If good things come to those who wait, FOX Sports has no patience. Yesterday, in a massive shakeup at FS1, the network canceled three programs after inserting sweeping changes to its daily weekday lineup made just under a year ago.
The Athletic reported that Breakfast Ball, The Facility, and Speak were all canceled as the network is keeping the simulcast of The Herd with Colin Cowherd and First Things First in place. The three canceled programs were all the brainchild of former FOX Sports EVP and head of content Charlie Dixon. Dixon was released from FOX Sports in April of this year following allegations of sexual battery by two ex-employees at the network.
On its face, this seems to be a simple unplugging of programs that the network saw as tied to Dixon. However, was the plug pulled too soon?
Without question, when the programming lineup was released, it was (and still is) an uphill climb to compete with FS1’s direct competitor at ESPN. The hope was to provide an alternative to sports fans, using large-market sports radio personalities as the utility to drive more viewership over time.
“FS1 is evolving around a dynamic roster of sports talk personalities, and we couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead,” shared Charlie Dixon in August of last year. “From early morning to late afternoon, viewers can look forward to an array of compelling sports discussions, expert analysis, and exclusive interviews, all designed to keep sports enthusiasts informed and entertained throughout the day.”
I love a good plan as much as anyone, but the execution is what matters most. Let’s look at these one by one.
Planning and Execution Is Paramount
Breakfast Ball had three outstanding sports radio personalities guiding the morning sports conversation. Mark Schlereth didn’t bring just a wealth of television experience from his 16 years at ESPN, but also from his sports radio acumen in Denver. Danny Parkins was an instant sensation at Chicago’s 670 The Score and rose to afternoon drive in record fashion. Craig Carton’s resume in New York speaks for itself as a dominant personality on WFAN for many years.
The problem was in the execution.
Breakfast Ball was thrown together in just weeks ahead of the show’s premiere on the network, and they appointed Schlereth as the A-talent to drive the program. Schlereth spoke about the difficulties he had to overcome for the role as late as April of this year.
Putting three A-talents in a room and trying to figure it out doomed the show from the start, and it never recovered enough to keep it around.
The Facility was a podcast that FS1 tried to make into a television show. Throwing four former NFL players in a room and hoping for quality content was a reach to start. All four talents can be strong B- or C-type co-hosts, but to not have a strong A-talent to lead the conversation and direct felt like a missing piece the entire time. Also, putting four football players together doesn’t automatically mean NBA, NHL, MLB, and fans of other sports are looking for compelling conversation from this group. If the show was on NFL Network, then the format and content style would have probably worked.
Speak was in the toughest position possible, as it went head-to-head against the one-two combination of Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption. It’s tough for any startup to take on the heavyweight champion, no matter how much star power you put behind it. Keyshawn Johnson had difficulties standing out on ESPN, with nothing changing on FS1. Paul Pierce’s perspective only revolved around one sport, and Joy Taylor played a better moderator with Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe instead of pundit on Speak.
Simply put, while the potential for growth was there, the planning on the front end and execution thereafter lacked. The results showed in the viewership, which was low for the amount of assets and money invested.
Timing Is Everything
So, was the plug pulled too soon?
If FOX Sports wants to cut into ESPN’s viewership with daytime programming, there may be no better time than now to pull the plug.
The easy focus for FOX Sports should be on Tony Reali, who is now a free agent beginning next month. After a 25-year career at ESPN on its two biggest programs in Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption, Reali would be a massive add to a network that needs energy.
Reali hasn’t been shy about talking to everybody and anybody about his next steps, and audiences know the energy and excitement he brings to television.
When I discussed Tony Reali’s exit from ESPN with Dan Le Batard earlier this month, he didn’t mince words about the lifeline ESPN gave to Reali.
“I have told Tony that ESPN did him a favor because they have unlocked the four-and-a-half-minute box that he was in daily,” said Le Batard earlier this month. “A five-minute cue for Tony Reali is like putting Houdini in a straitjacket underwater in a very small safe. He’s been limited there [at ESPN]. His personality is much bigger than the space filled with confinements that television is.”
Another name that recently stepped back into the spotlight is Max Kellerman, who took a role in the telecast of the upcoming Canelo vs. Crawford super welterweight championship fight. With no non-compete to stop him, could FS1 create some buzz putting Kellerman up against his old partner in Stephen A. Smith?
That would draw eyeballs, as I’m sure the two shows would trade some interesting and impactful barbs.
Former FS1 commentator Jason Whitlock floated the concept of the podcast All the Smoke joining the lineup following the news of the cancellations. He’s pretty plugged in at the network—would that be a solid add with their growing digital audience?
The network has some quality talent in the programs that were cut, and there is plenty of quality talent that the network can bring in. They also could still utilize some of those talents from the cut shows in a different model of what’s to come where gains can be made.
Approaching the Next Steps
FOX Sports’ growth on FS1 can only go up, because there isn’t much more to go down.
The game for FOX Sports moving forward is not about just providing an alternative—it’s about providing an alternative that accomplishes two things.
The first is better planning and execution. Cut talent that don’t move the needle and bring in ones that do. Find talent that can drive conversation with impact and a strong digital presence. Allow time to build rapport ahead of time and prepare better for your execution.
The second is in expansion. One piece that ESPN does a really good job with is connection between the programs. No one lives on an island; all shows are connected to one another—watching one another, talking with one another. FOX Sports has a fantastic partnership with Major League Baseball. Why not work some of your daytime talent into those broadcasts, expanding reach with those audiences?
Cross-promotional opportunities create community, which is what the viewer desires to become a part of. To be the alternative, you need to win over and welcome the viewer into the community.
The fact is the changes implemented in August of last year were poorly planned, executed, and change needed to happen as football season arrives.
Was the plug pulled too soon? Not at all.
Should FOX Sports give up entirely on daytime television? Not at all.
The possibilities are endless, and there could be no better time than the present to build something lasting for the future.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
