BallReviews
General Category => PBA => Topic started by: bradl on March 21, 2018, 02:03:02 AM
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Surprised no-one posted on this one yet.
https://www.pba.com/articles/PBA-and-FOX-Sports-Announce-Multi-Year-Multi-Platform-Deal3b-PBA-Returns-to-Broadcast-TV-in-2019
PBA and FOX Sports Announce Multi-Year, Multi-Platform Deal; PBA Returns to Broadcast TV in 2019
by bvint | Tuesday, March 20, 7:21 AM
LOS ANGELES and CHICAGO – The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and FOX Sports today announced a multi-year, multi-platform agreement making FOX Sports the new television partner for the Go Bowling! PBA Tour starting in 2019. The package will bring a substantial schedule of live PBA events to television, including prime time events and a new bracket-style, multi-week PBA Playoffs tournament that concludes with a unique PBA championship finale. The announcement was made by PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark and William Wanger, FOX Sports Executive VP of Programming, Live Operations and Research.
“The PBA has been searching for the best possible broadcast partner to serve our fans, players and the bowling industry, and we have determined that partner is FOX Sports,†Clark said. “We are particularly excited that the PBA Tour returns to broadcast television, where it started 56 years ago, with shows on FOX next year.â€
In 2019, FOX Sports will televise four PBA Tour shows on FOX and 25 on FS1 in a series of two-hour telecasts. All programs will also be streamed on FOX Sports GO. Details pertaining to the FOX Sports-PBA package regarding PBA Tour locations, dates and times, and the television announcing team will be released at a later date.
“FOX Sports is thrilled to add the highly rated PBA Tour to our extensive lineup, joining other sport partners including the NFL, the FIFA World Cup, MLB, NASCAR, MLS, UFC, NHRA, Supercross, USGA, college football and basketball, and others,†said Wanger. “We believe that adding a FOX Sports look and feel to bowling will help bring the sport to a whole new level.â€
The PBA was represented in the transaction by Ed Desser of Desser Sports Media (www.desser.tv).
The agreement between FOX Sports and the PBA extends a non-stop television presence for professional bowling that began in 1962 with ABC Television’s 36 years of continuous coverage of the Pro Bowlers Tour and 38 consecutive years of coverage on ESPN, beginning with ESPN’s formation in 1979.
Both parties plan to supplement the broadcast and cable coverage of the PBA Tour’s premier events with live-streaming of preliminary rounds by PBA’s Xtra Frame online bowling channel as well as extensive use of the FOX Sports and PBA Network outlets including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and their respective websites.
What I don't know is if this means that the PBA and Disney (ESPN/ABC/etc.) are going to let their contract lapse. If so, that ends the combined 74 years of coverage that ESPN and ABC had of bowling. If not, then that means that both ESPN, Fox, and CBS are all going to be covering bowling within the same year, with some being on broadcast TV and not requiring a sports package or digital tier.
Plus... they have already hinted at the return of Rob Stone.
BL.
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Anytime more bowling is on TV that makes me happy. I wish that they would make two changes to the broadcasts though:
1) Nix the blue oil
2) Nix the downlane spectators
Also, I'm on Team Rob Stone so I'd be happy to see him back (I am probably in the minority here).
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ESPN is out.
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Anytime more bowling is on TV that makes me happy. I wish that they would make two changes to the broadcasts though:
1) Nix the blue oil
2) Nix the downlane spectators
Also, I'm on Team Rob Stone so I'd be happy to see him back (I am probably in the minority here).
First order should be to nix Randy Pederson.
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I'd rather have Rob Stone than that old guy that sounds 2 weeks away from death.
Peterson is just being himself. Who else would you want to see in his position?
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I think Marshall is a much better commentator than Randy. His comments and insight are much more on point and not as juvenile and repetitive as Randy's.
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I think Marshall is a much better commentator than Randy. His comments and insight are much more on point and not as juvenile and repetitive as Randy's.
+1000. Juvenile is the word.
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I think Marshall is a much better commentator than Randy. His comments and insight are much more on point and not as juvenile and repetitive as Randy's.
100% I like listening to Marshall
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Marshall is very good. I like Chris Barnes even better when he joins the booth.
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What's wrong with the Blue Oil? How will those who are just casual bowlers understand something that their eyes can't see?
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What's wrong with the Blue Oil? How will those who are just casual bowlers understand something that their eyes can't see?
The same way the NFL does for football. They could use a 3D graphic over the lane to show the pattern. Viewers don't need to watch (nor do they care about) the progression of the pattern over the course of the telecast. I have been watching pro bowling on TV for 35 years and couldn't care less about the blue dyed oil on the lane. I am just happy to see bowling still on TV and think this deal with Fox is a step in the right direction. Hopefully the PWBA can get a similar deal and get more mainstream exposure.
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It's not going to help. Sorry, but bowling on TV is way too boring for 99% plus of the general population and probably 95% of us who actually bowl.
This deal may last the entire year, but it won't be renewed after 2019. I wish this wasn't the case, but we should be honest about it.
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It's not going to help. Sorry, but bowling on TV is way too boring for 99% plus of the general population and probably 95% of us who actually bowl.
This deal may last the entire year, but it won't be renewed after 2019. I wish this wasn't the case, but we should be honest about it.
It's a four year deal, I believe.
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I would bet money that it's a one year provisional with options for extension at the same rate. If the ratings suck after the first few shows, it will die a quite death and not be renewed.
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I personally would like CDB be a commentator on the show instead of Randy. Hes a cooook. And as far as blue oil goes, stop the blue oil for this season.
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It's not going to help. Sorry, but bowling on TV is way too boring for 99% plus of the general population and probably 95% of us who actually bowl.
This deal may last the entire year, but it won't be renewed after 2019. I wish this wasn't the case, but we should be honest about it.
Golf? Baseball? more boring than those sports on TV? Nothing better than putting golf or baseball on TV and grabbing a nice nap :o
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I personally would like CDB be a commentator on the show instead of Randy. Hes a cooook. And as far as blue oil goes, stop the blue oil for this season.
Not sure if you're meaning Barnes or Ballard on this one. :)
BL.
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It's not going to help. Sorry, but bowling on TV is way too boring for 99% plus of the general population and probably 95% of us who actually bowl.
This deal may last the entire year, but it won't be renewed after 2019. I wish this wasn't the case, but we should be honest about it.
Golf? Baseball? more boring than those sports on TV? Nothing better than putting golf or baseball on TV and grabbing a nice nap :o
The main difference is those sports are established on TV. And there are people who watch, which for the life of me I don't understand.
Know what's more boring than Golf on TV?
Golf on the radio. ;D ;D
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I would bet money that it's a one year provisional with options for extension at the same rate. If the ratings suck after the first few shows, it will die a quite death and not be renewed.
But will that be up to Fox broadcasting or up to the PBA??
Many, many non-bowling people watched during the ABC years years; fewer and fewer watched during the EPSN years.
I have been enjoying the CBS Sports broadcasts.
A lot of that enjoyment has to do with not suffering through Randy Peterson and Rob Stone's inanities.
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Golf? Baseball? more boring than those sports on TV? Nothing better than putting golf or baseball on TV and grabbing a nice nap :o
The main difference is those sports are established on TV. And there are people who watch, which for the life of me I don't understand.
Know what's more boring than Golf on TV?
Golf on the radio. ;D ;D
Couldn't agree more. And as for playing golf, "Golf is a good walk spoiled!"
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I would bet money that it's a one year provisional with options for extension at the same rate. If the ratings suck after the first few shows, it will die a quite death and not be renewed.
But will that be up to Fox broadcasting or up to the PBA??
Many, many non-bowling people watched during the ABC years years; fewer and fewer watched during the EPSN years.
I have been enjoying the CBS Sports broadcasts.
A lot of that enjoyment has to do with not suffering through Randy Peterson and Rob Stone's inanities.
It could be up to both I guess, but Fox has all the leverage. The PBA needs Fox more than Fox needs the PBA.
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I personally would like CDB be a commentator on the show instead of Randy. Hes a cooook. And as far as blue oil goes, stop the blue oil for this season.
Not sure if you're meaning Barnes or Ballard on this one. :)
BL.
Never heard Barnes refered to as CDB before but hey, whatever. Carolyn Dorin Ballard is all ive known as CDB refered to.
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I would bet money that it's a one year provisional with options for extension at the same rate. If the ratings suck after the first few shows, it will die a quite death and not be renewed.
But will that be up to Fox broadcasting or up to the PBA??
Many, many non-bowling people watched during the ABC years years; fewer and fewer watched during the EPSN years.
I have been enjoying the CBS Sports broadcasts.
A lot of that enjoyment has to do with not suffering through Randy Peterson and Rob Stone's inanities.
It could be up to both I guess, but Fox has all the leverage. The PBA needs Fox more than Fox needs the PBA.
I disagree. Fox needs programming content to compete 24 hours a day/365 days a year with the likes of Disney/ABC/ESPN, NBC/NBCSN and CBS/CBSSN. All that programming time is hard to fill up. There are only so many "cheap" content fillers that aren't the NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL/College Basketball & Football. Bowling suits the niche quite ably. In fact, I think bowling as a TV product is in a better position than it was 5 years ago due to NBC/CBS/Fox's further foray into sports programming. More competition to fill time slots means more money in the PBA's pockets.
With all that said, the PBA still has a lot of work to do. The PBA is a bit lucky that the TV networks are in competition for content. If ESPN was the only channel around, the PBA would be buried.
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I would bet money that it's a one year provisional with options for extension at the same rate. If the ratings suck after the first few shows, it will die a quite death and not be renewed.
But will that be up to Fox broadcasting or up to the PBA??
Many, many non-bowling people watched during the ABC years years; fewer and fewer watched during the EPSN years.
I have been enjoying the CBS Sports broadcasts.
A lot of that enjoyment has to do with not suffering through Randy Peterson and Rob Stone's inanities.
It could be up to both I guess, but Fox has all the leverage. The PBA needs Fox more than Fox needs the PBA.
I disagree. Fox needs programming content to compete 24 hours a day/365 days a year with the likes of Disney/ABC/ESPN, NBC/NBCSN and CBS/CBSSN. All that programming time is hard to fill up. There are only so many "cheap" content fillers that aren't the NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL/College Basketball & Football. Bowling suits the niche quite ably. In fact, I think bowling as a TV product is in a better position than it was 5 years ago due to NBC/CBS/Fox's further foray into sports programming. More competition to fill time slots means more money in the PBA's pockets.
With all that said, the PBA still has a lot of work to do. The PBA is a bit lucky that the TV networks are in competition for content. If ESPN was the only channel around, the PBA would be buried.
I respect your opinion on the matter. And honestly, I don't know, just assumptions on my part. In my view, ESPN gave bowling almost no respect. Hopefully, Fox will be a better deal.
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Cable TV is dying though. In fact broadcast TV is dying. Sports bubble (inflated TV rights money, public paying for stadiums, team values going up much faster than inflation, etc) is about to pop in a big way and there is going to be some serious labor unrest in the next decade when the pie starts shrinking in general (leaving bowling aside which is way ahead of the curve). If we haven't already reached peak physical sports we will very soon. Millennials (and younger) are all about e-sports on demand. (ugh hurt to type that). All that said maybe bowling as a low cost content filler can carve out a bit of niche at least in the short/medium run.
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Cable TV is dying though. In fact broadcast TV is dying. Sports bubble (inflated TV rights money, public paying for stadiums, team values going up much faster than inflation, etc) is about to pop in a big way and there is going to be some serious labor unrest in the next decade when the pie starts shrinking in general (leaving bowling aside which is way ahead of the curve).
We have been hearing that for years. Sure, the view numbers for broadcasts are down, but that could be more from saturation of options than declining viewers.
One thing I can be sure of is the eye test. I see an awful lot of people who obviously spend significant time sitting around eating Cheetos doing nothing. I assume they are staring blankly at a TV the entire time. At least until they have to get up and go get a new bag. :o ;D
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Cable TV is dying though. In fact broadcast TV is dying. Sports bubble (inflated TV rights money, public paying for stadiums, team values going up much faster than inflation, etc) is about to pop in a big way and there is going to be some serious labor unrest in the next decade when the pie starts shrinking in general (leaving bowling aside which is way ahead of the curve).
We have been hearing that for years. Sure, the view numbers for broadcasts are down, but that could be more from saturation of options than declining viewers.
One thing I can be sure of is the eye test. I see an awful lot of people who obviously spend significant time sitting around eating Cheetos doing nothing. I assume they are staring blankly at a TV the entire time. At least until they have to get up and go get a new bag. :o ;D
Yeah but are they on their xbox or watching netflix or staring at computer monitors watching youtube instead? Boomers dying off/retiring is going to change society more than most of us understand I think. Never before have we had an older generation so big.
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I agree that Cable TV is dying.
However, live sports are keeping Cable afloat and will do so until either the networks or the sports themselves figure out a more lucrative way of packaging themselves to the masses.
If that ever happens, Cable may or may not die in its current form.