The Holy Land of Hoops

http://static.foxsports.com/content/fsc ... _Sports_(3)1403708118377.pdf

Know it's on the Fox Sports 1 thread- but it really deserves it's own one.

To me, this is right up there with Gus Johnson/Raft in terms of Fox pickups. In some ways, maybe even more important. BE Tournament for instance- will have Brando in studio with Gus/Raft calling games. Can't get much better than that. But also for football, and even as we move along- could see him as an important piece in the US Open golf package starting next year.

Brando said on his radio show, he will still be also work for Raycom on the ACC basketball package. Nice to have him work some Big East basketball games. Brando has wanted to work play by play and the SEC Network wasn't going to use him for football. FS1 has a nice package for for with Pac-12, Big 12 and Conf USA.

THIS IS HUGE!!!

Whether you like him or not, when the media talent decide to jump to Fox, what might that tell you about what they know and expect to happen over time?

BTW, I do enjoy watching him. Very grounded and entertaining.

Xudash wrote:THIS IS HUGE!!!

Whether you like him or not, when the media talent decide to jump to Fox, what might that tell you about what they know and expect to happen over time?

BTW, I do enjoy watching him. Very grounded and entertaining.

yeah. Always liked his style. Also able to make the guys in the studio better which is huge. Like I said earlier- could see him having a role in the US Open in 2015- but then also perhaps the World Cup in 2015 and 2018(womens/mens) Those are huge events for fox.

Can't wait for him to say the rim unkind in a Big East game!

Can't get much better when you have Tim Brando and Gus Johnson calling your games. This further legitimizes the conference. This is big time!

Jet915 wrote:Can't get much better when you have Tim Brando and Gus Johnson calling your games. This further legitimizes the conference. This is big time!

I think in some ways, it's not the games even, but now the BET would have Johnson/Raft calling the games- but then Brando in studio. I thought the play by play- by in large it was good or better this year. Studio shows kind of problematic for Fox. Brando could help fix that in an instant.

I'd also add, even if he doesn't do many Big East games(Not saying that's the case, mind you)- he is such a value to Fox that helps their network so much. He's going to help their football coverage immensely. Other stuff as well. The radio show which you touched on the other thread.

Also, Stewart Mandel of si.com is joining Fox Sports. He'd been at Sports Illustrated for his whole professional career, so they must have done a lot to get him to leave. I imagine most of what he will do is writing for their website, but he hints that he will make some television appearances, too. (Personally, I think this is a pretty big deal because he has been, by far, my favorite college sports writer for years.)

http://www.si.com/college-football/2014 ... ll-mailbag

"After 15 wonderful years -- first as an entry-level producer at what was then CNNSI.com, and later as a college football and basketball columnist for SI.com -- I am leaving Sports Illustrated on July 1. I’ll still be doing much of the same thing, only for a sports media entity with a different URL. As long as you have the Internet, it won’t be difficult to find me. I’ll also occasionally appear on television, a huge bonus for any of you currently suffering from insomnia.

"Pardon me for channeling every college football coach who has ever changed jobs, but I would not be leaving if it weren’t for a particularly special opportunity.

"So, while I’m hardly going away, it’s the end of an era for this column, which I’ve written regularly since 2003. Therefore, I’ll publish one last farewell Mailbag to run on my last day next Tuesday."

He will mostly focus on football, but he has written about basketball from time to time at SI. Anyway, between him and Bruce Feldman, this shows Fox is committed to college sports and is ready to compete for talent with ESPN for the best talent in writing and in TV media personalities. Making a dent in ESPN's massive market will take quite a bit of time, but Fox is certainly pulling out all the stops. Don't forget, either, that FS1 and over-air Fox also obtained the rights to the golf U.S. Open starting next year. All this is good for Fox and, by association, the Big East.

One thing in a arcitle on Variety
http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/tim-bra ... 01246612/#

During basketball season, Brando will call college games for Fox and Fox Sports 1.

I wonder if Fox may put some of the better games on Fox network. At least more than the what 2 last year? Could see 2-3 games on Saturday's in December(In Nov possibly going around college football)- and then some in late Jan and Feb after the playoffs in NFL are completed.

Excellent, excellent news. Congrats to him and Fox Sports. It will be a terrific partnership, and it only further legitimizes Fox Sports as a competitor to ESPN. We all knew, hopefully, that it wouldn't happen overnight. With Gus Johnson, Bill Raferty, Erin Andrews, and, now, Brando, Fox Sports is gathering quite the crew of commentators.

Very exciting times for the network.