UFC

UFC on Fox 5

The networks of Fox Sports is again preparing to televise its next UFC event. Programming for UFC on FOX 5 invades primetime broadcast television Saturday, Dec. 8 (8:00 PM ET) live from KeyArena in Seattle, WA. begins this Sunday and culminates with the matches on December 8th.

Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan call all bouts on FOX Sports including preliminary matches airing live on FX. Jay Glazer, Kenny Florian and Brian Stann offer analysis for preliminary bouts on FX with host Curt Menefee, Stann and Randy Couture handling analysis for fights on FOX Sports. Preliminary bouts will also air live on FSMG’s Spanish language network FOX Deportes with the UFC on FOX’s four fights airing live on MundoFOX. UFC announcer Larry Pepe hosts all matches for FOX Sports Radio.

Here is the schedule of telecasts across the networks of Fox Sports:

DATE	TIME	EVENT	NET
Sunday, Dec. 2	3:00 or 4:30 PM ET	UFC on FOX 5: ROAD TO THE OCTAGON	FOX
Tuesday, Dec. 4	10:00 PM ET	UFC TONIGHT	FUEL TV
Tuesday, Dec. 4	10:30 PM ET	UFC ULTIMATE INSIDER	FUEL TV
Wednesday, Dec. 5	11:00 PM ET	BENSON HENDERSON: RISING UP	FUEL TV
Friday, Dec. 7	7:00 PM ET	UFC on FOX 5 Weigh-In	FUEL TV
Friday, Dec. 7	10:00 PM ET	THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER 16: Episode 12	FX
Saturday, Dec. 8	5:00 PM ET	Preliminary Fights	FX / FOX Deportes
Saturday, Dec. 8	8:00 PM ET	UFC on FOX 5 Lightweight Championship: Henderson vs. Diaz	FOX / MundoFOX
Saturday, Dec. 8	10:00 PM ET	UFC Postfight Show	FUEL TV

Fox Sports Announces 2013 UFC Schedule

Fox Sports today announced its schedule of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events for 2013.

Action begins January 19th. Here is the schedule:

Saturday, Jan. 19- Brazil UFC on FX: BELFORT vs. BISPING
Saturday, Jan. 26- United Center, Chicago, Ill. UFC on FOX
Saturday, Feb. 2- Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nev. UFC 156: ALDO vs. EDGAR**
Saturday, Feb. 16- International Event UFC on FUEL TV
Saturday, April 20- City to be announced UFC on FOX
Saturday, April 27- Prudential Center, Newark, N.J. UFC: JONES vs. SONNEN**
Saturday, July 27- City to be announced UFC on FOX
Saturday, Dec. 14- City to be announced UFC on FOX

Fox Sports Announces Supplemental Programming on Non-NFL Doubleheader Sundays

Fox Sports today announced a series of programs for fans on Sundays when the network does not have doubleheader coverage of the NFL. The events will revolve around the network’s schedule of Premier League soccer and UFC action.

This Sunday Fox plans to debut Being:Liverpool, a behind-the-scenes documentary featuring the Premier League club.

Fox plans to televise Premier League matches on September 23rd, October 7th, and November 4th. On December 2nd Fox plans to televise UFC’s Road to the Octogon, a one-hour, behind-the-scenes look at the fighters’ preparation leading up to the bouts on Saturday, December 8th.

Here is the Fox Sports schedule for the upcoming singleheader NFL Sundays:

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

BEING: LIVERPOOL

3:00 – 4:00 PM ET for markets getting 4:00 PM NFL
4:30 – 5:30 PM ET for markets getting 1:00 PM NFL

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE SOCCER

Liverpool vs. Manchester United (Tape-Delayed)

2:00 – 4:00 PM ET for markets getting 4:00 PM NFL
4:30 – 6:30 PM ET for markets getting 1:00 PM NFL

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2012

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE SOCCER

Newcastle vs. Manchester United (Tape-Delayed)

2:00 – 4:00 PM ET for markets getting 4:00 PM NFL
4:30 – 6:30 PM ET for markets getting 1:00 PM NFL

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2012

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE SOCCER

Liverpool vs. Newcastle (Tape-Delayed)

2:00 – 4:00 PM ET for markets getting 4:00 PM NFL
4:30 – 6:30 PM ET for markets getting 1:00 PM NFL

SUNDAY, DECEMBER, 2, 2012

UFC’S ROAD TO THE OCTAGON

3:00 – 4:00 PM ET for markets getting 4:00 PM NFL
4:30 – 5:30 PM ET for markets getting 1:00 PM NFL

Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 79- Eric Deggans, St. Petersburg Times

Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites and I are back for another edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast.

The top story remains the media coverage of the Penn State scandal. Ken and I discuss the fine job done by Bob Costas in interviewing former Penn State Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky while taking CBS to task for promoting what proved to be a non-interview between Armen Ketayian and Sandusky accuser Mike McQueary.

Ken and I also praise ESPN for its coverage of last weekend’s Nebraska/Penn State game, the first in 46 years without former coach Joe Paterno on the sidelines.

We also touch upon the ratings for the first UFC on Fox match, the debut of Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock on the NFL Network, and the prospects of NBC Sports Network now that former HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg is on board to produce documentaries and Costas’ new program.

Our guest this week is Eric Deggans, media writer for the St. Petersburg Times as well as writer for the Indiana University National Sports Journalism Center. We spend most of our talk with Eric discussing the media coverage of the Penn State story, but also spend some time on his work for the paper and the university.

Fox Garners Solid Ratings For Network UFC Debut

UFC premiered on network television on Fox this past Saturday and the ratings for the event were strong.

The one-hour telecast registered a rating of 3.1 with an audience of 5.7 million viewers, making it the most watched UFC event ever. It was also the most watched professional fight of any kind in eight years.

Fox saw a ratings win across its key demos of adults 18-34 (3.2 rating), adults 18-49 (3.0 rating); men 18-34 (4.3 rating) and men 18-49 (4.0 rating).

Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 78, Gail Sideman, Publiside

Thanks again for joining us for this week’s edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast.

Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites and I lead off the show talking about the media coverage of the scandal which has arisen at Penn State University on its handling of the allegations against former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

Other topics on the table include the NFL Network’s game coverage beginning tomorrow night and the prospects of the new announcing team of Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock; Bob Costas’ expanded role with the NBC Sports Network; UFC’s long awaited debut on Fox; ratings for last weekend’s #1 vs. #2 match-up between LSU and Alabama; the legacy of Joe Frazier; and the 10th anniversary of Pardon the Interruption.

We continue the discussion of the Penn State story with Gail Sideman, Owner and Publicist at Publiside, a publicity and media relations firm. We talk to Gail about how the university has failed in controlling its message during this scandal as well as what it, and other institutions, can do to prevent such catastrophic events from snowballing out of control in the future.

Fox/UFC Reach Multi-Year Agreement

The Ultimate Fighting Championships have found a broadcast television home on Fox.

The two sides reached a multi-year agreement for the network to televise four live, prime time UFC events each year. The first live event will take place on November 12th at 9:00p.m. ET. Additional programming on multiple FOX networks launches January 2012 and includes live fights, pre and post shows, countdown shows, UFC Unleashed, UFC Primetime, the UFC Knockout series, Best of Pride, and weigh-in specials.

Next Spring THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC’s signature weekly reality show moves to FX.

“We’re excited to be part of the FOX family,” says Dana White, UFC President in a press release. “The UFC is finally where it belongs on the number one network in the country and aligned with the most prestigious sports properties in the world. I’ve always said that the UFC will be the biggest sport in the world and with this relationship it will become a reality.”

“My brother Frank, Dana and I always believed that our passion for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts would help us to build the UFC into a successful global brand and ultimately make it one of the premier sports properties in the world,” said Lorenzo Fertitta, Chairman and CEO of the UFC. “The partnership with FOX is a major step in making this a reality and also builds on the great relationship that we already have established with FOX in Latin America, Australia and Europe.”

“Mixed martial arts is not only the fastest growing sport in the world, but also the world’s most exciting form of man-to-man competition, and the UFC is the world’s premier MMA organization,” said FSMG President & Co-COO Eric Shanks. “Since FOX Sports is America’s No. 1 sports network and FOX is America’s No. 1 network for young adults, the UFC on FOX is a perfect match.”

Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 68- Dan Hoard, Cincinnati Bengals

Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites and I are back for another edition of the podcast.

We start with a discussion of the expected announcement that Fox Sports will be televising UFC matches in the near future.

We also talk about the 2011 Fox Sports college football schedule, and the impact the Longhorn Network (and its affiliation with ESPN) will have on the Big 12 Conference and the recruitment of players.

We also spend time talking about the controversy around a Boston-based website posting a photo of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s son.

Our guest this week is Dan Hoard, newly hired radio voice of the Cincinnati Bengals. He also serves as voice of the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Triple A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. We talk to Dan about his new job and how it will conflict with his role as voice of the University of Cincinnati football and basketball. We also discuss how his current employer (Pawtucket Red Sox) has been completely supportive of his move, in light that Dan will miss some games between now and the end of the regular season.