The Bobcat Nation

So, I noticed last night when I was trying to upgrade my satellite sports package that FSN has become Root Sports in several markets, including FSN - Northwest. Desperately trying to find out if this meant Mariner's games would still be broadcast, I found several not-so-popular reviews of this "new" network.

The thing that really sticks out to me is their goal of making the fan more interactive by supposedly posting tweets and facebook messages on the screen during the game. WTF? Does this remind any of VH1's "pop up" videos? I guess we'll see tonight when the M's open at Oakland. I may be cancelling the sports package quicker than the M's can plummet to the bottom of the division.

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The folks at DirecTV think they’ve found the formula for revamping the regional sports network. The first test comes in three baseball markets this week. The company, which has continued to air its baseball games in Denver, Seattle and Pittsburgh as FSN (Fox Sports Net) even after splitting from News Corp. three years ago, is rebranding those three regionals as Root Sports. The plan: to extend the ever-increasing interactive experience of the ballpark to the telecast, through more moving cameras, fan shots and social media integration that will allow viewers to contribute to the telecasts through twitter and other platforms.

“It’s about moving to less ‘coverage’ and more immersion” in the telecasts, he says.

I never noticed that but FSN is changed to ROOT on Bresnan here in Bozo as well. I enjoyed watching FSN so hopefully there is no real change coming. Guess the best way to test it out is on the game tonight. I knows its hard to watch the Mariners and the A's but they play at 8 tonight

Air Force Cat wrote:I never noticed that but FSN is changed to ROOT on Bresnan here in Bozo as well. I enjoyed watching FSN so hopefully there is no real change coming. Guess the best way to test it out is on the game tonight. I knows its hard to watch the Mariners and the A's but they play at 8 tonight

Apparently no major change anticipated. Ownership moved from news corp to direct tv (i think). Today is first day of change over

I can only hope that this entire thing (or at least a portion of it) is an April Fools joke. But with the amount of work that has gone into this (changing signage at Safeco Field and others, changing of the network name on satellite and cable provider websites, the removal of the three FSN regions from the Fox Sports website, and keeping hundreds of sports reporters, play-by-play announcers in the dark), it would have to be the most brilliantly and elaborate April Fools joke ever played.

Root is real, unfortunately. Goes live today. Mariners coverage shouldn't change, although the way the game is presented is likely to change, not for the better in my opinion.

Went live yesterday. The crew covering the Rockies game was the same from the top down, at least for the Denver/S. Wyoming market. No noticeable change except the 10 bajillion ads telling us that the name had changed.

In watching much of the first two Mariner games, I have noticed very little difference between their coverage and what FSN used to do. So other than the stupid name of the network, this doesn't seem to be a huge deal.

I agree there hasn't been much difference in the actual game broadcast, but since the M's are on the road, I wouldn't be so sure we haven't witnessed all the proposed changes yet. They've talked about having wire cams above the infield to follow base runners and other gimmicky promotions, which I'm sure they can't accommodate while on the road.

Welp, it didn't stop the Mariners from taking 2 of 3 from the A's!!!

Dare I say the Mariners are "scary good" this year???

















I kid! I kid!