Any critical acclaim will be good and any criticism will have time to be addressed. Any ratings and viewership success will be good and anything that does not draw eyeballs or interest will have time to be addressed.
Members of the network's PR team -- as they already have -- will laud immediate successes. They will temper things that are not as successful by comparing the rollout of the network to a marathon rather than a sprint. Again, a win-win.
FS1 will launch in 90 million homes through the rebranding of Speed. That presence is huge for a start-up effort. And, on its first prime-time evening of programming, FS1 will provide a solid made-for-TV UFC card topped by a light heavyweight matchup between Chael Sonnen vs. Maurio "Showgun" Rua.
At 11 p.m., the network will present "Fox Sports Live," led by former TSN "SportsCentre" anchors Jay Onrait and Dan O'Toole. The three-hour show, which will be divided into several regular segments, includes former tennis champion Andy Roddick and others as FS1 presents a program it hopes can rival ESPN's "SportsCenter" and give viewers a reason to watch the new network.
Even before its launch, FS1 has already seemingly tempered its approach somewhat.
While "fun" was the initial public emphasis for everyone associated with the network, recent features in USA Today, The New York Times and Men's Journal (at least as presented by network officials and on-air types) have moved away from that message a bit. It's becoming more about the programs and the sports -- and that's a hopeful sign for potential viewers. Too much "fun" could lead to silliness or a sophomoric approach. That's not what FS1 needs to succeed.
Expect FS1, over time, to find its niche. Maybe an afternoon talk show with Regis Philbin will not work -- especially against a typically strong block of ESPN programming such as "Around the Horn" and "PTI." But maybe "Fox Sports Live" will connect.
At its best, FS1 will provide sports fans with different options and maybe even a move away from ESPN's approach to "embrace debate," which some TV sports critics and purists dislike. More likely, though, viewers will get a proliferation of talking heads, albeit on a different channel, as success breeds imitation.
Conferences and leagues will find more options and outlets for their games. That's a good thing for them. Pro leagues and organizations will make more money as rights fees grow as a result of competition. That's a good thing for them. Even on-air personalities will make more money as they inevitably move from one outlet to another, or get paid to remain at their current place of employment. That's a good thing for them.
FS1's biggest long-term hurdle remains in cable fees, and how far it starts behind ESPN. While cable subscribers typically subsidized ESPN to the tune of about $5.50 per month, FS1 begins with what Speed was collecting (23 cents/month) and hopes to eventually push it to nearly $1. That lack of compared revenue will provide a big challenge.
Still, it remains a win-win situation because FS1 can be the less-established, more brash, we-work-harder all-sports option. Make no mistake, though, they someday wand to be just as big as ESPN.
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