NFL on FOX
1809083
223645362
2008-07-05T01:40:43Z
65.102.101.97
{{Infobox Television |
| show_name = NFL on FOX |
| image =[[Image:NFLonFOX.gif]]
| caption = ''NFL on FOX'' logo used since [[2003 NFL Season|2003]].
| rating = |
| format = [[Sports]] |
| runtime = 180 minutes or until game ends |
| creator = [[Fox Sports (USA)|Fox Sports]] |
| starring = [[FOX NFL Sunday|''FOX NFL Sunday'' crew]] <br/> [[List of NFL on FOX game commentators|''NFL on FOX'' game commentators]] |
| country = {{USA}} |
| network = [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]] |
| picture_format = [[480i]] ([[SDTV]]), <br> [[720p]] ([[HDTV]])
| first_aired = [[September 18]], [[1994 NFL season|1994]] |
| last_aired = present |
| num_episodes = |
| website = http://msn.foxsports.com/nflonfox |
| imdb_id = 0896893 |
}}
'''''NFL on FOX''''' is the brand name of the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]'s coverage of the [[National Football League]]'s [[National Football Conference]] games, produced by [[Fox Sports]]. Game coverage is usually preceded by the pre-game show ''[[FOX NFL Sunday]]''.
==Theme music==
The broadcast's distinctive [[theme music]] has been used since its inception in [[1994 NFL season|1994]]. Derivatives of the ''NFL on FOX'' theme have been incorporated throughout Fox Sports' programming, including [[Fox Sports Net]], as Fox Sports' overall theme, and FOX is in the process of registering the original theme as a trademark. <ref>[[USPTO]] serial number 78590770; can be accessed via the [http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=login&p_lang=english&p_d=trmk Trademark Electronic Search System].</ref> The theme was produced by Scott Schreer through his production company NJJ Music. The theme was composed by [[Scott Schreer]], [[Reed Hays]] and [[Phil Garrod]].
==History==
Though [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]] was growing rapidly as a network, and had established itself as a presence, it was still not considered a major competitor to the "[[Big Media|big three]]" broadcast networks ([[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[CBS]], and [[NBC]]). FOX management, having seen the critical role that [[soccer]] programming had played in the growth of [[United Kingdom|British]] satellite service [[BSkyB]], believed that sports, and specifically professional football, would be the engine that would make FOX a major network the quickest.
===Early bids===
To this end, FOX bid aggressively for football from the start. In [[1987 in television|1987]] (FOX's first full year on the air), after [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] initially hedged on renewing its contract to carry ''[[Monday Night Football]]'', FOX offered the NFL to pick up the contract for the same amount ABC had been paying, about [[United States dollar|$]]1.3 billion at the time. However, the NFL, in part because FOX had not established itself as a major network, chose to renew their contract with ABC.
Despite a few successful shows, the network did not have a significant market share until the early 1990s when News Corp. bought more TV station groups, such as [[New World Communications]], [[Chris-Craft Industries]], [[BHC Communications]], and [[United Television]], making it the largest owner of television stations in the United States.
===FOX outbids CBS for the NFC package===
{{see also|NFL on CBS}}
Six years later, when the football contract was up for renewal again, FOX made what at the time, was a bold and aggressive move to acquire the rights. Knowing that they would likely need to bid considerably more than the incumbent networks to acquire a piece of the package, FOX bid [[United States dollar|$]]1.58 billion for four years of rights to the [[National Football Conference|NFC]]. The NFC was considered the more desirable conference (as opposed to the [[American Football Conference|AFC]] package that [[NFL on NBC|NBC]] carried at the time) due to its presence in most of the largest U.S. markets, such as [[New York Giants|New York]], [[Chicago Bears|Chicago]], and [[Philadelphia Eagles|Philadelphia]]. To the surprise and shock of many, in late [[1993#December|1993]], the NFL selected the FOX bid, in the process stripping CBS of football for the first time since [[1956 NFL season|1956]]. FOX's coverage would start in the [[1994 NFL season|1994 season]].
CBS apparently underestimated the value of its rights with respect to its [[advertising]] revenues and to its [[promotion (marketing)|promotional]] opportunities for other network programming. Indeed, FOX was still an upstart player in 1993, not yet considered on par with the "Big Three" networks--[[CBS]], [[NBC]] and [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. It had already had offbeat hits such as ''[[The Simpsons]]'', but had no news or sports divisions, and its coverage was significantly weaker than that of its elder counterparts.
====CBS personalities move to FOX====
However, the vast resources of [[Rupert Murdoch]] allowed the network to grow quickly, primarily to the detriment of CBS. After bringing in [[David Hill (television executive)|David Hill]] from Murdoch's [[United Kingdom|U.K.]]-based [[Sky Sports]] to head-up the new Fox Sports division, FOX raided the [[CBS Sports]] staff, hiring longtime producer [[Ed Goren]] as Hill's second-in-command, plus CBS personalities such as [[Pat Summerall]], [[John Madden (football)|John Madden]], [[James Brown (TV personality)|James Brown]], [[Terry Bradshaw]], [[Matt Millen]], and [[Dick Stockton]], all of whom were prominently featured in FOX's NFL coverage.
In spring 1994, FOX's parent [[News Corporation]] struck an alliance with [[New World Communications]], by now a key ownership group with several [[Very high frequency|VHF]] CBS affiliates in NFC markets, and wary of a CBS without football. Nearly all of New World's stations converted ''en masse'' to FOX beginning that fall. The rights gave FOX many new viewers (and affiliates) and a platform for advertising its other shows.
{{see also|Fox affiliate switches of 1994}}
===A brand new era===
FOX's acquisition of football was a watershed event not only for the network but for the NFL as well. Not only was it the event that placed FOX on a par with the "big three" broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) but it also ushered in an era of growth for the NFL which continues on largely to this day.
While the heavy concentration of population in NFC markets - as opposed to the smaller markets generally served by the AFC - virtually guaranteed a substantial audience, its instant success has nonetheless been remarkable given the substantial differences between FOX's coverage and the coverage provided by [[Monday Night Football|ABC]], [[NFL on CBS|CBS]], [[ESPN Sunday Night Football|ESPN]], [[TNT Sunday Night Football|TNT]], and [[NFL on NBC|NBC]] up to that time.
===="Same Game, New Attitude"====
Fox's launch slogan was ''"Same Game, New Attitude."'' Indeed, its studio show focused more on entertainment and less on in-depth discussion of X's and O's. It also introduced bolder and innovative graphics, for instance, a continuous on-screen time-and-score graphic that Hill had originally used on Sky's [[soccer]] coverage. And it made much greater use of the sounds in the stands and on the field thanks to [[parabolic microphone]]s. These innovations were quickly adopted by rival networks and helped to drive the development of further innovations such as the virtual first-down line.
===Changes for 2006===
After the [[2005 NFL season|2005]] season, [[James Brown (TV personality)|James Brown]] left FOX to return to [[CBS Sports]], where he would be the host of ''[[The NFL Today]]''. On [[August 16]], [[2006 NFL season|2006]], after weeks of speculation, the network officially announced that [[Joe Buck]] would take over the role. The move also changed the show from a permanent Los Angeles studio into a portable studio configuration, similar to the pregame show for ''[[NASCAR on FOX]]'', where analysts [[Terry Bradshaw]], [[Howie Long]], and [[Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)|Jimmy Johnson]] joined Buck at the game to which Buck is assigned as [[play-by-play]] announcer. [[Curt Menefee]] worked all halftime shows and all postgame shows on non-doubleheader Sundays, also from the same game site with the same analysts. Menefee hosted ''FOX NFL Sunday'' during the several weeks in October when Buck is not available; during that time, Buck called [[Major League Baseball]] postseason games, including the [[World Series]]. The [[October 15]], [[October 22|22]] and [[October 29|29]] shows were broadcast from the [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] studios; the show returned to the road on [[November 5]].
{{see also|Major League Baseball on FOX}}
It was also announced that weather reporter Jillian Barberie (now [[Jillian Reynolds (TV personality)|Jillian Reynolds]]) would not return for the coming season, as Barberie wished to stay at home in Los Angeles with her family.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2006-08-16-hiestand-pga_x.htm USATODAY.com - PGA on the web: Something for office workers<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Barberie did participate in at least one of the studio shows.
During the 2006 season, [[Chris Rose]] provided updated highlights during the game from the Los Angeles studio as a [[voice-over|voice talent]].
On [[November 17]], [[2006 NFL season|2006]], a source told the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' that the final two pregame shows of [[2006 NFL season|2006]] would take place in the Los Angeles studios, with Buck hosting and [[Dick Stockton]] taking Buck's place at the games alongside [[Troy Aikman]]. The source cited that declining [[Nielsen Ratings|ratings]] no longer justified its high production costs, including [[security]] [[expenses]]. A FOX spokesman would only say that changes were being considered.<ref>http://www.latimes.com/sports/custom/extras/la-sp-tvcol17nov17,1,6350453.column?page=2&coll=la-sports-extras</ref>
====2006 playoffs controversies====
{{main|NFL_playoffs, 2006-07#NFC: New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles 24}}
The Fox Broadcasting Company has come under fire<ref>[http://parentstv.org/PTC/publications/release/2007/0116.asp Parents Television Council - Because Our Children Are Watching <!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> by the [[Parents Television Council]] for displaying a fan wearing a shirt clearly saying ''"FUCK DA EAGLES!"'' in Saints colors. Three days after the broadcast, the network apologized. The Saints fan, [[Heather Rothstein]], was contacted by [[Maxim magazine|''Maxim'' magazine]] and was given a photo shoot<ref>[http://www.maximonline.com/girls_of_maxim/pictures_and_bio/1262/FckDaEaglesHeather.girl?src=maxim_ed F-ck Da Eagles Heather Photos, F-ck Da Eagles Heather Videos, F-ck Da Eagles Heather News on Maxim.com :: Hot Girls, Sex, Images, Pictures Babes, Chicks, Celebrity, Photo Shoot<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>.
Also during the [[2006 NFC Championship]] between the [[2006 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] and the [[2006 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]] at [[Soldier Field]], in one shot from the overhead camera angle of the crowd, three Bears fans can clearly be seen giving the middle finger to the camera, uncensored.
==Digital on-screen graphics==
{{main|FoxBox (sports)}}
In its debut in the [[1994 NFL season|1994 season]], FOX's coverage featured the first "[[Digital on-screen graphic|scoring bug]]." A transparent white half-capsule-shaped graphic in the upper left corner of the screen displayed the score and game clock throughout the entire telecast, an NFL first.
[[Image:NFL on FOX 98.png|thumb|right|A version of the score bug used in [[Super Bowl XXXIII]] and 1999 to 2000.]]
===1996-2000===
By [[1996 NFL season|1996]], the graphic changed to a full-statistics panel, where down and distance, penalty, and key in-game statistics would pop in and out when necessary.
[[Image:FOX250 .jpg|thumb|left|The first score banner used in 2001.]]
===2001-2002===
In [[2001 NFL season|2001]], the graphic changed from a bug to a banner spanning the top of the screen, and included a scrolling graphic displaying real-time scores of other games in progress. A simple black rectangle with a shaded transparent area spanned the top of the screen from left to right, displaying the abbreviations of both teams in white. The scores would be shown in white boxes next to the team. The center showed the game clock in white, to its right was the quarter ("1st QTR", "2nd QTR", etc), and to the right of the quarter was the play clock. The far right was the ''NFL on FOX'' logo. For the [[2002 NFL season|2002]] season, the white scoring boxes where changed to yellow. This was first seen during [[Super Bowl XXXVI]]. This was also the last year that a team's initials would flash in its two primary colors along with percussive sound beats when that team scored (for example, when the [[2002 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] scored a touchdown on FOX, the "GB" initials and box would flash in green and gold for a few seconds as the six points for the TD were added, then again with the extra point). This banner was used for ''Major League Baseball on FOX'' broadcasts through the 2004 season.
[[Image:FOXScoringBanner-SB36.jpg|thumb|right|The score banner used in [[Super Bowl XXXVI]] and 2002.]]
[[Image:NFL on FOX score banner.jpg|thumb|left|The score banner used from 2003 to mid-2004.]]
===2003-2004===
The banner was upgraded beginning with the [[2003 NFL season|2003 season]]. Instead of a large black rectangle, the banner alternated between a large back rectangle and several small, black parallelograms, and the shaded are above it was removed. Instead of abbreviations for the teams, their logos were now used. During the [[2003 NFL playoffs]], the logos were reduced in size, and the team abbreviations were put back beside them. Beginning with the [[2004 NFL season|2004 season]], the banner returned to a large black rectangle, and electronic lettering in the team's main color whenever that certain team calls timeout, scores a touchdown, or a field goal. It would be in red whenever the team challenges a play.
[[Image:NFLonFOXscore0405.png|thumb|right|The score banner used from mid-2004 to late 2005.]]
===2004-2005===
Midway through 2004, the banner was slightly changed again. The team logos were removed, the abbreviations now took their place. This time, they were electronic lettering in the team's main color. This version of the banner was first used for [[Major League Baseball on FOX]] postseason broadcasts that year. When team-specific information was displayed in the banner, such as the hang time of a punt or a touchdown, the abbreviation would change back to the team's logo. Also during a touchdown or field goal, the right side of the banner would have a split flashing "light", then the words "TOUCHDOWN or FIELD GOAL" and the team's name in electronic lettering moving left. During the 2005 holiday season, for the week 15 Saturday game ([[Tampa Bay Buccaneers|TB]] at [[New England Patriots|NE]]), a new white banner, resembling a chrome finish and first introduced at the start of FOX's coverage of the [[2005 World Series]], debuted with animated snow accumulating on top. Periodically an animated snowplow would clear the screen of snow. The following week, the new banner was adopted for all games, however without the snow animation. The team abbreviations became white letters against the team's main color. This banner was used for ''Major League Baseball on FOX'' broadcasts through the 2007 season.
[[Image:NFL on FOX 05TBNE.png|thumb|left|The holiday banner used for the 2005 Patriots/Buccaneers game.]]
===2006-present===
The current, and newest iteration of the scoring banner for the [[2006 NFL season|2006 season]] features the real-time scores as a permanent fixture on the extreme right side of the bar, while the coloring of the banner changes to the colors of the team currently possessing the ball.
During playoff games and games featured on special days or holidays (such as the [[Thanksgiving Classic]], AFC vs. NFC game), the scoring bar instead shows either the NFL Thanksgiving Classic logo, the NFL Divisional Playoffs/NFC Championship logo, or a special banner celebrating whichever holiday falls during that week from Fox Sports (for instance, [[confetti]] and a party horn with a traditional ''[[New Year's Day|Happy New Year]]'' message).
At the beginning of the 2006 season, a virtual on-field graphic showing an arrow pointing towards the direction of advancement and the down/yardage information began to be used on all plays. This feature was then added by the ''[[NFL on CBS]]'' and ''[[NBC Sunday Night Football]]'' broadcasts. At the same time, the down/yardage information also displays on the scoring banner, resulting in duplicate presentation of the same information. The bar has also been enhanced for [[High-definition television|HDTV]] and is thinner than previous versions, with little transparency. Also, the ''NFL on FOX'' logo is on the far left instead of the far right. On the HDTV broadcasts, the area above the banner features a translucent slanting pattern going from left-to-right across the screen. During the 2006 preseason telecasts, the quarter was indicated by illuminating four buttons (number of buttons lit indicated the quarter), but due to visibility difficulties, the quarter returned to being numerically represented for the regular season.
[[Image:NFLonFOXscore0607.png|thumb|right|The score banner used since 2006.]]
====December 31st, 2006 San Francisco/Denver Game====
There was one exception to this package for the 2006 season, as FOX had to revert to the current [[Fox Sports Net]] (and former main Fox Sports) scoring banner and graphics package for its final regular season game of the year, [[2006 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]] at [[2006 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]] on [[December 31]], [[2006 NFL season|2006]], due to a [[Winter storms of 2006-07#December 28-January 1|second blizzard in a week]] hitting [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], preventing the usual amount of equipment for FOX's NFL coverage to arrive before the game. [[FSN Rocky Mountain]] (Denver's FSN network) assisted in the production of the game on short notice by providing the graphical production and other production services. Also, the "[[1st & Ten (graphics system)|1st & Ten]]" graphic lines denoting the [[line of scrimmage]] and [[Down (football)|first down line]] were unavailable for this broadcast. This graphic was also used in Week 5 of the 2007 season in a game between the [[2007 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]] and [[2007 St. Louis Rams season|St. Louis Rams]].
==Ratings==
In past years, ''[[Fox NFL Sunday]]'' had been the ratings leader among network pregame coverage however with the start of the [[2007 NFL season|2007 season]], CBS has since overtaken FOX with the top rated pregame show, ''[[The NFL Today]]''. Much of the credit of this can be traced to the decision for the [[2006 NFL season|2006-07 season]] by [[James Brown (TV personality)|James Brown]] to return to CBS, and be closer to his [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]-area home. <ref>[http://sportscouchpotato.typepad.com/sports_couch_potato/2007/09/pregame-power-s.html Sports Couch Potato: Pregame power shift<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
FOX's [[2008 in television|2008]] telecast of [[Super Bowl XLII]] was the most watched Super Bowl in history, with 97.5 million viewers.<ref name=viewers>{{cite web|title=Thrilling Giants-Patriots game makes Super Bowl the second most-watched TV show ever|url=
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-superbowl-ratings&prov=ap&type=lgns|publisher=Yahoo!|accessdate =2008-02-04}}</ref> It was also the second-[[List of most-watched television broadcasts|most-watched TV program]] behind the [[1983 in television|1983]] ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]'' [[Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen|series finale]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Record 97.5 million watched Super Bowl | url=http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_8164645
| first=David | last=Bauder | publisher=[[Los Angeles Daily News]] | date=2008-02-04 | accessdate=2008-02-04}}</ref> Coincidentally, the Phoenix area hosted [[Super Bowl XXX]] (which aired on [[NFL on NBC|NBC]]), the second most viewed Super Bowl in NFL history, with 95.1 million viewers, in [[1996 in television|1996]].
==In-studio personalities==
{{main|FOX NFL Sunday}}
== In-game commentators (past & present) ==
{{see|List of NFL on FOX game announcers}}
{{see|List of NFL on FOX commentator pairings}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20031214-011748-2935r.htm Fox brought TV to new level]
*[http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5871590?FSO2&ATT=MA FoxSports.com NFL Sunday announces new host]
*[http://msn.foxsports.com/nflonfox FoxSports.com - NFL on Foxsports.com]
*[http://www.Whosthehost.com Who is the Host?]
{{start box}}
{{succession box|before=[[NFL on CBS|CBS]]| title=[[National Football Conference|NFC]] <br> broadcaster| years=[[1994 NFL season|1994]] - Present| after=Incumbent}}
{{end box}}
{{NFL on FOX}}
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[[Category:Fox network shows]]
[[Category:National Football League on television]]
[[Category:1990s American television series]]
[[Category:2000s American television series]]
[[Category:Fox Sports]]
[[Category:Sports television series]]
[[Category:1994 television series debuts]]
[[ja:NFL on FOX]]