MLB On FOX, Cutting Pregame Show
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
I have no idea what will happen to the likes of Jeanne Zelasko and Kevin Kennedy, but FOX is cutting out it's Sunday pregame show for the upcoming 2009 season. According to LA Daily News' Tom Hoffarth, the network's losses over the past few years are more than likely the main cause....
Fox sources have confirmed that the network will drop its Los Angeles-based Major League Baseball pregame show for next season as part of a network-wide cost-cutting move, and Fox Sports chief Ed Goren informed all the talent about the decision just before Thanksgiving.I'm not one to pile on, but if there was ever a pregame show to be cut, it was this one. No one ever watched it, and the personalities were just downright annoying at times. It looks like Zelasko and Kennedy will be absent next year while Karros goes back in the booth.
Some of it has to do with the fact that the network lost up to $50 million on its MLB coverage in '07, no doubt helped along by the less-than-attractive World Series, and that the pregame show hosted by Jeanne Zelasko and including Kevin Kennedy, Eric Karros and Mark Grace, never made money with national ad sales (they were sold by the local affiliates, rather than the national ads that are seen on the Fox NFL pregame show).
The other great thing that comes out of this decision is now FOX can possible just start World Series games at 8pm, instead of jerking us around for a half an hour. Let's hope they don't bring it back for the Playoffs.
Fox cuts MLB pregame show in '09 (Farther Off The Wall)
18 Comments:
There is no Sunday pregame show on FOX other than NFL, AA. ;-)
So MLB on FOX pregame show is done, are Buck and McCarver next?
Oh yeah, the Arena Football League may fold.
I would think they would have some kind of pregame some for the playoffs.
exactly. they'll need some filler between the intros and the anthem. there's no way they don't stretch it out 20-30 minutes.
-dan
Like that's not the worst thing FOX has done.
They're killing off Saturday morning kids shows for infomercials!
The show was geared toward people who don't have cable and only had seen the box scores over the last six days ... and who waited with bated breath what Kevin Kennedy would say about the issues of the (last few) days. That's a small niche if I ever heard one.
The story originated with the Daily News/Los Angeles, which has no connection to the L.A. Times.
>>>$50 million on its MLB coverage in '07<<<
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! when you spend all season long pimping two teams and neither make the world series, you get what you deserved.
LOLOLOLOL!!!
What a shame, James Craven, what a shame.
This is a good move by Fox. Their pregame show did absolutely nothing for me. They gave very little insight and were, for the most part, just filler.
Aspeaking of baseball and the World Series, out now on DVD is the Philadelphia Phillies 2008 World Series Collector's Edition, featuring all 5-games of the World Series broadcast in their entirety, games 4 and 5 of the NLCS, also in their entirety, and a bonus DVD filled with all sorts of funsies and goody-goodies. Oh, don't ever want to hear Joe Buck and Tim McCarver call a World Series again, no problem! Instead, you can listen to Harry Kalas, Larry Andersen, Scott Franzke, and Chris Wheeler call the games while watching the Fox broadcast. And if you're like me and like listening to two grown men cry and complain over how poorly the umpires performed, the Rays Radio broadcast is available as well.
It's available now on amazon.com (among other places, I'm sure).
James Craven,
you think the network is showing those informercials. ROFLMAO
you know NOTHING about tv. it's your local affiliate showing those informercials. moron
learn about tv or shutup.
Did the 12 year olds get hold of your comment section AA? Geez...
Anyway, this is a good move by FOX. Both Zelasko and Kennedy were unbearable. Now, if only they'll get rid of Bradshaw...
[offtopic]Dear anon 12:08 PM:
The network (FOX) is selling the infomercial time on Staurday mornings under the banner of "FOX Marketplace", not the local affiliates.[/offtopic]
Ever since FOX has had the baseball TV right, their pre-game show has been getting shorter and shorter. From an hour in their first season to 10 to 15 minutes each week. I agree with AA that this movve might actually lead Fox ot start the World Series games at 8 PM instead fo 8:45 because they have to spend at least a half an housr to show their dopey pre-game show.
Fox's MLB pregame show was genuinely awful and I'm glad it's gone. I feel bad for the folks behind-the-scenes working it, but Zelasko and Kennedy were atrocious.
You can justify the Fox NFL pregame because 1. It's entertaining, 2. Worth watching, 3. Actually worthwhile for fantasy values, injury updates, etc. But the MLB pregame was just brutal.
Lest we forget, Fox's NASCAR coverage has a pre-race show. And I see Zealsko going back to pit reporting as Dick Bergeron's replacem,ent, moving into a co-host role with Chris Myers.
Lest we (in LA) also forget that Kennedy is also an analyst for the Dodgers and Angels Live shows on Prime Ticket and FS West Respectively so in LA he's now on two networks owned by FOX
I always referred to the FOX MLB Pregame Show as the "Big Hair" show with Zelasko and Karros as the coiffed stars. "Big Hair" and "Small Insight." Glad to see it go.
I agree as well.
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