FOX SPORTS 1 LOADS BASES WITH FORMER

MLB OUTFIELDER GABE KAPLER

Veteran Player & Manager Joins FOX SPORTS LIVE as MLB Analyst

Los Angeles — Gabe Kapler, a former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder, joins the FOX Sports 1 lineup in 2013 as an MLB analyst for FOX SPORTS LIVE.

Kapler (@gabekapler) played portions of 13 MLB seasons with the Detroit Tigers (1998-’99), Los Angeles Dodgers (2011), Texas Rangers (2000’-’02), Colorado Rockies (2002-’03), Boston Red Sox (2003-’06; 2007), Milwaukee Brewers (2008) and the Tampa Bay Rays (2009-’10). He also served as a scout and minor league team manager.

“I’m ecstatic to join the already brilliant FOX Sports 1 team,” Kapler said.  “The collection of talent assembled is second-to-none.  I’m honored and beyond excited to be in a position to add my MLB spice to this recipe.”

“With years of baseball experience in several capacities, Gabe brings a well-rounded perspective of the sport to FOX SPORTS LIVE,” said FOX Sports EVP/Coordinating Studio Producer Scott Ackerson.  “He knows the inner-workings of several clubs and is well-connected, enabling him to cut to the heart of the news and highlights from a variety of viewpoints.”

Kapler was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 1995 and made his Major League Baseball debut in 1998.  In 1999, he hit 18 home runs in just over 400 at-bats, placing him third among American League rookies.  Kapler’s 10 home runs in his first 64 games were the fastest by a Detroit rookie since 1954, a mark that stood until 2008. Playing for the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 World Series, Kapler was one of nine players on the field when the Red Sox won its first World Series title in 86 years.

Hockey Hall of Famer Serves as NHL & Olympics Analyst for FOX Sports Live, FOXSports.com & FOX Sports Radio

New York – Named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in July, NHL legend Chris Chelios is FOX Sports 1’s latest addition, joining the new network as an NHL and Olympics analyst. He provides expert commentary on the NHL as well as prior to and throughout the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, across all FOX Sports platforms, including FOX Sports 1, America’s new sports network launching August 17, FOXSports.com and FOX Sports Radio. The announcement was made today by Rick Jaffe, FOX Sports Senior Vice President of News. Chelios joins Michelle Kwan and Picabo Street, who were previously announced as FOX Sports Olympic analysts.

“I am excited to join the FOX Sports family and look forward to being part of a brand new network,” Chelios said. “I am happy to have the chance to bring NHL and Olympic hockey into homes across the country, and I look forward to sharing my passion for the game with other sports fans.”

“We are very fortunate to add Chris, not only a Hall of Famer, but one of the greatest players to ever play the game, to our roster,” said Jaffe. “We believe his hard-nosed style of play on the ice will translate directly into his new role for our NHL and Olympics coverage.”

Elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year eligible, Chelios played 1,651 regular-season games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens and Atlanta Thrashers, more than any other defenseman or American player in NHL history. A three-time Stanley Cup champion, he is also a three-time winner of the Norris Trophy, given annually to the NHL’s top defenseman, was an 11-time All-Star and played for Team USA in four Olympics, captaining the squad to the silver medal in 2002. He played two years of collegiate hockey at the University of Wisconsin and led the Badgers to the NCAA title in 1983.

Called the “best American-born player ever,” by former Blackhawks teammate and current NHL television analyst Eddie Olcyzk, Chelios holds the NHL record with 266 playoff games and 24 playoff appearances. He accumulated 185 goals and 948 points in regular-season play with the totals increasing to 216 goals and 1,052 points including playoffs. Chelios was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in July and will be inducted in November.

Chelios retired from hockey in 2010 at the age of 48, making him the second-oldest player in NHL history. Following his retirement, he was named the Red Wings’ Advisor to Hockey Operations, a position he currently holds.

— FOX SPORTS –

Earlier today, FOX Sports conducted a press call to unveil the roster for FOX Sports LIVE, the flagship news, opinion and highlights program airing nightly on FOX Sports 1, America’s new sports network launching, Saturday, Aug. 17.  Sports personality Charissa Thompson, NBA great Gary Payton and past NFL stars Donovan McNabb and Ephraim Salaam join tennis legend Andy Roddick to provide analysis and commentary for FOX SPORTS LIVE.  Thompson, Payton, McNabb and Salaam joined FOX Sports Co-President and COO Eric Shanks, FOX Sports Executive Vice President, Studio Production, Scott Ackerson, and FOX SPORTS LIVE Executive Producer Michael Hughes to make the announcement.

As previously announced, FOX SPORTS LIVE is primarily anchored by the dynamic Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole with breaking news and updates throughout the day from Don Bell and Ryan Field, with contributions from correspondents Molly McGrath and Julie Stewart-Binks.

Eric Shanks on FOX SPORTS LIVE: “There is an appetite for a show that has a consistent cast of people giving insight and opinion, as well as a tremendous amount of highlights from throughout the sports world. This is a group you’ll want to sit down with every night, maybe have a beer with and hear their opinions. You’re going to get attached to this core cast. You’re going to want to make an appointment at 11:00 PM to sit down and see what the crew is doing.”

Scott Ackerson on the direction of FOX SPORTS LIVE and what it’s setting out to do: “What is not out there? What can we create that currently isn’t being done? That’s the approach that we took to the show…The foundation will be the amount of highlights that are done by Jay and Dan, but we also noticed that there wasn’t any type of opinion-based discussions in any of the late-night show. They were centered on around the next and rehashing the previous day.

Ackerson on the cast: “We went into this project to find people that we believe could speak intelligently on multiple topics, would be interesting, can be serious when they need to be serious but could have fun when they needed to have fun. That was the kind of show that we are looking to put on and hopefully when viewers tune in and see it they will enjoy it and get the news they need and can also talk intelligently about what is happening in the world of sports.”

Salaam, Payton, McNabb and Thompson on what excites them most about joining FOX SPORTS LIVE:

Salaam: “What excites me most is being able to have live on air discussions with Gary, Donovan, Charissa, and Andy. To be sitting with people I have grown up respecting and playing against in some aspects.  We have great personalities in our group and watching Jay (Onrait) and Dan (O’Toole) do their thing is going to be exciting. Those who don’t know them aren’t ready for what they’re bringing.”

Payton: “I’m not just a basketball fan, I’m a sports fan.  We’re going to have a great time because we get along together, and we have a lot of insight of everything. We’re going to have fun.”

McNabb: “We believe the viewers and listeners want to hear Andy give his insight about basketball and football.  They want to hear Ephraim and I give our insights about basketball, track, NASCAR, etc. They want to hear something different instead of us just talking about our given sport because that’s easy. They want to hear our insight and see how deep and prepared we are to talk about all these given sports.  Its energy, excitement, little bit of laughter, some seriousness, but most importantly we’re being informative for everyone that’s watching.”

Thompson: “It’s the combination of being entertained, having fun, and not taking ourselves to seriously.  On the flip side, if there is a serious story then we’ll be able to get into it and use these former professional athletes’ own experiences to draw from.  It’s my job as the host to be able to bring that out. We’ve had the pleasure of doing some rehearsals over the last few days, and even talking about Jason Kidd being the new Brooklyn Nets head coach and how that’s going to work with him being so closely removed from the game. Gary had the same experience with Nate McMillan. So being able to draw upon experience and really open up the discussion is something I’m really looking forward to.”

Salaam talk about their on-air chemistry:

Salaam: “We genuinely have chemistry with each other, whether we’re on camera or not. That’s the thing we really found out when we all got in a room together. It didn’t have to be on set. It could’ve been out at dinner. It was just a genuine like and respect for each person and each person’s opinion was respected and listened to. You build rapport and you’re able to really enjoy having a conversation, and that’s the thing.”

Michael Hughes on covering all sports, not just the major ones: “Obviously, we’re going to cover the major sports but, with FOX Sports 1 and a lot of the properties that we have, we certainly won’t ignore any of the sports that will appear on our network whether its soccer, UFC or any of the NASCAR motor sports.  We’ll certainly pay attention to those things, but I think the show will be a reflection of what the national conversation is. Whatever the story is, we’ll rise to the top regardless of what sport it comes from.”

Ackerson and Shanks respond to who the show’s target audience is and the format for FOX SPORTS LIVE:

Ackerson: “Our crew is pretty young and I hope, like any other show, that younger viewers would like to watch this but we don’t exclude any viewers. I believe that, with the type of people we have, both young and older viewers will enjoy the insights of these individuals. People watch sports to have a good time and to get a break from their lives. And that’s kind of the philosophy we’ve had, whether it’s been our pregame shows or our game operation.”

Shanks: “It’s really two shows in one. You have Jay and Dan at the update desk. You have Charissa, Gary, Donovan, Andy, Ephraim and other experts from other sports joining as needed. This show has a lot of different gears and that is why we want to make sure that we can go in a lot of different directions and actually add a bit of spontaneity to sports television. The beauty about sports, and why people watch it, is you never know what’s going to happen.”

Ackerson on how FOX SPORTS LIVE will react when serious news breaks: “If serious breaking news happens we will approach it accordingly. We have reporters in a number of different locations, whether it be our writers at FOXSports.com, or our personnel with our different properties whether it be with soccer, or NFL, or what have you. And if serious news happens just as with any other news organizations, we switch into serious mode and try to gather as many facts as humanly possible, try to gather the correct facts.  We’re going to try to be right rather than be first. One of the things I’ve seen in terms of media nowadays is there’s a race to be first. I’d rather be right than be first, if first is wrong. I can’t stress that enough. I believe that, there has been a sense that right doesn’t necessarily matter as much as being first. And I personally find that appalling.”

Charissa Thompson, Donovan McNabb, Gary Payton & Ephraim Salaam

Join Andy Roddick on FOX Sports 1’s Nightly Flagship Show

High-Resolution Images of FOX SPORTS LIVE Cast & Logo Available on WWW.FOXFLASH.COM

New York – Sports personality Charissa Thompson, NBA great Gary Payton and past NFL stars Donovan McNabb and Ephraim Salaam join tennis legend Andy Roddick to provide analysis and commentary for FOX SPORTS LIVE, the flagship news, opinion and highlights program airing nightly on FOX Sports 1, America’s new sports network launching Saturday, Aug. 17.  The announcement was made today by FOX Sports Executive Vice President, Studio Production, Scott Ackerson, who oversees FOX Sports’ news coverage.  FOX SPORTS LIVE debuts the night of Aug. 17 at 11:00 PM ET, with refreshed editions airing at 12:00 AM ET and 1:00 AM ET.

“We are so excited to welcome Gary, Donovan and Ephraim to FOX Sports and we’re thrilled to have Charissa back in the family,” Ackerson said. “The group officially unveiled today, with Andy, represents some of the best in their fields, and we are confident that they’ll provide a fresh, unique perspective to the sports news of the day, creating engaging and entertaining television.”

In addition to the panel, hosted by Thompson, providing analysis and opinion, FOX SPORTS LIVE is anchored by the dynamic Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole, who for eight years formed a popular, smart and irreverent anchor team for TSN’s SportsCentre.  Onrait and O’Toole joined FOX Sports in May as FOX SPORTS LIVE’s primary anchor team, along with their producer, Tim.  Breaking news and updates come throughout the day from Don Bell and Ryan Field, with contributions from correspondents Molly McGrath and Julie Stewart-Binks.

Thompson returns to FOX Sports as the primary host for FOX SPORTS LIVE’s opinion and analysis segments, having spent the last two years at ESPN where she hosted or co-hosted Numbers Never Lie, ESPN First Take and most recently SportsNation.  While with FOX, Thompson appeared on a number of programs, including working as a sideline reporter for NFL on FOX, college football and basketball games on FSN and the Big Ten Network. She also co-hosted The Best Damn Sports Show Period, covered the 2007 MLB All-Star Red Carpet Parade and appeared on The Baseball Report on FSN.  Her career at FOX Sports began as an assistant in Human Resources.

Born in Seattle, Thompson graduated from the University of California-Santa Barbara before beginning her broadcasting career. She has covered some of the world’s biggest events like the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, 2010 World Cup, 2011 BCS National Championship Game and 2011 NBA and NHL All-Star Games. More recently, she took her talents to reality television, where she appeared on the diving competition show Splash.

An NBA veteran of nearly two decades, Payton was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft and played his first 13 seasons with the Seattle Sonics. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team nine straight times, tying Michael Jordan for most consecutive selections. A nine-time All-Star, he was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1996. Payton played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics before joining the Miami Heat in 2005, winning an NBA Championship with the team in 2006. He helped Team USA to Olympic gold medals in 1996 and 2000 and was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in April 2013.

Payton hosts a weekly radio program in California’s Bay Area and a weekly television program on TSN in Canada. He established the Gary Payton Foundation in 1996 to set an example for underprivileged youth, helping them reach high and pursue their goals. He wrote the autobiographical children’s book “Confidence Counts” and was named to Sporting News’ “Good Guys in Sports” list several times throughout his career. Payton graduated from Oregon State in 1990, finishing as the school’s all-time leading scorer.

McNabb played 13 seasons as an NFL quarterback, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was taken by the team with the second overall selection in the 1999 draft and went on to lead the organization to eight postseasons, including five NFC East Division championships, five NFC Championship Games and the team’s first Super Bowl appearance in 24 years. He was selected to six Pro Bowls, was twice named a finalist for the NFL’s Man of the Year Award and finished second in the MVP voting following the 2000 season.

A graduate of Syracuse with a degree in communications, McNabb joined the NFL Network as a broadcaster prior to the 2012 season. He established the Donovan McNabb Fund in 2000, which works toward diabetes awareness and prevention and also hosts the Donovan McNabb Diabetes Camp for Kids. The Donovan McNabb Fund has supported other charitable organizations like the American Red Cross, the United Negro College Fund and the Associated Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired.  In 2009, he and his wife Raquel partnered with Virtua Hospital, where each of their four children was born, to help with the construction of the new NICU, which opened in 2011.

Salaam played in the NFL for over a decade as an offensive lineman and spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans and Detroit Lions. He helped lead the Falcons to the NFC Championship in 1998 and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII. Salaam was drafted out of San Diego State, where he was a three-year starter at right and left tackle and also played on the school’s basketball team.

On the screen, Salaam appeared in a commercial for Super Bowl XLII with then-Houston Texans teammate Chester Pitts. He was also cast in the horror movie Dark Christmas and produced the television shows Dead Tone and Supremacy.

Veteran Group of Executives Tapped to Lead Network’s

News, Studio & Event Programming

New York – FOX Sports today announced eight high-level production staff hires and internal promotions tapped to lead news, studio and event programming on FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports’ new national multi-sports cable network launching August 17.

Roy Hamilton was named Senior Vice President of Talent Development; Judy H. Boyd, Kent Camera and Jacob Ullman were each named Vice Presidents of Production; Michael Hughes was named Executive Producer for FOX SPORTS LIVE, FOX Sports 1’s flagship news, opinion and highlights program; and Azzie Mackenzie, Bardia Shah-Rais and Brad Zager were named Coordinating Producers for shows and events on the new network. Hughes reports to FOX Sports EVP/Coordinating Studio Producer Scott Ackerson, while Hamilton, Boyd, Camera, Ullman, Shah-Rais, Mackenzie and Zager report to executive producer John Entz.

Hughes oversees FOX SPORTS LIVE, FOX Sports 1’s 24/7 news franchise providing around-the-clock coverage through regularly scheduled programs, hourly updates and an information-rich ticker. Hughes created the award-winning production agency DLP Entertainment and has produced for several networks, including FOX, ESPN and NFL Network. He earned the Peabody Award for his work as executive producer on Pony Excess, part of ESPN’s 30 for 30 franchise. Hughes has produced multiple features and opens for some of FOX Sports’ biggest events, including the Super Bowl, World Series, BCS and Daytona 500.

“I am pleased to announce Michael Hughes as the executive producer for FOX SPORTS LIVE,” Ackerson said. “Michael’s talent and experience will help to make this brand new franchise a great success, and his creativity will separate the program from other existing sports news shows.”

Hamilton creates, oversees and runs FOX Sports 1’s Office of Talent Development & Planning where he works to maximize usage of on-air personalities across all FOX Sports platforms. Hamilton most recently held the position of Vice President, Production/Coordinating Producer for FOX Sports Networks, where he oversaw live and taped production for more than 1,300 FOX Sports Networks telecasts each year. A multiple Emmy Award winner, Hamilton has been a producer for nearly every major sports network in the country, including time with ESPN, NBC and CBS. Prior to his career in television, he played professional basketball, drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1979 NBA Draft. He played college ball at UCLA and was one of Coach John Wooden’s final recruits. An All-American as a junior and senior, Hamilton graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Boyd serves as coordinating producer for MLB, UFC, college football and World Cup coverage on FOX Sports and FOX Sports 1. She has been a member of the FOX Sports production staff for over a decade, most recently as Vice President, Production. Boyd’s career with FOX Sports began when she was hired as a broadcast associate in 2000. She was named coordinating producer in 2010 and elevated to Vice President in 2012.

Camera has several different roles with FOX Sports 1, including coordinating the planning and staffing for the network’s launch. He also works on the production of FOX Sports 1’s college football and basketball studio coverage and assists with the oversight of the network’s coverage of Major League Baseball. Camera spent the last six years at NFL Network, most recently serving as senior coordinating producer. He was previously a member of the FOX Sports family from 2000 to 2007 when he held the roles of coordinating producer and senior coordinating producer for FOX Sports Net in Los Angeles.

Ullman is responsible for the auditioning, evaluation and acquisition of talent for FOX Sports 1 while continuing to oversee all aspects of FOX Sports’ production of NFL and NASCAR, including coordinating announcer, producer and director assignments. Ullman has been part of FOX Sports for nearly 19 years and has won five Emmy Awards with the network.

Mackenzie joins FOX Sports as the coordinating producer for FOX FOOTBALL DAILY, the year-round program providing news, interviews and commentary from around the NFL and college football. Mackenzie spent the last 15 years at ESPN, most recently serving as producer for the network’s 11:00 PM ET SportsCenter, NBA Countdown and NFL Live. He has won Sports Emmy Awards for his work on SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight.

Shah-Rais oversees studio production for FOX COLLEGE THURSDAY and FOX COLLEGE SATURDAY as well as FOX Sports 1’s Big East basketball studio production, and also supervises select MLB studio coverage. He spent the last eight seasons at NFL Network where he oversaw production of Thursday Night Football pregame, halftime and postgame shows; worked as line producer for NFL Total Access and produced live event coverage. A previous member of the FOX Sports family, Shah-Rais spent eight years at FOX Sports Net where he worked as field producer on seven Super Bowls, five NBA Finals, two World Series and three NCAA Final Fours.

Zager serves as Vice President, Production for FOX Sports 1’s MLB, college basketball and boxing coverage. He has been a member of the FOX Sports family since starting as an intern in 1996. Most recently, he spent nine months in Japan serving as an Executive Producer and working on the launch of FOX Sports Japan. In his career, Zager has worked on college football, college basketball, the FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK and produced the inaugural Pac-12 Football Championship Game on FOX in 2011.

“We are thrilled to have Roy, Judy, Kent, Jacob, Azzie, Bardia and Brad here to launch FOX Sports 1,” Entz said. “They each bring an impressive track record of success, and we are fortunate to have their unique talents, creativity and valuable experience as we begin this exciting new era in sports television.”

— FOX SPORTS 1 —

News, Highlights & Analysis Show Premieres Aug. 19

Los Angeles — Continuing its long tradition of offering the best in world soccer to US fans, FOX Sports introduces FOX SOCCER DAILY, a live soccer news, highlights and analysis program airing weekdays on FOX Sports 1 beginning Monday, Aug. 19 at 4:00 PM ET.  FOX SOCCER DAILY originates from the FOX Network Center in Los Angeles.

“We are excited to create a daily destination for US Soccer fans to coincide with the launch of FOX Sports 1 next month,” said FOX Soccer Daily Executive Producer Jonty Whitehead. “Given our overall programming commitment to international soccer and global reach, we believe FOX SOCCER DAILY will provide crucial insight, analysis and coverage of the beautiful game that all fans of the sport crave.”

A season-long program, FOX SOCCER DAILY covers the major soccer leagues and competitions across the globe with an emphasis on Europe and North America. The fast-paced, half-hour program airs Monday to Friday (4:00 – 4:30 PM ET) on FOX Sports 1, America’s new sports network launching Aug. 17, except when preempted by UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League pre-game and post-game shows.

– FOX SPORTS 1 –

90-Second Image Spot Debuts July 16 During MLB All-Star Game

Los Angeles — What do you get when you are preparing for the biggest sports network launch in history and you’re televising what likely will be the most-watched sports event of the summer?  A golden opportunity.

That’s what FOX Sports Co-Presidents and COOs Randy Freer and Eric Shanks saw when they commissioned FOX Sports marketing chief Robert Gottlieb to create a rare 90-second promotional spot that would define for America the essence of FOX Sports 1, the nation’s new sports network, launching on August 17.  The spot premieres in-game during FOX Sports’ coverage of the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 16.  The MLB All-Star Game is traditionally the highest-rated, most-watched television program in July and August in non-Olympic years.  Pregame coverage on FOX begins at 7:30 PM ET.

Enlisting the help of powerhouse HSI Productions and highly sought director Joseph Kahn (http://josephkahn.com/bio), a Grammy Award-winner who has worked with dozens of A-list artists from Lady Gaga to Eminem, as well as directing award-winning commercials, a concept was designed with one solitary goal — define FOX Sports 1.

“This spot really is about introducing FOX Sports 1 to America, and letting fans know what they can expect come August 17,” Gottlieb said. “We recognize that sports ultimately is about the fun of loving your team and hating your rival. It’s about the fun of buzzer beaters, comebacks and huge hits. That is what we, as fans, look for in our favorite sports. Because fourth-and-goal with the game on the line may just be the most fun you have all year. So, this spot is about celebrating what only sports provides. The fun of anticipation … the fun of competition … the fun of celebration.”

Building a production team that includes two-time Academy Award nominee Jeff Cronenweth (The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as director of photography, sports choreographer Mike Fisher (http://www.mikefisheronline.com/), editor Adam Petrofsky (Rock Paper Scissors), veteran visual effects supervisor  Patrick Murphy from A52 and renowned commercial music house Elias Arts (http://eliasarts.com/), the production scale far exceeds any previous FOX Sports commercial effort.

Major facilities — Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Gillette Stadium, Los Angeles Sports Arena, The Galen Center and Comerica Park — provide the backdrop.

Star athletes and sports personalities who have agreed to participate include Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco; former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson; four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon; U.S. Women’s Soccer Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan; UFC champion Georges St. Pierre; boxing champ Canelo Alvarez; NFL Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis; USC head football coach Lane Kiffin; Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson III, St. John’s basketball coach Steve Lavin, NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne; and reigning American League MVP Miguel Cabrera.

“Using any measure, this is the most ambitious commercial project we have taken on,” Gottlieb said. “This spot sets the tone for everything.”

The shoot, set to an energized version of the classic tune Happy Days are Here Again, opened in Charlotte, N.C., where Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kasey Kahne, worked with a 150-person production crew, dozens of extras and a few high-tech toys to re-create the intense on-track action of a 200-mph NASCAR race.

“You never know what to expect when doing something like this,” Gordon said of the shoot. “Things come together fast and they can change at the last second … it definitely takes you out of your element. You’ve got to be open-minded to what the director or the script may call for and have fun with it.”

Trailed by a tricked-out black Mercedes SUV equipped with the Ultimate Arm (http://www.ultimatearm.com/) and filmed from above by a high-speed, drone helicopter equipped with a Blackmagic cinema camera, racing action is captured from angles never before seen on race day.

Two days later, the entire production team moved nearly 900 miles north, setting up a shoot at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., with Morgan, who scored the game-winning goal in the 123^rd minute against Canada, sending the U.S. team to the gold medal game against Japan at the 2012 London Olympics.

Following Foxboro, production moved to Los Angeles for several days before wrapping in Detroit.

“I’m putting on a different hat today … from being the guy giving the orders, to being the guy receiving the orders,” Thompson said.  “I haven’t worn that hat in a while but [Joseph Khan] had control of the situation and it was much like a practice, where we had to run the same scene over and over and over again … he’s a perfectionist and that’s a good thing.”

Added Flacco: “It should be fun, and that’s what it’s all about out here … we’re having fun and we’ll see where it goes.”

An extended behind the scenes look at the making of FOX Sports 1 promotional spot is available on FOX Sports’ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cw-xGGSbsQ

— FOX SPORTS 1 —

 

About FOX Sports 1

FOX Sports 1 is a new national 24-hour multi-sport channel launching on August 17 in over 90 million homes, marking the largest sports network launch in history. FOX Sports 1, boasting nearly 5,000 hours of live event, news and original programming annually, has seven pillar sports: college basketball and football, MLB (in 2014), NASCAR, NFL (ancillary programs), soccer and UFC. College football is highlighted by regular season coverage of Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA games, while the college basketball spotlight shines on the Big East, Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA and the Big East men’s basketball tournament. Starting in 2014, select MLB League Championship Series and Division Series games as well as regular season games are coming to the channel. FOX Sports 1 also carries select NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events beginning in 2015; NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races; the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race; and all Speedweeks coverage, including Daytona 500 Qualifying, Sprint Unlimited at Daytona, (2014, 2017-22) the Budweiser Duel, and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NCWTS Practice and Qualifying sessions. Additionally, FOX Sports 1 carries NASCAR RaceDay, NASCAR Victory Lane and Race Hub shows. The channel also carries the world’s most prolific club soccer competitions, like UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and CONCACAF Champions League, along with the world’s oldest soccer competition, the FA Cup; plus CONCACAF Gold Cup; CONCACAF Qualifiers, EURO 2016 Qualifiers; 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers; FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015 and 2019; FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2018 and 2022.  In addition to Saturday pay-per-view preliminary cards, Wednesday nights are home to the UFC with UFC TONIGHT, live events and THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER.  FOX SPORTS LIVE is FOX Sports 1’s flagship 24/7 news, opinion and highlights program, providing around the clock coverage through regularly scheduled programs, hourly updates and an information rich ticker.  Original programs include: FOX FOOTBALL DAILY, CROWD GOES WILD, a new live sports entertainment talk show hosted by Regis Philbin; and the groundbreaking BEING: documentary franchise.  FOX Sports GO, a groundbreaking authenticated mobile sports experience for iPhone, iPad, Android devices and the web, serves as the channel’s digital extension. The app offers more than 1,100 live games and events from cross FOX Sports, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports’ 22 regional sports networks, as well as scores, highlights, news, stats and analysis. For more information visit www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1.