Contents
- The History of Fox Sports Detroit
- The Sale of Fox Sports Detroit
- The New Owners of Fox Sports Detroit
- The Future of Fox Sports Detroit
- What Fox Sports Detroit Means to the City of Detroit
- The Impact of Fox Sports Detroit on the Detroit Tigers
- The Impact of Fox Sports Detroit on the Detroit Red Wings
- The Impact of Fox Sports Detroit on the Detroit Pistons
- The Local Programming on Fox Sports Detroit
- The National Programming on Fox Sports Detroit
As the end of the 2019 MLB season approaches, fans in Detroit are wondering what happened to Fox Sports Detroit, the former home of the Tigers.
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The History of Fox Sports Detroit
Fox Sports Detroit is a regional sports network that serves the Detroit metropolitan area. The network airs broadcasts of local professional and collegiate sporting events, as well as other sports and entertainment programming.
Fox Sports Detroit was launched in 1996 as part of Fox’s national network of regional sports networks. The network originally served as the home of the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings. In 2000, the network acquired the rights to air games of the Michigan State Spartans.
In 2006, News Corporation (now 21st Century Fox) purchased a controlling interest in the YES Network, and as a result, all of Fox’s regional sports networks were transferred to the YES Network. However, in 2012, News Corporation sold its interest in YES Network to entities affiliated with Yahoo! Sports, and as part of the sale, Fox Sports Detroit was transferred back to Fox.
Since its return to Fox, Fox Sports Detroit has continued to air broadcasts of local professional and collegiate sporting events.
The Sale of Fox Sports Detroit
On August 22, 2019, it was announced that The Walt Disney Company would acquire twenty-one regional Fox Sports networks from Sinclair Broadcast Group, including Fox Sports Detroit. The sale was completed on March 23, 2020. As a result of the acquisition, Fox Sports Detroit was relaunched as Bally Sports Detroit on March 31, 2021.
The New Owners of Fox Sports Detroit
In October 2019, it was announced that Sinclair Broadcast Group would be acquiring Fox Sports Networks from Disney. As part of the deal, Sinclair would acquire 21 regional sports networks (RSNs), including Fox Sports Detroit. The deal was approved by the U.S. Department of Justice in April 2020 and is still awaiting final approval from the Federal Communications Commission.
While the acquisition is still pending, Sinclair has already announced plans to rebrand Fox Sports Detroit as Bally Sports Detroit. The Bally Sports name is already used by Sinclair-owned RSNs in Indiana, Ohio, and Florida. The rebranding is expected to occur sometime in late 2020 or early 2021.
The Future of Fox Sports Detroit
Fox Sports Detroit (FSD) is an American regional sports network that is owned by The Walt Disney Company, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of professional and collegiate sports events in the state of Michigan, with a focus on professional sports teams based in Detroit.
FSD was launched on October 1, 1996 as Prime Sports Detroit. The network was originally owned by Liberty Media, and served as an affiliate of Prime Network. In 1998, Liberty Media sold the network to News Corporation, which later merged with 20th Century Fox in 2013. Fox Sports Detroit became a sister network to Fox Sports Midwest (which served as the de facto flagship network of the Prime Network), and both networks shared commonalities with other regional Fox Sports Networks-branded channels operated by News Corporation at the time.
In recent years, viewership for FSD has declined due to competition from other sports networks in the region, as well as cord-cutting among consumers. As a result, it is unclear what the future holds for the channel beyond its current contract with MLB’s Tigers, which expires following the 2025 season.
What Fox Sports Detroit Means to the City of Detroit
For years, Fox Sports Detroit was the go-to channel for Detroit sports fans. But in recent years, the channel has been in decline, and many fans are wondering what happened.
There are a number of factors that have contributed to the decline of Fox Sports Detroit. First and foremost, the channel has been losing subscribe
The Impact of Fox Sports Detroit on the Detroit Tigers
On October 21, 2019, it was announced that Fox Sports Detroit would be ceasing operations effective immediately. For years, Fox Sports Detroit was the home of the Detroit Tigers, providing game coverage and analysis to fans across Michigan. With the loss of Fox Sports Detroit, there is a potential that the Detroit Tigers could lose a significant portion of their fanbase.
While it is unclear exactly how many people in Michigan watch the Detroit Tigers through Fox Sports Detroit, it is clear that the channel provided an important service to fans of the team. Without game coverage and analysis, many fans may find it difficult to keep up with the team. In addition, without Fox Sports Detroit, there will be fewer opportunities for people in Michigan to watch the Tigers play live.
The loss of Fox Sports Detroit will likely have a negative impact on the Detroit Tigers. The team could see a decrease in attendance at games, as well as a decrease in TV ratings. In addition, the loss of Fox Sports Detroit could impact the ability of the Tigers to attract new fans in Michigan.
The Impact of Fox Sports Detroit on the Detroit Red Wings
Fox Sports Detroit is no more. The regional sports network formerly owned by 21st Century Fox was recently acquired by Sinclair Broadcast Group in a $9.6 billion deal. The deal, which was completed earlier this month, included the acquisition of Fox Sports Networks (FSN) – a portfolio of 22 regional sports networks across the United States. Among the assets included in the deal were Fox Sports Detroit, home of the Detroit Red Wings, and Fox Sports Southwest, home of the Dallas Stars.
The impact of the sale on the Detroit Red Wings is not yet known, but it could be significant. Under the terms of the sale, Sinclair has the option to sell or shut down any of the FSNS that it does not want to keep. There is no word yet on whether Sinclair plans to sell or shutter Fox Sports Detroit, but if it does choose to sell the RSN, it would presumably be to another media company that would maintain its regional focus. If Sinclair decides to shutter Fox Sports Detroit, it would mean the end of regional coverage of the Red Wings – something that would be a huge blow to the team and its fans.
The Impact of Fox Sports Detroit on the Detroit Pistons
Fox Sports Detroit was the flagship network of the Detroit Pistons. The network was home to Ted Leonsis, who was the main voice of the Pistons. Leonsis was also the play-by-play announcer for all three of the team’s NBA Finals appearances.
In addition to Leonsis, Fox Sports Detroit also featured analyst Greg Kelser, who provided analysis for the games. Kelser was a former Pistons player and had a wealth of knowledge about the team.
However, in recent years, Fox Sports Detroit has been on the decline. The network has lost some of its key personnel, and its coverage of the Pistons has suffered as a result. In particular, Leonsis and Kelser have both departed from the network, leaving a big void in its coverage.
As a result of these departures, Fox Sports Detroit no longer has the same level of insight into the Pistons that it once did. This has led to a decline in viewership and interest in the network’s coverage of the team.
The Local Programming on Fox Sports Detroit
Fox Sports Detroit is an American regional sports network that is owned by The Walt Disney Company, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of sports events in the state of Michigan, primarily focusing on professional sports teams based in Detroit.
In October of 2019, it was announced that Fox Sports Detroit would be ceasing operations, and would be replaced by a new regional sports network called Bally Sports Detroit. Bally Sports Detroit would be owned jointly by Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios.
Initially, it was reported that Fox Sports Detroit would continue to carry the local programming that they had been airing, including coverage of the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons, and Detroit Red Wings. However, it was later announced that Bally Sports Detroit would not be carrying any local programming, and that all of the live games would be moved to the new network. This caused many fans to be outraged, as they felt that they were being deprived of their right to watch their local teams.
As a result of the outcry from fans, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that they would be launching a new channel called Bally Sports Great Lakes, which will carry the local programming that was previously seen on Fox Sports Detroit. This new channel will be available on cable providers in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.
The National Programming on Fox Sports Detroit
Fox Sports Detroit is an American regional sports network that is owned by The Walt Disney Company, and operates as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks. The network broadcasts coverage of professional, collegiate and high school sports events throughout Michigan.