FOX Sports 1: Shogun vs. Sonnen Preview


The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Boston on Saturday, August 17th, as former light heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua meets 3-time title contender Chael Sonnen at UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen. Watch live on FOX Sports 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hofdr7wp4J0

Sure wish I knew which channel this was going to be on so I can set the dvr, just in case.

Pernicious - Sure wish I knew which channel this was going to be on so I can set the dvr, just in case.
Sure wish they would finalize a deal with Dish, Directv, and TWC. Phone Post 3.0

Fox Sports 1 will be the old SPEED channel. Should be on all the cable/satellite providers.

On Directv, it's currently channel six hundred and something.

Idk about you all but I'm pretty pumped for this fight. Big fan of both and just looking forward to a great fight.

JDkoa - Fox Sports 1 will be the old SPEED channel. Should be on all the cable/satellite providers.

On Directv, it's currently channel six hundred and something.

^^^^ This is not correct. See below.

--------------

Many viewers may miss new Fox sports channel


Fox Sports 1 to reach Cox customers in mid-August - May. 30

By Harry Minium
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 27, 2013

NORFOLK

Fox Sports 1, a new all-sports channel that intends to compete with ESPN, might not be available to the majority of cable TV viewers in Hampton Roads when it begins broadcasting on Aug. 17.

Cox officials originally thought the channel would be available because Fox is replacing the Speed network, a racing channel it owns, with Fox Sports 1. Cox carries Speed as part of its basic cable package.

But Betty Jo Roberts, Cox's vice president for field marketing, said officials have since learned they will need a new contract with Fox to carry the sports network, a contract that could include higher fees than they were paying for Speed.

Roberts said Cox is negotiating with Fox to renew agreements for all Fox networks. Those agreements expire at the end of 2013.

Old Dominion officials have asked Cox to add Fox College Sports to its cable lineup because the school's new conference home, Conference USA, has deals with Fox College Sports and Fox Sports 1 to televise football, men's and women's basketball and baseball games.

Cox provides cable television to more than 333,000 subscribers in Hampton Roads.

"We're talking with Fox about all of their content, not just their sports content," Roberts said. "It's extremely expensive and we have to manage that expense to manage our costs and to manage what we charge our customers."

The negotiations, she added, "are complex and can be time-consuming."

In its first year, Fox Sports 1 will focus largely on college football and basketball, soccer and NASCAR. In 2014, it will begin broadcasting Major League Baseball games, including postseason play.


http://hamptonroads.com/2013/07/many-viewers-may-miss-new-fox-sports-channel

-------------


DirecTV to hit 5 million subscribers with $3 monthly sports surcharge

CEO Mike White says 'sports business model is broken'

February 14, 2013 | By Steve Donohue



DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV) will soon begin charging about 5 million subscribers in New York, Los Angeles and other markets with expensive regional sports networks monthly surcharges of $3, CEO Mike White said Thursday.

Last year, the top satellite TV provider began charging new subscribers in Los Angeles and New York an additional $3 monthly to cover the costs of RSNs such as Time Warner Cable SportsNet and YES Network. But White told analysts on DirecTV's earnings call Thursday that the company will be forced to charge existing subscribers in those markets, which he said represent about 20 percent of its subscriber base. DirecTV counted 20.08 million U.S. subscribers at the end of the fourth quarter.

"The whole sports business model is broken. The only alternative we have if we're going to carry sports channels in these few markets that are completely out of control and unaffordable frankly for the average consumer, is with some kind of surcharge," White said. Existing subscribers will begin seeing the RSN surcharge on their monthly bills this spring, he added.

CFO Patrick Doyle aid DirecTV expects its overall programming expenses to increase by about 8 percent in 2013. The company will look grow revenue through rate increases and by reducing the amount of promotional discounts it offers customers, he added.

DirecTV isn't the only pay TV provider using surcharges to help cover the cost of sports programming. Last month, Verizon (NYSE: VZ) began charging all FiOS TV subscribers in the Los Angeles area a monthly surcharge of $2.42.

White said the $3 surcharge only covers a fraction of DirecTV's programming expenses to carry RSNs in New York and Los Angeles. "It doesn't come close to covering the total cost for sports in those markets," he added.

http://www.fiercecable.com/story/directv-hit-5-million-subscribers-3-monthly-surcharge-regional-sports-netwo/2013-02-14

Who do you guys got? Im a big fan of both guys. I think they are about the same size. Shoguns cardio isnt what it used to be, and chael can go for hours. I think Shogun can knock anyone out, but I don't see him KOing Sonnen. I just hope both of them will have a great performane. Phone Post

Sub Phone Post 3.0

MagSlim - 
JDkoa - Fox Sports 1 will be the old SPEED channel. Should be on all the cable/satellite providers.

On Directv, it's currently channel six hundred and something.

^^^^ This is not correct. See below.

--------------

Many viewers may miss new Fox sports channel


Fox Sports 1 to reach Cox customers in mid-August - May. 30

By Harry Minium
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 27, 2013

NORFOLK

Fox Sports 1, a new all-sports channel that intends to compete with ESPN, might not be available to the majority of cable TV viewers in Hampton Roads when it begins broadcasting on Aug. 17.

Cox officials originally thought the channel would be available because Fox is replacing the Speed network, a racing channel it owns, with Fox Sports 1. Cox carries Speed as part of its basic cable package.

But Betty Jo Roberts, Cox's vice president for field marketing, said officials have since learned they will need a new contract with Fox to carry the sports network, a contract that could include higher fees than they were paying for Speed.

Roberts said Cox is negotiating with Fox to renew agreements for all Fox networks. Those agreements expire at the end of 2013.

Old Dominion officials have asked Cox to add Fox College Sports to its cable lineup because the school's new conference home, Conference USA, has deals with Fox College Sports and Fox Sports 1 to televise football, men's and women's basketball and baseball games.

Cox provides cable television to more than 333,000 subscribers in Hampton Roads.

"We're talking with Fox about all of their content, not just their sports content," Roberts said. "It's extremely expensive and we have to manage that expense to manage our costs and to manage what we charge our customers."

The negotiations, she added, "are complex and can be time-consuming."

In its first year, Fox Sports 1 will focus largely on college football and basketball, soccer and NASCAR. In 2014, it will begin broadcasting Major League Baseball games, including postseason play.


http://hamptonroads.com/2013/07/many-viewers-may-miss-new-fox-sports-channel

-------------


DirecTV to hit 5 million subscribers with $3 monthly sports surcharge

CEO Mike White says 'sports business model is broken'

February 14, 2013 | By Steve Donohue



DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV) will soon begin charging about 5 million subscribers in New York, Los Angeles and other markets with expensive regional sports networks monthly surcharges of $3, CEO Mike White said Thursday.

Last year, the top satellite TV provider began charging new subscribers in Los Angeles and New York an additional $3 monthly to cover the costs of RSNs such as Time Warner Cable SportsNet and YES Network. But White told analysts on DirecTV's earnings call Thursday that the company will be forced to charge existing subscribers in those markets, which he said represent about 20 percent of its subscriber base. DirecTV counted 20.08 million U.S. subscribers at the end of the fourth quarter.

"The whole sports business model is broken. The only alternative we have if we're going to carry sports channels in these few markets that are completely out of control and unaffordable frankly for the average consumer, is with some kind of surcharge," White said. Existing subscribers will begin seeing the RSN surcharge on their monthly bills this spring, he added.

CFO Patrick Doyle aid DirecTV expects its overall programming expenses to increase by about 8 percent in 2013. The company will look grow revenue through rate increases and by reducing the amount of promotional discounts it offers customers, he added.

DirecTV isn't the only pay TV provider using surcharges to help cover the cost of sports programming. Last month, Verizon (NYSE: VZ) began charging all FiOS TV subscribers in the Los Angeles area a monthly surcharge of $2.42.

White said the $3 surcharge only covers a fraction of DirecTV's programming expenses to carry RSNs in New York and Los Angeles. "It doesn't come close to covering the total cost for sports in those markets," he added.

http://www.fiercecable.com/story/directv-hit-5-million-subscribers-3-monthly-surcharge-regional-sports-netwo/2013-02-14

Well, yes, it is correct. Apparently not all the contracts with the various providers are signed yet, but FS1 will be the old Speed, and it is going to be there for most people.

And from what I read, it's commonplace for these things to be negotiated all the way down to the wire.

On DirecTV, the Sonnen vs. Shogun event is already being shown as programming.

Are you sure? I got several pretty reliable outlets say they don't. You got any news stories that say they have?

The only source for what you're saying is Dana's half-ass answer on the Media Call this morning. Every legit non-mma media source says the opposite.

.........yet there are a curious band of posters here toeing the company line with very authoritative statements that aren't backed up by any sources.




Fox's ESPN Killer Still Doesn't Have Deals With Three Huge TV Providers Five Days Before Launch

Tony Manfred 51 minutes ago

Fox Sports 1 — News Corp's ESPN killer — only has a few days left to sign deals with three of the country's biggest television providers before it launches.

The channel will debut this Saturday.

As of today, it is still trying to work out contracts with Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, and Dish, the Sports Business Journal reports.

Time Warner has 14.6 million subscribers, many of whom live in New York. DirecTV and Dish have an additional 34 million subscribers.

FS1's overall ambition is reflected in what it wants to charge these companies in subscription fees. According to the Sports Business Journal, FS1 wants $0.80 per subscriber — a figure that will increase to $1.50 by the end of the deal.

For comparison, NBC Sports Network — the NBC Universal's fledgling ESPN killer — charges about $0.30 per subscriber.

ESPN charges ~$5, which tells you everything about what FS1 is up against.

FS1 has a decent portfolio of broadcast rights and a lot of money behind it. It's run by the same people who turned Sky Sports into a powerhouse in the UK, and there are intriguing on-air stars (Erin Andrews, the Canadian cult duo Jay Onrait and Dan O'Toole).

In short, there are good reasons everyone considers it as a more formidable threat to ESPN than NBCSN and CBS Sports Network combined.

But if a huge chunk of the viewing public can't even pay to watch the channel, it's not going to have the relevance it expects right away.

http://www.businessinsider.com/fox-sports-1-not-on-time-warner-directv-dish-2013-8

------------

While Talks Continue With Major Distributors For FS1, Fox Unveils New Speed Schedule

By John Ourand, Staff Writer

Published August 12, 2013

Just five days before the launch of FS1, Fox Sports still has yet to cut deals with at least three of the four biggest distributors: DirecTV, Dish Network and Time Warner Cable. The three distributors said they are still in discussions with Fox to carry the channel, which launches Saturday. Distributors that do not cut a deal for FS1 by Saturday will continue to carry Speed, though it will be a stripped down version of the motorsports channel. Fox Sports provided the Tribune listings service with the programming lineup for Speed for the first nine days after FS1's launch, and it features a mix of re-runs and paid programming. In the week after FS1 launches, Speed will open primetime at 8:00pm ET with shows like "Faster Than," "Car Science" and "Pumped." The 9:00pm hour has shows like "Drag Race High," "Stuntbusters" and "Wrecked." The 10:00pm hour has shows like "Pinks," "Speedmakers" and "Hard Parts." Primetime for Aug. 17, when FS1 launches, will feature re-airs of "Pumped," "Wrecked" and "Hard Parts." Fox Sports has little reason to make Speed a high-quality channel after Aug. 17, since it wants distributors to agree to take the more expensive FS1. Distributors pay around $0.23 per subscriber per month for Speed, according to figures from SNL Kagan. Fox is seeking $0.80 per subscriber per month for FS1 initially -- a rate that would increase to around $1.50 toward the end of the multiyear carriage deals it is seeking.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2013/08/12/Media/FS1-Carriage.aspx

What is this channel on Verizon FIOS? Phone Post 3.0

MagSlim - Are you sure? I got several pretty reliable outlets say they don't. You got any news stories that say they have?

The only source for what you're saying is Dana's half-ass answer on the Media Call this morning. Every legit non-mma media source says the opposite.

.........yet there are a curious band of posters here toeing the company line with very authoritative statements that aren't backed up by any sources.




Fox's ESPN Killer Still Doesn't Have Deals With Three Huge TV Providers Five Days Before Launch

Tony Manfred 51 minutes ago

Fox Sports 1 — News Corp's ESPN killer — only has a few days left to sign deals with three of the country's biggest television providers before it launches.

The channel will debut this Saturday.

As of today, it is still trying to work out contracts with Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, and Dish, the Sports Business Journal reports.

Time Warner has 14.6 million subscribers, many of whom live in New York. DirecTV and Dish have an additional 34 million subscribers.

FS1's overall ambition is reflected in what it wants to charge these companies in subscription fees. According to the Sports Business Journal, FS1 wants $0.80 per subscriber — a figure that will increase to $1.50 by the end of the deal.

For comparison, NBC Sports Network — the NBC Universal's fledgling ESPN killer — charges about $0.30 per subscriber.

ESPN charges ~$5, which tells you everything about what FS1 is up against.

FS1 has a decent portfolio of broadcast rights and a lot of money behind it. It's run by the same people who turned Sky Sports into a powerhouse in the UK, and there are intriguing on-air stars (Erin Andrews, the Canadian cult duo Jay Onrait and Dan O'Toole).

In short, there are good reasons everyone considers it as a more formidable threat to ESPN than NBCSN and CBS Sports Network combined.

But if a huge chunk of the viewing public can't even pay to watch the channel, it's not going to have the relevance it expects right away.

http://www.businessinsider.com/fox-sports-1-not-on-time-warner-directv-dish-2013-8

------------

While Talks Continue With Major Distributors For FS1, Fox Unveils New Speed Schedule

By John Ourand, Staff Writer

Published August 12, 2013

Just five days before the launch of FS1, Fox Sports still has yet to cut deals with at least three of the four biggest distributors: DirecTV, Dish Network and Time Warner Cable. The three distributors said they are still in discussions with Fox to carry the channel, which launches Saturday. Distributors that do not cut a deal for FS1 by Saturday will continue to carry Speed, though it will be a stripped down version of the motorsports channel. Fox Sports provided the Tribune listings service with the programming lineup for Speed for the first nine days after FS1's launch, and it features a mix of re-runs and paid programming. In the week after FS1 launches, Speed will open primetime at 8:00pm ET with shows like "Faster Than," "Car Science" and "Pumped." The 9:00pm hour has shows like "Drag Race High," "Stuntbusters" and "Wrecked." The 10:00pm hour has shows like "Pinks," "Speedmakers" and "Hard Parts." Primetime for Aug. 17, when FS1 launches, will feature re-airs of "Pumped," "Wrecked" and "Hard Parts." Fox Sports has little reason to make Speed a high-quality channel after Aug. 17, since it wants distributors to agree to take the more expensive FS1. Distributors pay around $0.23 per subscriber per month for Speed, according to figures from SNL Kagan. Fox is seeking $0.80 per subscriber per month for FS1 initially -- a rate that would increase to around $1.50 toward the end of the multiyear carriage deals it is seeking.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2013/08/12/Media/FS1-Carriage.aspx

That say they have what? I didn't hear Dana's call.

I just said not all the contracts are signed yet. But it is the old Speed network, and it is relatively common for these things to not be finalized until the last couple days.

I was just answering people that 1) Speed Network is where to find this, and 2) yes, it will be available for most folks, come Saturday.

He will never go away, never go away, never go away, never go away.....

JDkoa - 
MagSlim - Are you sure? I got several pretty reliable outlets say they don't. You got any news stories that say they have?

The only source for what you're saying is Dana's half-ass answer on the Media Call this morning. Every legit non-mma media source says the opposite.

.........yet there are a curious band of posters here toeing the company line with very authoritative statements that aren't backed up by any sources.




Fox's ESPN Killer Still Doesn't Have Deals With Three Huge TV Providers Five Days Before Launch

Tony Manfred 51 minutes ago

Fox Sports 1 — News Corp's ESPN killer — only has a few days left to sign deals with three of the country's biggest television providers before it launches.

The channel will debut this Saturday.

As of today, it is still trying to work out contracts with Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, and Dish, the Sports Business Journal reports.

Time Warner has 14.6 million subscribers, many of whom live in New York. DirecTV and Dish have an additional 34 million subscribers.

FS1's overall ambition is reflected in what it wants to charge these companies in subscription fees. According to the Sports Business Journal, FS1 wants $0.80 per subscriber — a figure that will increase to $1.50 by the end of the deal.

For comparison, NBC Sports Network — the NBC Universal's fledgling ESPN killer — charges about $0.30 per subscriber.

ESPN charges ~$5, which tells you everything about what FS1 is up against.

FS1 has a decent portfolio of broadcast rights and a lot of money behind it. It's run by the same people who turned Sky Sports into a powerhouse in the UK, and there are intriguing on-air stars (Erin Andrews, the Canadian cult duo Jay Onrait and Dan O'Toole).

In short, there are good reasons everyone considers it as a more formidable threat to ESPN than NBCSN and CBS Sports Network combined.

But if a huge chunk of the viewing public can't even pay to watch the channel, it's not going to have the relevance it expects right away.

http://www.businessinsider.com/fox-sports-1-not-on-time-warner-directv-dish-2013-8

------------

While Talks Continue With Major Distributors For FS1, Fox Unveils New Speed Schedule

By John Ourand, Staff Writer

Published August 12, 2013

Just five days before the launch of FS1, Fox Sports still has yet to cut deals with at least three of the four biggest distributors: DirecTV, Dish Network and Time Warner Cable. The three distributors said they are still in discussions with Fox to carry the channel, which launches Saturday. Distributors that do not cut a deal for FS1 by Saturday will continue to carry Speed, though it will be a stripped down version of the motorsports channel. Fox Sports provided the Tribune listings service with the programming lineup for Speed for the first nine days after FS1's launch, and it features a mix of re-runs and paid programming. In the week after FS1 launches, Speed will open primetime at 8:00pm ET with shows like "Faster Than," "Car Science" and "Pumped." The 9:00pm hour has shows like "Drag Race High," "Stuntbusters" and "Wrecked." The 10:00pm hour has shows like "Pinks," "Speedmakers" and "Hard Parts." Primetime for Aug. 17, when FS1 launches, will feature re-airs of "Pumped," "Wrecked" and "Hard Parts." Fox Sports has little reason to make Speed a high-quality channel after Aug. 17, since it wants distributors to agree to take the more expensive FS1. Distributors pay around $0.23 per subscriber per month for Speed, according to figures from SNL Kagan. Fox is seeking $0.80 per subscriber per month for FS1 initially -- a rate that would increase to around $1.50 toward the end of the multiyear carriage deals it is seeking.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2013/08/12/Media/FS1-Carriage.aspx

That say they have what? I didn't hear Dana's call.

I just said not all the contracts are signed yet. But it is the old Speed network, and it is relatively common for these things to not be finalized until the last couple days.

I was just answering people that 1) Speed Network is where to find this, and 2) yes, it will be available for most folks, come Saturday.

I am saying that real reporters are saying "the majority of folks" will NOT have the fight on Saturday as it sits now.

-----

Comcast, Cablevision, Charter, Cox, Verizon, AT&T and Suddenlink -- distributors that account for nearly 45 million subscribers -- have committed to carry FS1 on its Aug. 17 launch. That leaves DirecTV, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks -- accounting for more than 47 million subscribers -- as the distributors that do not have deals in place for FS1 yet even though its launch date is just five days away.

-----

They have 45MM in the 'yes' column and 47MM in the 'not yet' column.

So unless something changes most people will not have access to the fight on cable on Saturday, that is a fact.

Only Dana has said "this happens all the time" and "it will get fixed", no non-MMA/UFC sources have said this is normal.

Also, it's interesting to note that none of the articles about FS1 mention the station kicking off with a live UFC event -- implying that that's not a big enough deal that Fox would be embarrassed if it didn't get to all 90MM projected households.

TTT

I am saying that real reporters are saying "the majority of folks" will NOT have the fight on Saturday as it sits now.

-----

Comcast, Cablevision, Charter, Cox, Verizon, AT&T and Suddenlink -- distributors that account for nearly 45 million subscribers -- have committed to carry FS1 on its Aug. 17 launch. That leaves DirecTV, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks -- accounting for more than 47 million subscribers -- as the distributors that do not have deals in place for FS1 yet even though its launch date is just five days away.

-----

They have 45MM in the 'yes' column and 47MM in the 'not yet' column.

So unless something changes most people will not have access to the fight on cable on Saturday, that is a fact.

Only Dana has said "this happens all the time" and "it will get fixed", no non-MMA/UFC sources have said this is normal.

Also, it's interesting to note that none of the articles about FS1 mention the station kicking off with a live UFC event -- implying that that's not a big enough deal that Fox would be embarrassed if it didn't get to all 90MM projected households.

The States is obviously different but Fox just entered the professional sport market in my country (The Netherlands) and they did not have the deal with some of the cable providers finalized until the day before the football season started.

Obviously the American companies are much bigger and have more members hence the stakes are a lot higher BUT it does seem to be ''strategy'' at Fox to keep pressing for the highest price up until the end and then either force the other parties to cave or cave themselves. Dana might perhaps make light of the situation a little but there is obvious some truth in what he is saying. Its unfortunately from a PR perspective but the deals will probably get made before the final launch date.

KingofBJJ - 


So this will make 3 straight losses for Loud Mouth?  Then he can run back to Fox and brag again about how great he is and talk himself into another fight.  Dana will probably give him the winner of Silva v Weidman.


You had the same vitriol before the Silva Weidman fight.
I know from past posts you planed on gloating after Silva destroyed Weidman,sorry that didn't pan out.Maybe this one will work out better for you.