Fox Sports 1

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

http://nyti.ms/XPviJi

Will be interesting to see if this thing gets any traction, if it doesn't we could be stuck in no mans land.

[MUBasketball]

The money is great...but is anybody else a little apprehensive about the move? Wasn't it the NHL that walked away from ESPN to play their games on...Versus, I think? I don't follow the NHL but I thought I had heard that was a complete disaster.

[MUMac]

Fox is not Versus. Not even close.

I am not concerned about Fox. Your comment was the same as the thought when the NFL left CBS for Fox. Fox knows how to market their product. Being the key cog in that network is bigger than you think.

[The Reptile]

I'm with Mac. Versus started life as the Outdoor Life Channel and was not in many homes out of the gate. Speed is in over 80 million households right now. Give Fox several months to promote and that number will increase and awareness will be there.

With the NFL, Fox had a problem at first. Some of their stations in NFC cities were still on UHF. What they did was to get the CBS affiliates to switch to Fox. That increased awareness and revenue making this bid seem more logical than previously thought.

The other thing is that Fox innovated the NFL broadcast. Things that are commonplace today were started by Fox. They kept the score and ticker on the screen. They were first to put the 1st down line and other on field graphics on a broadcast. And they went head to head with ESPN on an extended pre-game show.

For an MU fan used to the love from ESPN we are going to have to expect some changes to little love from ESPN and a lot of love from Fox. But that doesn't mean we are going to be lost completely. In fact, we should expect more attention moving forward. If Fox money made this deal happen when we were ready to accept a start a year from now, then I don't see them losing money on their investment.

[MayorBeluga]

We've learned from watching the B1G Network (not the actual content mind you, but the development) that being on basic cable is the key. NBC Sports and CBS Sports are not basic cable, so they will continue to be niche channels. Fox Sports 1 needs to be on basic cable in large markets. Wait, if only they could get programming with teams based in some of the largest markets in the nation. Hmm...

[TulsaWarrior]

Talk about innovations can you imagine putting a mic on Buzz during games? The video would go viral every week.

[IWB]

Talk about innovations can you imagine putting a mic on Buzz during games? The video would go viral every week.

No way you could do that unless you were wanting your family to learn a new language.

[TedBaxter]

Is the general thought that Fox Sports 1 will be programming the New Big East like the Big Ten Network? Stories about athletes, etc. during non-game hours?

[TheSultan]

Fox Sports 1 = FOX = good thing.
Versus = NBC = bad thing

NBC has completely mismanaged Versus (now NBC Sports Network) from the beginning. Balking at paying "too much" for content is what got them to lose the NFL contract back in the mid-90s not quite understanding that this is the price to have to pay for relevancy and eyeballs. Fox has added college football to its line-up, and will now have college basketball as well. I am perfectly fine with being on Fox.

[Litehouse]

Is the general thought that Fox Sports 1 will be programming the New Big East like the Big Ten Network? Stories about athletes, etc. during non-game hours?

Maybe, but they probably won't have as much dead time to kill as the BTN. They'll also have MLB, Nascar, some Pac12 and Big12 football and basketball games, soccer, and UFC fights to broadcast also, at least for now. I assume they'll continue to add things as time goes on. The article mentions they might buy the rights from ESPN for some games of the Leftover East as well.