FSN Uses Social Media to Ignite MLB Playoff Fever

With FSN having 6 of 8 teams playing in the postseason, there was an opportunity to use social media to engage local fans and create and drive the conversation around the MLB division series.

Highlights:


* Thousands of responses from fans on Facebook and Twitter, including comments, "Likes," replies, and re-tweets.


* The use of rivalry hashtags on Twitter (#BeatMIL, #BeatAZ, #BeatTB, #BeatTX, etc) that galvanized fans and bubbled up to trending topics in Milwaukee, Dallas, and Tampa.


* Live chats with talent on the web and Facebook


* Behind-the-scenes photos and video posted by personnel on site and shared with fans.

FOX Sports Detroit Catches Verlander No-Hitter

* Social network messaging helps spread word of Justin Verlander's bid for a perfect game

* TV audience increases 110% as drama builds in final innings

* TV, website and Dan Patrick Show recap no-hit performance

Saturday, May 7 was a much-welcomed warm, sunny  afternoon throughout Michigan, a state still thawing out from a long winter.  It was the kind of day to work in the yard, plant a garden, go for a bike ride or other outdoor activities.  Staying inside to watch the Tigers-Blue Jays 4 pm game on FOX Sports Detroit might have been a secondary thought to many.  That is, until word began to spread that a near-perfect day could possibly become even more so, thanks to Tigers pitching ace Justin Verlander...

FSN to Televise Nearly 2,000 MLB Games in 2011

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* 14 MLB Teams Televised Across 16 FSN Regional Networks

* Nearly 2,000 Games Produced in HD

The 2011 MLB season opens today and FSN will be there with the first pitch at 1:05p ET, as the Tigers take on the Yankees on FOX Sports Detroit and Braves battle the Nationals on SportSouth.

In all, FOX Sports Networks will produce more than 2,000 MLB games this season-- far and away more than any other media entity-- and the high point resulting from a steady growth rate that has seen FSN's telecast schedule increase more than 25% over the past five years (1,600 games in 2006). 


To enhance its productions, FSN will utilize Fox-Mo, the super slow motion technology, as well as Fox Trax, the strike zone location graphic.


In addition, every one of FSN's regions has its own story to tell this season with its MLB coverage.  Here are some examples:

Ad Market for MLB Strong as Ever

Sports’ ad-sales winning streak clearly continuing with MLB

"The market for live sports shows no signs of abating, underscoring the value advertisers increasingly are placing on all sports programming."

Published March 14, 2011,

In a column about MLB ad sales last spring, I wrote: 

“The pessimism and agitation of 2009 has been replaced by guarded optimism in 2010.”

Well, this year, the “guarded optimism” of 2010 has been replaced by unfettered joy in 2011. TV networks are experiencing the hottest ad sales market veteran sales executives have ever seen.

The market for live sports shows no signs of abating, underscoring the value advertisers increasingly are placing on all sports programming.