Sinclair will soon rebrand the Fox-branded RSNs; ESPN has officially unveiled its XFL announce teams; UEFA media rights are up for bid again; NBC Sports Washington has debuted betting-themed Wizards broadcasts.
Fox-branded RSNs to be renamed soon
The Fox Sports-branded regional sports networks will be rebranded in the coming months, though new owner Sinclair Broadcast Group has yet to settle on a name, the Miami Herald reported Tuesday. In addition to the RSNs, the Fox Sports GO app will also be renamed.
In related news, Sinclair announced Monday that it will begin airing its professional wrestling series “Ring of Honor” on all of its RSNs starting this Friday. The telecasts will air Fridays at Midnight in each time zone.
Sinclair, best known for its right-wing local news operation, purchased the Fox RSNs from Disney in March and officially took ownership in August. [South Florida Sun-Sentinel 11.5, Sinclair PR 11.4]
ESPN taps McElroy, not Orlovsky, for XFL
ESPN announced Wednesday that Greg McElroy will serve as its lead XFL game analyst next year, a shift from its original plan to have Dan Orlovsky work the games. Company SVP/production Lee Fitting told the New York Post that the XFL assignment did not fit with Orlovsky’s schedule.
McElroy will work alongside Steve Levy, field analyst Tom Luginbill and sideline reporter Dianna Russini on the lead team. ESPN will also use a secondary broadcast team of Tom Hart, Joey Galloway and Pat McAfee. [ESPN PR 11.6, NYP 11.6]
UEFA media rights up for bid again
Bids are due Friday for UEFA Champions League media rights, Sports Business Daily reported Wednesday, and a decision is expected to be made in the next two weeks. While Turner Sports and Univision only began airing UEFA matches last year, their three-year deals are set to expire after next season.
According to SBD, “[a]lmost all media companies” have expressed interest in the rights. [SBD 11.6]
NBC Sports Washington expands betting-themed Wizards broadcasts
NBC Sports Washington announced this week the launch of weekly betting-oriented Wizards broadcasts in which viewers will have the opportunity to win $500 per quarter by wagering on game and player results. The news was first reported by Sports Business Daily Tuesday and the first broadcast aired Wednesday.
The network used a similar initiative for select games last season.
Meanwhile, MSG Network has debuted new sports betting-related NBA and NHL shows as part of a sponsorship deal with FanDuel. The network is also adding betting odds to its ticker during Devils games. [NBC Sports PR 11.5, Sports Business Daily 11.5, MSG Network]
