More Cavs on FOX Sports Ohio

FOX Sports Ohio increased its Cavaliers coverage to 80 regular season games! The network will telecast 39 home games and 41 games from the road during the season, beginning Wednesday, October 27 at 7pm when the Cavs host the Boston Celtics.

“When presented with the opportunity to produce ten additional Cavs games, it was a quick and easy decision,” stated Henry Ford, Senior Vice President & General Manager, FOX Sports Ohio. “We are the television home of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Increasing our schedule to 80 games demonstrates our support for the team and the loyal fans that have supported us. We’re delighted that many of our sponsors are reaffirming their commitment to Cavaliers basketball as well.”

Austin Carr will continue to spice up the color analysis for the entire 80-game schedule. Joining him on the floor will be veteran play-by-play man Fred McLeod, calling the games for his fifth season. Jeff Phelps returns to the Cavs’ in-game broadcast team for his 8th season, where he will be seen on the sideline for all Cavaliers’ games.

FOX Sports Ohio will continue its comprehensive coverage of the team with the return of Cavaliers Live 30 minutes prior to every game telecast. Immediately following the final buzzer of each game, the post-game edition of Cavaliers Live, presented by Conrad’s, will feature highlights, player interviews and analysis.

The shows will once again be hosted by Phelps and Campy Russell for home games. For road games, Russell and Dionne Miller return to host the pre-game show from Aaron’s Studio and Phelps will report from the game site.

For the complete schedule, click HERE!

On TV, Online and On-site with High School Football. OH MY!

High School Football Game of the Week is Here!

FOX Sports Ohio is ready for its Emmy-Award winning coverage of high school football, featuring the most celebrated rival matchups in Northeast and Southwest Ohio each Thursday night at 7pm. Action starts 30 minutes before kick off at with High School Football Live, presented by Grange Insurance, providing fans with commentary, features, and in-depth pre-game coverage.

Online Coverage: Live Streaming and Interaction
FOX Sports Ohio expands its exposure of high school football with online coverage including an interactive component. Each week, the game will stream live on FOXSportsOhio.com. Through an online chat, fans can interact with each other as well as ask questions of the FOX Sports Ohio broadcasters. Select questions will be recognized and answered live during the telecast.

On-Site Activities:
Not only will FOX Sports Ohio’s broadcasters and production crew be at each game, but the network’s event staff will also be on site, offering fans the opportunity to participate in activities and win great prizes.
Beacon Orthopedic Play of the Week
After each Southern Ohio High School Football Game of the Week, fans can go to www.FOXSportsOhio.com/pages/swohio_hssports and vote for their favorite play. The play that receives the most votes will be recognized on-air in the next High School Football Game of the Week telecast as the Beacon Orthopedic Play of the Week.

Pledge 2b Safe :)
One activity features FOX Sports Ohio’s partnership with the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS). The network and ODPS will be giving students and parents of both home and visiting schools the chance to sign a pledge banner, stating they will not text message while driving. The goal of this “Pledge 2b Safe” campaign is to educate student and parents on the dangers of distracted driving as well as ask for their commitment to be safe behind the wheel. Following each week’s game, the participating schools will be given their signature-filled banner to proudly display at the school.

A Round of "Appaws" for FOX Supports Ohio

The FOX Supports Ohio volunteer committee was at it again. It turns out that there are some folks at FOX Sports Ohio who love animals just as much as they do sports! A group of six employees headed on over to the Berea Animal Rescue to volunteer their time on August 18, 2010.
The Berea Animal Rescue Fund, Inc. (ARF) is a non-profit organization that finds homes for the stray animals of Berea. ARF was incorporated in 1988 and is supported entirely through donations, adoption fees and fundraising events. The animals are housed in a “no time limit” facility until they are adopted.

When the FOX Supports Ohio crew arrived, they met the staff and learned a bit about the rescue. Then it was time to do some dirty work. And boy did they get dirty! From washing floors and windows to scrubbing cages and carriers, the team worked to make the shelter sparkle. Even their van got a thorough cleaning. FOX Supports Ohio team members also spent time raking the dog pens and weeding. And when they were done, they got to enjoy some time socializing with the dogs and cats.
At the time of FOX Supports Ohio’s visit, the rescue had about 8 dogs and 75 cats on location. An additional 100+ dogs and cats were in foster care.


Although the team felt a little sore the next day, they were so happy to have made a difference in helping the rescue maintain its facility and work with the animals that will hopefully get adopted soon. They look forward to the next visit to the Berea ARF. For more information on volunteer opportunities at Berea ARF or to foster or adopt an animal, visit www.bereaanimalrescue.com.

Reds Production Makes News!

Earlier this month, FOX Sports Ohio invited John Kiesewetter, the TV and media columnist for the Cincinnati Enquirer, to take a special behind-the-scenes peek at a Reds production. His tour couldn't have come at a hotter time for the Reds. The Reds were hosting the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park and ratings for our Reds productions were (and continue to be) at all-time highs.

Kiesewetter, AKA "Kiese," spent time with FOX Sports Ohio Executive Producer Tom Farmer as he was escorted back and forth between the TV truck and the broadcast booth. Kiese was especially interested in X-Mo slow motion and FOX Trax pitch locator. He had the opportunity to meet the production crew in the TV truck as well as sit between Reds broadcasters Paul Keels and Chris Welsh and listen in via headset for an inning or two.

His feature story, Fox Sports Ohio keeps fans connected to Reds, was in the Sunday edition, and starts off as follows:
In the TV booth above home plate - arguably the best seat in Great American Ball Park - Reds TV analyst Chris Welsh is looking at his laptop instead of watching the game. What's up with that?

Click here to read the entire article!

FOXSportsOhio.com's Hal McCoy Covers Reds-Cards Tensions

Hal McCoy, FoxSportsOhio.com’s hall-of-fame baseball writer, was at the center of the Cardinals vs. Reds scuffle that dominated sports talk on Tuesday, August 10 and Wednesday, August 11. McCoy broke the story that revealed underlying tensions between the teams that led to the in-game brawl on Tuesday.

Following that game, McCoy appeared on FOX Sports Ohio's Reds Live postgame show as well as the following Wednesday's pregame show. Click HERE to read his postgame article and watch the video of the recap.
He hosts an in-game chat every home Reds game on http://www.foxsportsohio.com/, and his chat following the brawl attracted 400% more traffic than an average night.

McCoy's insider coverage attracted media outlets nationwide.
His appearances included The Dan Patrick Show, ESPN First Take, FOX 45 in Dayton, Real Talk 1160 in Cincinnati, 101ESPN radio and KMOX radio in St. Louis, WHIO radio in Dayton, and KRJ radio in Seattle.

Columbus winner comes to Cincinnati for Lunch Bunch

Cincinnati Reds fans from all over the state embracing their Reds, and Lunch Bunch Sweepstakes winner Joe Stueve is evidence of that. Stueve, a native of Dayton who now resides in Columbus, is a huge Reds fan. Ratings for the Reds on FOX Sports Ohio in Columbus have been record breaking this season, so it’s no surprise that a winner of a watch and win sweepstakes is from there. The Lunch Bunch Sweepstakes, presented by Time Warner Cable, was held between June 25 and July 7, with viewers entering to win at www.FOXSportsOhio.com. Stueve was one of ten daily prize winners to receive a 22” HDTV. He was also the Grand Prize Winner, receiving not only a 46” HDTV but lunch with Reds star Jay Bruce and FOX Sports Ohio announcers Chris Welsh, Jeff Brantley, Paul Keels, Jim Day and Jeff Piecoro in downtown Cincinnati. Stueve brought his mother Janet, his brother Josh and his fiancĂ© Lindsey to the lunch at McCormick and Schmicks.

View the full photo gallery from Cincinnati!

Jeff Hogan Says Goodbye

It is with much regret that FOX Sports Ohio announces long-time Blue Jackets broadcaster Jeff Hogan will not be returning to cover the Jackets this season for the network.

After co-hosting the Blue Jackets pre-game show on FOX Sports Ohio and covering the team since its inception, Hogan will be leaving the network to take on greater responsibilities with WBNS-TV Channel 10, the CBS affiliate in Columbus.

“I want to thank my employer, WBNS, for their understanding and cooperation in allowing me to participate in what has been a joint venture with FOX Sports Ohio for many years,” stated Hogan. “I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to work alongside many professionals with FOX Sports Ohio and the Columbus Blue Jackets organization. It has been a career highlight to be part of a broadcast team and professional franchise since its infancy. I wish nothing but the best for both.”

Hogan holds the distinction of being the first Blue Jackets host for FOX Sports Ohio anchoring programs about the team nearly a year before the Jackets played their first game. The first show he hosted for FOX Sports Ohio was called Blue Jackets Beat which debuted in October of 1999.

Although the network is disappointed in the loss of Hogan, FOX Sports Ohio is pleased to announce Ray Crawford will assume Hogan’s role as co-host of Blue Jackets Live pre-game edition. For more information, click here!

Taking Our Volunteers to the Bank - the Cleveland FoodBank

The FOX Supports Ohio volunteer team in Cleveland was proud to be out of the office and in community again with a trip to the Cleveland Foodbank on July 27!

The Cleveland Foodbank began in 1979 as a way to eliminate the disconnect between food industries willing to donate and charities attempting to alleviate hunger in the community. “Working together, these individuals resolved that a single clearinghouse could solicit, collect, sort, and distribute food in a more efficient manner, ensuring improved operations for local charities in the Greater Cleveland area.”
In addition to repackaging and sorting nonperishable food, the Cleveland Community Kitchen at the Foodbank also prepares meals that are distributed to various local meal sites. So on that sunny Tuesday afternoon, after a short video and a tour of the massive facility, FOX Sports Ohio employees donned white “lab coats,” hair nets, and rubber gloves and were put to work in the kitchens. Their mission: ham! (And some other projects too.)

Some team members were put to work packing bagged lunches, making sloppy joes, scooping stuffing into smaller serving sizes, and labeling trays. They also made many, many ham, turkey, and cheese sandwiches. And when they ran out of turkey, they made ham and cheese sandwiches. And when the sandwiches were done, they folded hundreds of pieces of ham into two-slice servings to be used for another project!

While the volunteers may not be sitting down to lunch meat sandwiches in the Broadview Heights break room again anytime soon, everyone agreed it was a very successful afternoon and are excited to do it again. It was also an opportunity for FOX Sports Ohio to come together as a group, eager to help others. Managers and coordinators all up to their elbows: in ham.

For more information on the Cleveland Foodbank go to: http://www.clevelandfoodbank.org/.

High School Football is Back in Southern Ohio

FOX Sports Ohio is excited for the return of the Emmy Award Winning High School Football Game of the Week.

Once again, the network will be bringing the finest Southern Ohio high school football action home to fans with a schedule of nine exclusive, local games on evenings this fall.

The season will open with the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown doubleheader on Thursday, August 26 when the Loveland Tigers take on the Turpin Spartans at Mason High School at 5:30pm followed by the Edgewood Cougars verses the Wyoming Cowboys at 8pm. A link to the complete schedule is below.

High School Football Live, presented by Grange Insurance, will kick off the action 30 minutes prior to each week's game, providing fans with commentary, features, and in-depth pre-game coverage. Jeff Piecoro and Ray Crawford return as the pre-game shows’ co- hosts. In addition to his pregame duties, Piecoro will also serve as sideline reporter during the games.

For their fourth consecutive season, Brad Johansen and Dave Lapham will team up to call the games.

Each week’s telecasts will promote the schools’ sports and activities through interviews with athletic directors, principals and other key faculty. And of course, no game is complete without getting the chance to see and hear the marching bands perform at halftime!

The Northeast Ohio schedule was released earlier this summer. The complete schedule of the network's High School Football Game of the Week is below:
Southern Ohio schedule
Northeast Ohio schedule

Cleaning up at Emmys with High School Football

The 46th Annual Ohio Valley Regional Emmy Awards, presented by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), were recently in Columbus on Saturday, July 31. FOX Sports Ohio was recognized for its commitment to quality programming and received the following Emmy Award:

Category: Sporting Event/Game – Live/Unedited
High School Football Game of the Week

Brian Hunterman - Producer
Tom Farmer – Executive Producer
Doug Johnson – Coordinating Producer
Russ Jenisch – Director

This marks the first Emmy Award for the network’s coverage of high school football in southern Ohio. Earlier this summer, FOX Sports Ohio made an impressive showing at The Lower Great Lakes Chapter of NATAS’ Emmy Awards, taking home four Emmys, including one for the network’s coverage of high school football in northeast Ohio. FOX Sports Ohio is clearly the place to go for the best state-wide coverage of high school football.

Red Hot Ratings!

The Cincinnati Reds are just as hot on the air as they are on the field. The Reds are currently the top fourth rated MLB team. Ratings for the Reds on FOX Sports Ohio have been on the rise consistently all season long in Cincinnati as well as in Columbus.

At the start of August, the Cincinnati ratings are up 58% with a 6.71 household rating. The average rating for the month of July was 7.82, which is up 125% compared to July of 2009.

The high ratings have garnered some local media coverage. Check out these articles!

We're Hooked on Sports With ASAS

FOX Sports Ohio recently announced a partnership with After-School All-Stars (ASAS) and its “Sports As A Hook” program.

ASAS is a leading non-profit organization that provides comprehensive programming to middle school children in 13 cities across the US. Its mission is to provide free, quality comprehensive after-school programs that keep children safe and help them succeed in school and in life.

“Sports As A Hook” is a sports-based youth development initiative which helps connect sports to leadership and life skills, community service, nutrition, empowering girls, nature and parental involvement. FOX Sports Ohio will be teaming with the Columbus chapter of After-School All-Stars (CASAS) to provide monetary support for “Sports As A Hook” resources as well as engage in activities set up to benefit CASAS children.

“Sports As A Hook seemed like a natural partnership the very first time we heard about it,” stated Henry Ford, Senior Vice President & General Manager, FOX Sports Ohio. “We’re excited to support such a wonderful program, but more important to serve the youth in our communities.”

This partnership officially launched at the CASAS 2010 Summer Games on July 30 from at The Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Over 1,800 Columbus youth ages 7-17 attended Summer Games for a full day of sports, enrichment, and brain game clinics and competitions.

During the 12 noon lunch “half time” presentation, Ford presented CASAS with a $50,000 donation on behalf of FOX Sports Ohio.
“After-School All-Stars Columbus is honored and excited to partner with Fox Sports Ohio to implement the “Sports As A Hook” program,” said Donald K. Anthony Jr., Executive Director, After-School All-Stars Columbus. “We want to thank Fox Sports Ohio for their generous contribution to the program and extending their resources to help us provide meaningful experiences to our youth.”
For a complete recap of the event and to learn more about the partnership, please visit www.foxsportsohio.com/pages/support.

Cutting, Chopping and Digging for the Environment

On Wednesday, July 14, the FOX SupPORTS OHIO Volunteer Committee participated in a Trail Sweep of Boston Run Trail in the Cuyahoga Valley National park.

The group's mission was to assist the National Park Service in building, maintaining and improving trails within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Along the 3.2 mile path, members of the team removed unwanted vegetation from the paths by cutting and chopping down branches and overgrown bushes and scattered them away from the trails.
Others in the group dug ditches for culverts (water passage ways) and maintained existing channels using rakes and hand tools.

This was a great event to help the environment, and the committee members are looking forward to helping out again in the fall.