According to the release, Fox Sports 1 (FS 1) will be available in 90
million cable and satellite TV homes when it debuts on Aug. 17, making it the
biggest sports network launch in U.S. history, Fox Sports Media Group boasted. The bulk of FS 1's 90 million subscriber count will come
from the distribution Fox has already achieved for Speed, which is available in
about 87 million homes. Obviously
FS 1 will
challenge ESPN's 800 pound gorilla of sports however says Billy Wanger, the head of
programming for Fox Sports, “quite frankly, ESPN is a machine, we are coming in
trying to take on the establishment; it is no different than what happened with
Fox News, or Fox Broadcasting back in the 80s. We are going to have to scratch
and claw our way all the way to the top.”
The company has been preparing for this for some time. In recent months News
Corp. has increased its investment in sports programming like it’s November deal
with the New York Yankees which may allow it to take an 80 percent ownership
stake in YES Network within three years.
Major League Baseball games
(including playoff games beginning
in 2014) will be available on the
channel, as will NASCAR races, UFC fights, college football and basketball and
UEFA and World Cup soccer.
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