Erin Andrews Addition, FOX Sports Upping College Football Profile Good for the Sport
By Kyle Kensing
Erin Andrews’ move from ESPN to FOX Sports is the buzz of the sports media world, and rightfully so. Andrews’ star rocketed from beyond the sports world into the mainstream over recent years. Hers is a recognizable name and face, and adds to the brand FOX is building for its college football product.
News Corp., the parent company of FOX, is a partner in the Big Ten Network. The company brokered a deal with the Pac-12 last year, when the conference announced its landmark, $3 billion multimedia contract. FOX is in a similar role now with the Big 12 in its new broadcasting deal.
And FOX is legitimizing its coverage with the names involved.
The network made waves last year with the addition of Gus Johnson as its premiere football play-by-play voice. The addition of Andrews as a studio host is another savvy move in establishing FOX Sports as a force in covering the sport, and that’s a win for college football fans.
A popular opinion on blogosphere communities is ESPN needs a competitor — not for competition’s sake or the good of sports media, but to spite Disney’s athletic broadcast behemoth. I am not in this camp, particularly in regard to ESPN’s college football coverage. Disney’s properties are largely responsible for growing college football to where it is today. ABC broadcasts featuring Keith Jackson in the booth were the soundtrack of autumn for many of us, while ESPN gave an outlet to countless games that would have been relegated to regional coverage previously.
But even the Worldwide Leader in Sports has finite resources, a point that has played a significant role in conference TV rights negotiations. The ACC’s exclusive rights deal with ESPN, for example, was a topic kicked around when Florida State and Clemson were rumored to seek affiliation elsewhere.
The Big 12 and Pac-12 partnering with both FOX and ESPN, and the Big Ten in its involvement via BTN, have opened new doors for national coverage. And the more football accessible to the fans, the better.
CBS and NBC should also factor into the discussion, each with burgeoning cable networks craving content to fill airtime. CBS airs SEC on its flagship network, and is pairing with the Mountain West on cable in the coming season. Notre Dame football has long been a staple for NBC Sports. Its cable network has added to the partnership.