel it is on. I say FS1, 1600 something. I get home asked about the game and they says they couldn't find it and gave up. This is someone that was actually looking for the game!

[TheSultan]

Ratings matter very little. Networks receive very little income from advertising. ESPN gets more than2/3rds of its total income in payments from the cable/sat providers. FS1 is in almost 100 million homes at between $.85 and $1.15 per pop. It is in significantly more homes than CBSSN and NBSSN. As long as FS1 gets into the homes, it will be fine. It doesn't need significant numbers on a Tuesday afternoon. While ratings would be nice, a bigger key is having events that generate demand for the network among cable and sat providers. I have to believe that is the sole reason for the BE contract. Having the BE bball games helped FS1 get on cable systems in major markets which, in turn, has made the network profitable. In other words, charging a bit more in advertising revenue is nice. Being on all the cable providers in the Milwaukee area, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers paying $.85 a month, every month, is worth so much more. If MU wasn't on FS1, there would be little incentive for the providers to have added FS1. Its the same strategy the NFL Network uses. It has what, 8 events that people want to see? Those 8 events generate a huge amount of subscriber fees, even if daytime ratings are nil.


Yeah this is good stuff and I agree.

[Goose85]

Ratings matter very little. Networks receive very little income from advertising. ESPN gets more than2/3rds of its total income in payments from the cable/sat providers. FS1 is in almost 100 million homes at between $.85 and $1.15 per pop. It is in significantly more homes than CBSSN and NBSSN. As long as FS1 gets into the homes, it will be fine. It doesn't need significant numbers on a Tuesday afternoon. While ratings would be nice, a bigger key is having events that generate demand for the network among cable and sat providers. I have to believe that is the sole reason for the BE contract. Having the BE bball games helped FS1 get on cable systems in major markets which, in turn, has made the network profitable. In other words, charging a bit more in advertising revenue is nice. Being on all the cable providers in the Milwaukee area, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers paying $.85 a month, every month, is worth so much more. If MU wasn't on FS1, there would be little incentive for the providers to have added FS1. Its the same strategy the NFL Network uses. It has what, 8 events that people want to see? Those 8 events generate a huge amount of subscriber fees, even if daytime ratings are nil.

Exactly why the Big East added Rutgers and Maryland.

On Time Warner both FS1 and The Big 10 Network are not near the other sports networks. Big 10 is in the 60's and FS1 is in the 70's, while the ESPN channels are in the 30's

[DCwarrior]

I still say the #1 problem with FS1 is that it is damn near impossible to find on the channel lineup so they will never get the channel surfers.

There have been times I was at MU game, my kids at home. They text me asking what channel it is on. I say FS1, 1600 something. I get home asked about the game and they says they couldn't find it and gave up. This is someone that was actually looking for the game!

That depends on your location. Here in the DC area w/ Verizon, all the HD national sports stations start at 570 (ESPN of course) and end at 595 (YES Network I think). FS1 and FS2 are at 583 and 584 right next to the BIG Nextwork at 585. It's not difficult to find. Maybe the cable providers in Wisconsin have things assbackward, but I doubt it's that way all over the country.

[MU/Panther]

Exactly why the Big East added Rutgers and Maryland.

On Time Warner both FS1 and The Big 10 Network are not near the other sports networks. Big 10 is in the 60's and FS1 is in the 70's, while the ESPN channels are in the 30's
HD numbers are different and much much better.

[IWB]

On ATT Uverse here sports channels start at 1602 which is ESPN.

1602 - ESPN
1604 - ESPN Radio\
1605 - ESPNU
1606 - ESPN2
1607 - SEC
1608 - SEC A
1609 - SEC B
1611 - Longhorn Network
1613 - ESPN Goal Line
1624 - Movie Rental
1627 - Touchfit - online shopping
1629 - NFL Redzone
1630 - NFL
1631 - NBA League Pass
1632 - NBAHD
1633 - Fitfusion - inline shopping
1634 - MLB Baseball
1635 - MLB Strikezone
1636 - PPV
1640 - Mercum Auto Auctions
1641 - Golf HD
1642 - SPMN - Conceal & carry school
1643 - CBSS
1650 - Big 10
1651 - FS2
1652 - FS1

You see, when scrolling through the channels (if you get to the 1600s) once you get to a couple of shopping networks, pay per view, golf and a conceal & carry class, do you keep scrolling? No.

[TheSultan]

That depends on your location. Here in the DC area w/ Verizon, all the HD national sports stations start at 570 (ESPN of course) and end at 595 (YES Network I think). FS1 and FS2 are at 583 and 584 right next to the BIG Nextwork at 585. It's not difficult to find. Maybe the cable providers in Wisconsin have things assbackward, but I doubt it's that way all over the country.


Direct TV has ESPN at 206 followed by a bunch of sports channels. FS1 at 219. NBC at 220. Not hard at all.

FS2 is on a sports pack so it is at 618.

I think the biggest problem is that ESPN is the "default" for sports news. I turned it on this AM to see if Golden State won. Only after did I even think of turning on FS1. Changing that habit will be exceedingly difficult.

[Goose85]

HD numbers are different and much much better.

I think all the channels now are HD, so for example ESPN on 30 and 1301 are the same, where it used to be 30 was low D and 1301 was High D.

[mufan2003]

I think all the channels now are HD, so for example ESPN on 30 and 1301 are the same, where it used to be 30 was low D and 1301 was High D.

I have Time Warner and am surprised FS2 is still not available in HD (only digital, not as good of a feed). I believe FS2 is available in HD by just about every other cable and satellite provider. Otherwise Time Warner's lineup format is not bad in terms of finding FS1:

1301-ESPN
1302-ESPN2
1303-ESPNU
1305-ESPN News
1309-Fox Sports WI
1316-Golf Channel
1317-FS1
1318-FXX
1322-CBS Sports Network
1323-NBC Sports Network
1324-NHL Network
1325-NBA TV
1326-MLB Network
1327-Tennis Channel
1332-Time Warner Cable Sports Channel
1333-Big 10 Network
1346-NFL Network

[The Reptile]

Time Warner in the Carolinas has FS1 at 400. All the other sports channels start at 300 where ESPN is. Not badly placed compared to others.