Fox Sports Ohio and MAC Announce Three-Year Agreement
10/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | General
Oct. 21, 2004
CLEVELAND -- Fox Sports Net Ohio and the Mid-American Conference announced a partnership today that could bring nearly 100 conference athletic events televised to the 4.5 million viewers of the regional sports network over the next three years. The announcement was made in conjunction by Rick Chryst, MAC Commissioner, and Steve Liverani, Senior Vice President and General Manager, FSN Ohio.
Beginning with the 2004 football season and continuing through the 2007 spring championships, FSN Ohio will televise a minimum of 30 MAC athletic events each year. MAC football and basketball, as well as selected Olympic Sport championship events, will be televised. For 2004-05, four MAC Football Games of the Week are scheduled as well as 24 men's and women's basketball contests.
"FSN Ohio has a long-standing and successful relationship with the MAC," said Liverani. "The Mid-American Conference is a tremendous product that continues to be an important part of our programming line-up. We're thrilled to deliver the best the MAC has to offer."
"This announcement represents another significant step in the growth of the MAC," said MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst. "The multi-year commitment by FSN Ohio to showcase the complete spectrum of MAC sports -- football, men's and women's basketball, Olympic Sport championship events -- recognizes the overall competitiveness of our programs and the strong public interest in our schools. FSN Ohio is the home for all of the events that sports fans in this state want to see, and we are thrilled to be a long-term part of that family."
"I am thrilled to see the continued exposure for MAC student-athletes, programs and fans," said Dan Hughes, Assistant Commissioner for Men's Basketball Operations. "The quality of MAC basketball will be on display for even greater audiences to enjoy."
"This exposure will allow MAC basketball fans to follow first hand the exciting divisional races as teams compete to reach the MAC Tournament at Gund Arena in March."
Based in downtown Cleveland since 1999, the MAC sponsors 23 NCAA Division I sports with the league champion in each earning an automatic berth to NCAA post season competition. FSN Ohio has televised MAC events since 1997.
FSN Ohio reaches more than four million households in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, western Pennsylvania, western New York, and West Virginia. FSN Ohio's programming includes the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Columbus Blue Jackets, Cleveland Cavaliers, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, I Max, The Sports List, NASCAR and Totally NFL. FSN Ohio is managed by Rainbow Sports Networks.
Rainbow Sports Networks is a division of Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). FSN reaches more than 80 million households nationwide and is a service of National Sports Partners, equally owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. and Fox Entertainment Group. Rainbow Sports Networks incorporates Rainbow's 50% ownership of FSN Ohio and Fox Sports National Advertising and the ownership and management of FSN regional networks in five of the nation's largest markets: Chicago, Florida, Ohio, New England and San Francisco.
Complete MAC television schedule to follow.
MAC MEN'S BASKETBALL GAME OF THE WEEK SCHEDULE
(Clearances: FOX Sports Net Ohio, Comcast Local, Empire,
Comcast Sports Net Chicago)
• Saturday, Jan. 22: Toledo at Bowling Green, 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 29: MAC Game of the Week, 2 p.m. (announce Jan. 17)
• Sunday, Feb. 6: MAC Game of the Week, 12 p.m. (announce Jan. 24)
• Saturday, Feb. 12: MAC Game of the Week, 2 p.m. (announce Jan. 31)***
• Sunday, Feb. 27: Miami at Bowling Green, 12 Noon
• Saturday, March 5: MAC Game of the Week, 2 p.m. (announce Feb. 21)
• Friday, March 11: MAC Men's Tournament Semifinals, 7 p.m.
• Friday, March 11: MAC Men's Tournament Semifinals, 9:30 p.m.
***Comcast Local will air the Feb. 12 game as a same-day delay at 6 p.m.
TOTAL GAMES: 8
MAC/FSN OHIO MEN'S BASKETBALL TV SCHEDULE
• Saturday, January 22: Ohio at Miami, 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 3: Miami at Toledo, 8 p.m.
• Monday, Feb. 7: Ohio at Bowling Green, 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 9: Kent State at Akron, 8 p.m.
• Monday, Feb. 14: Toledo at Akron, 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 24: Toledo at Ball State, 8 p.m.
TOTAL GAMES: 6
MAC/COMCAST LOCAL MEN'S BASKETBALL TV SCHEDULE
• Wednesday, December 1: Detroit at Western Michigan, 7 pm
• Monday, December 20: Eastern Michigan at Detroit-Mercy, 7 pm
• Sunday, January 9: Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan, 1 pm
• Monday January 31: Western Michigan at Toledo, 7 pm
• Thursday, February 3: Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan, 8 pm
• Tuesday, February 8: Buffalo at Western Michigan, 7 pm
• Saturday, February 12: Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan, 4 pm
• Tuesday, February 15: Western Michigan at Central Michigan, 7 pm
• Saturday, February 19: Bracket Buster Saturday Regional Game, 2 or 4 pm
• Wednesday, March 2: Ball State at Eastern Michigan, 7 pm
• Saturday, March 5: Game TBA, 12 pm (WMU/BSU, CMU/BGSU or EMU/UT)
TOTAL GAMES: 11
MAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAME OF THE WEEK SCHEDULE
(Clearances: FOX Sports Net Ohio, Comcast Local, Empire, Comcast Sports Net Chicago)
• Sunday, January 30: Miami at Ball State, 12 Noon
• Saturday, February 5: Ohio at Bowling Green, 2 pm
• Sunday, Feb. 13: Ball State at Marshall, 12 Noon
• Saturday, February 19: Kent State at Toledo, 12 Noon
• Monday, February 21: Akron at Central Michigan, 8 pm
• Saturday, February 26: Northern Illinois at Buffalo, 2 pm***
• Tuesday, March 1: Eastern Michigan at Toledo, 8 pm
• Friday, March 11: MAC Women's Tournament Semifinals, 12 Noon
• Friday, March 11: MAC Women's Tournament Semifinals, 2:30 pm
• Saturday, March 12: MAC Women's Tournament Championship, 1 pm
***Comcast Local will air the Feb. 26 game as a same-day delay at 10 pm
TOTAL GAMES: 10
MAC/COMCAST LOCAL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TV SCHEDULE
• Wednesday, December 8: Eastern Michigan at Michigan, 7 pm
• Tuesday, December 14: Michigan at Western Michigan, 7 pm
• Monday, December 20: Central Michigan at Detroit-Mercy, 4:30 pm
• Wednesday, January 5: Western Michigan at Central Michigan, 7 pm
• Saturday, January 15: Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan, 4 pm
TOTAL GAMES: 5