Fox Sports Detroit's "One on One" shows with Tom Izzo and Mark Dantonio ended abruptly before last season, but MSU and the network announced today a return to coaches shows in a different format.
Here's the press release:
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State Athletics, in partnership with FOX Sports Detroit, will produce new television coaches shows for the 2009-10 season.
“Spartan Football All-Access” will provide fans with an inside look at the Michigan State football program, headlined by extended analysis from head coach Mark Dantonio and former MSU quarterback Jim Miller. The show will also include player profiles and features, as well as the launch of a new “Fans Top 10” segment which will allow viewers to interact with the show.
“Spartan Football All-Access” will debut with a special 2009 Spartan football preview show at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 17 on FOX Sports Detroit. The preview show will air throughout the rest of the month of August leading up to the Sept. 5 season opener against Montana State.
Starting on Sunday, Sept. 6 and continuing throughout the season, “Spartan Football All-Access” will debut Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. on FOX Sports Detroit. The program will also air weekly on the Big Ten Network.
Following the football season, the content will shift from “Spartan Football All-Access” to “Spartan Basketball All-Access” with head coach Tom Izzo. As with football, the basketball version will provide fans with exclusive coverage and in-depth feature stories on Coach Izzo and members of the 2009-10 team.
In addition, Michigan State will produce seasonal versions of the “Spartan Sports Zone” television show with season previews of each athletic program. The first “Spartan Sports Zone” episode featuring the upcoming fall sports will also debut on FOX Sports Detroit on
Monday, Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
“Spartan Athletics has benefited from a long-standing partnership with FOX Sports Detroit and our updated television format is a result of our collaboration with them,” said Paul Schager, Michigan State Associate Athletics Director for External Relations. “We hope that our viewers will enjoy our latest effort to bring them the most complete and comprehensive coverage of Spartan football and basketball. We will also provide viewers with a comprehensive look at each of our 25 sports programs with the Spartan Sports Zone seasonal preview shows plus expanded video content throughout the year on msuspartans.com.”
“The resurgence of football under Coach Dantonio and the always prominent basketball program led by Coach Izzo creates tremendous interest among Spartans fans everywhere,” said Greg Hammaren, Senior Vice President/General Manager, FOX Sports Detroit. “FOX Sports Detroit is proud to continue its longtime relationship with MSU and takes great pride in spreading the Green and White message
across the state and throughout the country.”
The bottom line is, this means more air time for MSU athletics. I thought Dave Ellis and "Spartan Sports Zone" did an awesome job last season of providing inside access for football and basketball fans, while weaving in some good non-revenue stuff. Now, it's a full half-hour for the bread-and-butter sports. Good for people who care only about those sports -- not necessarily good for the other sports, which got nice exposure while hitched to the money makers.
"Now, it's a full half-hour for the bread-and-butter sports. Good for people who care only about those sports -- not necessarily good for the other sports"
They probably realized that hardly
anyone cared about the other sports so why bother anymore?
It is a bottom line business after
all.
Posted by: JRS | July 08, 2009 at 06:03 PM
Will Dave still be a part of it?
Posted by: Andy | July 08, 2009 at 06:04 PM
I like all the sports - so I'm not so thrilled about the change. Many of MSU's non-rev sports are really on the move upward.
Fortunately, the BTN does a reasonably decent job of covering non-rev sports, and I expect it to improve in this area if anything.
Posted by: Michael Motta | July 08, 2009 at 08:19 PM
No offense to the non-revenue sports, but you only exist because of men's basketball and football. I have nothing but love for all spartan athletes, but at the end of the day a loss by the women's field hockey team isn't going to bother me like a loss by our football or bball teams, which can haunt me for days and days....
Posted by: YTRAPS | July 08, 2009 at 11:08 PM
cant wait for the start of the season and i love the idea of a half hour show dedicated to football on sunday morning. UofM has a similar program on sundays following their games where whats-his-face interviews the next ex-coach. many other universities have a program like that as well so its about time we did. Stoudt on Sports is way too all over the map and if anything is more dedicated to local prep sports than anything to do with MSU.
Posted by: Rexrode (evil twin) | July 09, 2009 at 07:42 AM
this is a continuing trend that started with WJR coming on board to broadcast the football and bb games. MSU rise in popularity in the state is great to see
Posted by: fishiganstate | July 09, 2009 at 07:59 AM
Certainly they have enough free air time on the BTN and Fox to fit in more programing on non revenue Spartan Sports. I would watch every day/night if they had fresh, new programing. I think others would too.
Posted by: SteveinKY | July 09, 2009 at 08:36 AM
About time! That's all I can say.
I live in the Rocky Mountain region and have been exposed to the Colorado State and Wyoming coaches shows. I mean, really, Wyoming has a weekly football show! I think maybe Airforce does as well. It's about time we did too.
Thanks MSU and FSN!
Posted by: McSpar10 | July 09, 2009 at 09:10 AM