besides for the rockets, astros, or any other sporting event? the programming sucks. whenever i watch tv and nothing is on, i never even consider or even think of putting on FSN. I used to watch beyond the glory, but they took that off. ...they advertise for the Best damn sports show all the time. is that supposed to be their signature show? It's like they're not even trying...but i guess trying is the first step to failure (IMax)
I watch FSN's Final Score. It beats Sportscenter anyday. Less drama, less theatrics. It gives you straight to the point stats and scores.
FSN's problem is that they have no identity. ESPN has established a distinct style and identity over the years that you either love or hate. FSN doesn't have that. They let regional affiliates determine much of the programming in order to be more local then ESPN. But all they've ended up doing is allowing poorly produced, cheaply made shows to air. Best Damn started off as a Man Show ripoff and has ended up a glorified clip show. How would I recreate and reinvigorate FSN? 1.) Dump the crappy graphics on Final Score. Go with a simple graphical layout that doesn't look like a web page from 2002. 2.) Put someone in the booth with Andrew Siciliano who can bring some humor and personality to the show. Someone like AB, a charismatic, funny guy who can talk sports. You don't have to slow down the show or turn it into Sportscenter. Just make it entertaining. 3.) Get rid of Best Damn. The show was a joke from the second they announced Tom Arnold was on it. 4.) Buy the right to Cheap Seats from ESPN. Air it. If not... 5.) Use Randy and Jason Sklar to host a Best Damn replacement. Say what you want about them, they're both very knowledgeable about sports and could do a great job hosting a show. Set it up as a format with a rotating (but familiar) group of sports columnists that frequently contribute to the show. Love it or hate it, part of the appeal of ESPN's Around the Horn is hearing Paige/Mariotti/Adande/Cowlishaw/etc. going at it all the time. There's a familiarity with them, and each has their own schtick. Bring that feeling to an informational talk show setting. And don't do it like Jim Rome is Burning. His panelists usually seem uncomfortable and restrained. If that means the columnists contribute via satellite, that means the contribute via satellite. 6.) Keep Sport Science. That show just works. 7.) Allocate some decent funding to locally made shows. Come up with minimal broadcast standards. Astros Live looks like it was shot in a garage with a Sony Handycam. It has bad camera work, bad set design, bad lighting, and bad pacing. Get some good, local talent for local broadcasts to bring some entertainment to them. I already mentioned AB, but Adam Clanton, Charlie Palillo, and Sean Pendergast. These people know sports and are entertaining. Radio personalities, yes, but at least you know what you're getting. 8.) Pick up some indie sports documentaries and show them as FSN exclusives. I bet a lot of people would love a chance to see Gunnin' for That No. 1 Spot. 9.) Go HARD after programming rights once they start to expire for other network. In the meantime, show college football games that aren't shown elsewhere (i.e. University of Houston). 10.) League-centered sports shows. Yeah, I'm ripping this directly off ESPN. But if, say, during baseball season, you had an MLB-centered show (a la Baseball Tonight) that segued nicely into local coverage (such as Astros Live), viewers get an experience that's unique to FSN. 11.) Here's the big one: come up with a plan, a style, and a vision you want to work around. Design everything around that style. Right now, FSN's barely better than Local Cable Access. And it's DEFINITELY not better than Wayne's World.
FSN/Fox having the rights to the BCS is the worst thing that has happened to sports. Well umm, close. That Ryan Seacrest looking tool is an absolute joke. Tom Arnold? Seriously? Exactly. Its not serious. You can't take that crap serious. -RICK RENNNER- As they say in Marvel; "nuff said"
Sports Science is moderately interesting, but I don't watch anything else. I do like the Best Damn's 50 Greatest Shows though, even though they run through the clips way too fast.
FOX should combine the "FOX Sports" brand and FSN a la "ABC Sports" and ESPN. FOX Sports has the national rights to MLB and NFL...FOX Sports could put better national programming on FSN. FSN will never be in the same league as ESPN as long as they have a low quality feed.
Thats one thing i dont understand either. If i miss a game on ESPN. They'll replay it at 2am so i can record it....or even if it's an instant classic, it'll be on ESPN classic. If I miss a game on Fox. That's it. They should at least show the game on FSN or something. Especially if it's a good game. And you would think Fox would have enough funds to where they wouldnt have to do Paid Programmings
FSN appears to be run by twelve year olds. I used to watch the "Best Damn Countdowns" which almost always included the famous outtake type clips of the big unit nailing that bird, the batter who kicks the catcher in the throat etc. I mean people getting hurt, sad to say, is generally hilarious. Of course, Fox overdid it on the countdowns like they do everything, and now every one of them has **** i've already seen. This was my first year to order League Pass, and it really fueled my distaste. I was shocked to find that ALL fsn affiliates have the EXACT same programming format, down to the graphics and the pregame/postgame/halftime shows. It's like they just opened a template. I mean you would think they could take 10 seconds to make slight adjustments so its not so obviously formulated. Even worse is that NBA commercial they had running for all the teams all season. The one with the Lenny Kravitz song and three players were featured rising on an arena stage like a rock band. Fox is so cheap that they used one black actor guy to play the outrageously pumped fan from ALL the teams. Anybody else notice this?
That's it for me, too. I have a degree in Kinesiology, so it's pretty interesting to me. The rest is pretty much crap. They can change "The Best Damn..." all they want. It's still the worst crap on tv, period.
