Ready for a March to Opening Day

Cincinnati Reds fans won’t have to wait until Opening Day to enjoy Cincinnati Reds baseball. In a “March to Opening Day,” presented by Tri-State Chevy Dealers, FOX Sports Ohio is excited for the return of Reds Classic Rewinds throughout February. As we head into March, the network will continue to feature coverage of the Reds with the live production of a Reds Spring Training game on March 5th and an all-new nightly show, Reds Live – Spring Training 2012, beginning March 12th.

Click HERE for a complete schedule.


FOX Sports Ohio will televise four (4) Reds Classic Rewind games, including three games from the 2011 season as well as a game from 1999 in honor of Barry Larkin’s recent election into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Rewind series, hosted by Jim Day, will feature thrilling games such as Opening Day 2011 v. Milwaukee - the Reds notched a walk off win after Ramon Hernandez’ slammed an opposite-field three-run homer. Other 2011 games include the game from July 15th when the Reds claimed a 6-5 win against St. Louis in front of a sellout crowd at Great American Ball Park, and the game from August 13th, the Reds-San Diego win that marked several Reds' season-highs and the largest winning margin of the season. Fans will also enjoy the Barry Larkin replay from May, 7 1999, in which Larkin went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI, including a walk-off double.

FOX Sports Ohio debuts the return of this entertaining series Monday, February 6th at 7pm, with a new game every Monday.
As the Cincinnati Reds enter into their third Spring Training at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona, FOX Sports Ohio will televise the Reds Spring Training game on March 5th at 3pm EST in Goodyear when the Reds take on the Cleveland Indians. Thom Brennaman will call the game alongside Chris Welsh.

Finally, FOX Sports Ohio is excited to announce a NEW nightly show, Reds Live – Spring Training 2012, that will air Monday thru Friday from March 12th to the 30th. Each weeknight starting at 6:30pm, Reds fans will get 30 minutes of Reds Spring Training news, notes, interviews and features. Jim Day, Chris Welsh, and Jeff Piecoro will host the show from the Reds Spring Training complex with appearances by Jeff Brantley, Jim Kelch, and Thom Brennaman. Various features of the show will also be available on FOXSportsOhio.com.

Following each new show every evening, the show will replay later that night at 10pm or following a FOX Sports Ohio live event. The show will also replay the following morning at 8:30am.

Hockey Rivals in the Frozen Diamond Faceoff

The Frozen Diamond Faceoff hockey game between Ohio State and Michigan on Sunday, January 15th will be televised on FOX Sports Ohio, presented by Meijer. The game will be played at 5pm on the outdoor rink at Cleveland Indians’ Progressive Field.

Fans should tune in at 4:30pm for the pregame show. FOX Sports Detroit is producing the game, and play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard, analyst Darren Eliot and between-the-benches reporter Billy Jaffe will be calling all the live action. FOX Sports Ohio’s Dionne Miller will be reporting sideline along with FOX Sports Detroit’s Shannon Hogan.

We encourage fans watching the game at home to show their love to the Ohio State Buckeyes and be part of the online conversation by tagging social media posts and tweets with #BucksBeatBlue and #FrozenDiamondFaceoff.

For those heading downtown Cleveland to catch the game live at Progressive Field, come down early for the Pre-game Tailgate Party at Harry Buffalo, beginning at 1pm. The FOX Sports Ohio Girls, Hallie and Sara, will also join the party at 3pm to play games and give out cool prizes.

Kicking off the new year with a great ticket deal!

It’s no secret that Cavaliers games are exciting to watch on FOX Sports Ohio. But have you been down to The Q yet to catch the action in person? Now’s your chance with FOX Sports Ohio’s Cavs “Box Office Buyout.”

During the 7pm Cavs-Raptors game tonight, Wednesday, Jan. 4th, 2012, we will announce a special Cavs ticket offer exclusively for FOX Sports Ohio viewers.

How does it work? Watch the Cavs take on the Toronto Raptors tonight at 7pm on FOX Sports Ohio. During the game telecast, viewers will learn of the ticket offer details with instructions on how to take advantage of the offer!

Make sure to act fast because the exclusive opportunity will only be offered during Wednesday night’s telecast.

Tune in on tonight! for the FOX Sports Ohio Cavs Box Office Buyout!

Meet the FOX Sports Ohio Girls

Meet Hallie and Sara, the new FOX Sports Ohio Girls, two new female hosts who will guide viewers through the outstanding lineup of live games and programming on FOX Sports Ohio each day.

We are always looking for new and unique ways to create a deeper connection with our loyal and passionate fans. FOX Sports Ohio and FOXSportsOhio.com are excited to introduce Hallie and Sara. These two new on air personalities, known as the FOX Sports Ohio Girls, are fan ambassadors for Ohio and their sports fans. Both hosts are Ohio natives with a love and passion for our state. The FOX Sports Ohio Girls bring a fresh look and feel in the delivery of content on TV and the digital platforms.

Hallie and Sara will be seen throughout Ohio at events. You can find out where they'll be next at their appearances page on FOXSportsOhio.com/pages/fsogirls

Sara's favorite sports memory is watching the Cleveland Browns every Sunday with her grandfather as a little girl. Hallie's is from 2002, when OSU beat Michigan during the last game of the regular season to end a "perfect" season. They then went on to beat Miami FL in double OT at the Fiesta Bowl.

To learn more about these two ladies, check out their website on FOXSportsOhio.com, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!

Maple Heights Student Video Wins Be On TV Contest

FOX Sports Ohio and the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) are excited to announce the winner of their Teen “Be On TV” contest that ran in support of National Teen Driver Safety Week October 16 thru 22. Ohio teens were encouraged to submit their own video telling their friends why it’s important to follow safe driving practices.

The video entitled “Texting While Driving” by students of Maple Heights High School has been selected by the network and ODPS to air during the Cleveland Cavaliers game this season.



Maple Heights’ winning video, made by and starring students Brandon Clay and Kadeem Hatten, offers a unique look at the dangers of texting while driving. The video will be posted here on FOXSportsOhio.com and on Facebook as well.

When reviewing the entries from all over the state of Ohio (approximately 30), ODPS and FOX Sports Ohio narrowed it down to six finalists, all whose videos will be posted on FOX Sports Ohio’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

Raising awareness for teen driver safety is critical because 16-year-olds have the highest crash rate per mile driven of any age group and motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teens aged 16 to 18. In partnering with ODPS, FOX Sports Ohio hopes to raise awareness for this issue and promote smart and safe driving practices among Ohio’s teens.http://www.foxsportsohio.com/

FOX Sports Ohio announced today the 2011-12 Cavaliers telecast schedule including all 66 regular season games in high definition.

The network’s coverage of the Cavs’ regular season begins Monday, Dec. 26th at 7pm when the Cavs host the Toronto Raptors at Quicken Loans Arena. FOX Sports Ohio will also air a special hour-long Cavaliers Live Pregame Show on Dec. 26th at 6pm. The complete schedule can be found HERE on Cavs.com.

Austin Carr will continue to spice up the color analysis for the entire 66-game schedule. Joining him on the floor will be veteran play-by-play man Fred McLeod, calling the games for his sixth season. Jeff Phelps returns to the Cavs’ in-game broadcast team for his 9th season, where he will be seen on the sideline for all Cavaliers’ games.

Cavaliers Live returns, providing fans with commentary, features, and in-depth pre-game coverage of the Cavaliers 30 minutes prior to every game telecast. The Halftime Report will break down the first half of the game and offer insights in preparation for the second half. And immediately following the final buzzer of each game, the post-game edition of Cavaliers Live will feature highlights, player interviews and analysis. The shows will once again be hosted by Phelps and Campy Russell for home games. Russell, a nine-year NBA veteran, former Cavalier and member of the Cavalier’s All-Time Team, has been a member of FOX Sports Ohio’s analyst team since 2005. For road games, Russell and Dionne Miller return to host the pre-game show from the FOX Sports Ohio Studio and Phelps will report from the game site.

Miller will also return as host of Cavaliers in the Paint, premiering Tuesday, January 3rd at 6pm. This show provides the most up-to-date news and highlights surrounding the Cavs.

Countdown to Cavs

After much anticipation, FOX Sports Ohio is excited to prepare for Cleveland Cavaliers basketball! The network is helping get fans ready with “Countdown to Cavs,” over a week of special Cavs preseason programming. Featured programs include:

• Two (2) live Cavaliers preseason games in HD

• Cavaliers Roundtable

• Cavaliers Live: Season Preview

• Re-air of Have a Good Night Everybody, 60-minute tribute special in honor of Joe Tait

• Replays of two (2) Cavaliers Showcase Games

• Re-air of the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit, the high school basketball all-star game featuring Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson

• Access Cavaliers

In the “Countdown to Cavs,” fans can also visit FOXSportsOhio.com for daily reports and breaking news from Cavs insider Sam Amico. FOX Sports Ohio’s Facebook and Twitter pages will also keep fans up-to-date on the days leading up to the season.

A complete schedule and more detials of "Countdown to Cavs" programming is available HERE.

Ready for Redsfest?

FOX Sports Ohio is proud to be the title sponsor of this year’s Redsfest, the Cincinnati Reds’ offseason event featuring fan interaction with current and former Reds players, interactive games for kids of all ages, hard-to-find memorabilia and much more! It will be held at the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati on this Friday, December 2 from 4pm to 10:30pm and Saturday, December 3 from 11am to 6:30pm. Proceeds from the event benefit the Reds Community Fund.

As the TV home of the Cincinnati Reds and title sponsor of Redsfest, FOX Sports Ohio will have a tent at the event, offering fans the opportunity to play games, win prizes, and participate in a variety of activities. All fans who visit the FOX Sports Ohio tent will have the chance to register to win an autographed Jay Bruce mini helmet.

On Friday, FOX Sports Ohio will be shooting footage of the event, and fans will have the chance to share their favorite Reds memories on camera for possible on-air inclusion next season. On Saturday, Reds broadcasters Jim Day and Jeff Piecoro will stop by the tent throughout the event to sign autographs.

Announcing New Blue Jackets Sideline Reporter

FOX Sports Ohio is excited to welcome Natalie Taylor to the Columbus Blue Jackets broadcast team as the new sideline reporter.

An Ohio native, Natalie joins the network with over eight years’ experience as a sports reporter and news broadcaster. She is a huge NHL hockey fan and is thrilled to be covering the Columbus Blue Jackets. Local viewers will recognize Taylor from WSYX / WTTE, where she has anchored weekend sports segments, reported for “Good Day Columbus,” hosted “The Football Fever,” and served as on-site reporter for high school football.

“The decision to select the new Blue Jackets sideline reporter was not an easy one,” stated Henry Ford, FOX Sports Ohio Senior Vice President and General Manager. "Natalie Taylor has tremendous broadcast experience and a deep passion for the game of hockey. She is an outstanding addition and will compliment one of the most experienced and talented broadcast teams in the NHL."

Prior to returning home to Ohio, Taylor spent four years with FOX Sports South, working for two years as a sideline reporter for the Atlanta Thrashers (now the Winnipeg Jets) and two years reporting on SEC college athletics. She also previously worked for HDNet, where she was a NASCAR pit reporter as well as a sideline and feature reporter for the network during the inaugural year of the United Football League.

Taylor has a wealth of experience reporting for additional sports networks across the country, including FOX Sports Florida / Sun Sports, FOX Sports Midwest, ESPN 2, Comcast SportsNet, Outdoor Live Network (now Versus), and more. Taylor is also no stranger to FOX Sports Ohio, as she was a reporter for the network’s Bowling Green State University programs in 2003.

Taylor’s first game will be Thursday, December 8th, when the Blue Jackets play host to the Nashville Predators at Nationwide Arena at 7pm. During this game, Taylor will share the sideline with John Michael. Michael will say farewell to Blue Jackets fans before he begins his new role as the Cleveland Cavaliers play-by-play radio announcer.

FOXSportsOhio.com’s Prep Zone Features Live High School Basketball

FOX Sports Ohio continues its commitment to high school sports by adding live high school basketball to its FOXSportsOhio.com lineup. The network will produce and stream 24 high school basketball games on FOXSportsOhio.com as part of FOX Sports Prep Zone, which was successfully launched this past fall.

The Scoop

• Each week, FOXSportsOhio.com will stream live high school basketball match-ups from around the state of Ohio.

• FOX Sports Prep Zone includes 24 Ohio high School basketball games this regular season.

Technology

• Multi-camera production teams are scheduled to visit schools each week.

• Game coverage includes on-site announcers, replays and graphics.

Schedule

• FOX Sports Prep Zone basketball begins in December with these match-ups:

Friday 12/2 Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary @ Garfield Hts. 7:30pm

Tuesday 12/6 Elyria @ Berea 7:30pm

Saturday 12/10 Cleveland Hts. @ Maple Hts. 2:00pm

Tuesday 12/13 Canton Timken @ Akron Manchester 7:30pm

Friday 12/16 Shaker Hts. @ Warren Harding 7:30pm

Tuesday 12/20 Shaker Hts. @ Euclid 7:30pm

Wednesday 12/28 Dayton Dunbar @ Canton McKinley 7:00pm

Thursday 12/29 St. Thomas Aquinas @ Canton CC 7:30pm

• A schedule of additional upcoming games can be found on FOXSportsOhio.com/pages/PrepZone.

In addition to streaming live games from around the state of Ohio, FOXSportsOhio.com’s Prep Zone page also features regular recruiting reports, game previews, and a weekly Top 25 in Ohio high school basketball.