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Home › News › Broadcasters › Fox Sports Cuts Onrait, O’Toole, Cancels Fox Sports Live

Fox Sports Cuts Onrait, O’Toole, Cancels Fox Sports Live

by Jon Lewis

9 years ago

Idle Notes: MLB on FOX, TNT NBA Ads, 2024 Olympics

Big Names: Chris Bosh, Magic Johnson, Alex Rodriguez

Jon Lewis

Jon Lewis has been covering the sports media industry on a daily basis since 2006 as the founder and main writer of Sports Media Watch. You can contact him here or on the social media websites X (Twitter) or Bluesky.

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Comments 1

Nate Johnson says:

9 years ago

FS1 has done so much it could to rival ESPN. Majority will say that fail and only because of the results. Honestly, FS1 has done a good job in competing vs. ESPN in spite of being light years away from them. The reason for that is because of

1.) NBCSN was the first to attempt to compete vs. ESPN. They had a show with Michelle Beadle that didn’t work out. Bob Costas had a show on there that didn’t workout the growth. NFL Turning Point is a really good show, but doesn’t draw enough only because of what station it is on. FS1 on the other hand utilized the live programming and contracts they have with certain leagues (College Football/Basketball, NASCAR, UFC and MLB) to their strength while also adding attention to the NFL and NBA. NBCSN just didn’t have that and it lost so much grip in competing vs. ESPN. NBCSN needs NHL and Olympics to help them out get attention which is lower than FS1. FS1 did a good job of following up Speed whereas NBCSN didn’t do a good job following Versus.

2.) Highlight shows are of the past. I will pick on NBCSN again on this one because they use to have a highlight show only with feed from local broadcasters calling the action as it happened the previous day/night as narratives of the highlights. NBCSN used that as a way to help their station grow and of course it didn’t work. FS1 realized that Fox Sports Live would never help FS1 be at ESPN’s neck if they counted on that show to do so. Sportscenter has been less about highlights as the years came by. Sportscenter now is about stories and coverages for an athlete, team, game, city, etc. They also add in show debates and conversation/interviews which proves that highlights are of the past thanks to smartphones and social media. FS1 realized that and moved on.

3.) They brought in personnel from ESPN to let it be known that they are for real about the station. Say what you want to about Skip Bayless and Colin Cowherd, but what’s important to know is that those 2 guys to FS1 sent a message that FS1 was serious in their station because of those 2 hot rod media members. Now the ratings aren’t there but come on who will keep their TVs on for 5 hours to watch Undisputed and The Herd? Also those shows are on during working hours. Shows like PTI, Sportsnation and Around the Horn will always have good ratings because more people are at home from work sitting down relaxing with the TV on. First Take has better ratings only because of the station it’s on, but honestly during football season they are not better than Undisputed which explains that ratings don’t always say which show is better (basketball season FT is better though). So it’s not always about ratings not proving otherwise it is also about other stuff such as when does their show comes on? But one thing FS1 is doing to compete vs. ESPN is by bringing in guys that are no stranger to Sports TV and also bringing in sports figure with no hesistation.

4.) FS1 still has a vision. Their vision is to grow the network and add in shows that they believe will do so. I believe what would be important for FS1 to do is to have football shows that strictly for former football players/coaches showing X’s and O’s plus analytics and such on current football teams/players every single week but with also some entertainment and fun within it (A remix version of NFL Matchups). Same for Basketball and Baseball as well (MLB Whiparound is a highlight/analysis show). Another idea would be have a strong morning show prior towards Undisputed coming on. ESPN (Sportscenter AM) and NFL Network (Good Morning Football) has caught onto that and FS1 should think of a morning show that could defeat those 2. Having a vision is key and FS1 has that.

I know this article was on Onrait and O’Toole, but honestly their time expired and was never renewed to the promise they once had. This is no sad situation simply because times are moving from highlight shows and the 3rd edition of the Fox Sports Live show they had was something that was creative and neat, but boring and played out quickly. That show before being cancelled and other FS1 shows needs some improvement and makeover, but honestly they are set to really challenge ESPN and this with them being on for 3.5 years and taking hits everywhere. One other thing FS1 should do is stop showing TMZ Sports on their station. It makes sense for FS2, but not FS1 at all.

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