Fox will debut modifications to its FoxTrax puck
enhancement system during its All-Star game telecast on
Saturday night. Fox execs said the system has been improved
to make the glow surrounding the puck more stable. Fox
Sports Exec Producer Ed Goren: "The biggest criticism last
year was the stability of the puck. We now have it much
more stable, and while we are still a work in progress, it
is a major, major improvement" (THE DAILY). Fox will use 13
cameras to cover the game, four of which will be equipped
with FoxTrax. At last year's All-Star game in Boston, only
the high center-ice camera contained the new system (Fox).
IDENTIFYING TRAX: In Baltimore, Milton Kent, on
FoxTrax: "Network officials promise that, unlike last year,
you'll actually be able to see the puck's glow" (Baltimore
SUN, 1/17). In Miami, Barry Jackson: "Because NHL ratings
need a boost, you can't blame Fox for experimenting. And
while the glowing puck irritates some, national ratings have
risen slightly since the innovation was introduced,
suggesting Fox should stick with it for now" (MIAMI HERALD,
1/17). In Toronto, Rob Longley: "What has Fox done?
Brought high-tech kiddie graphics and a ridiculous glowing
puck, and pandered to the parts of the American audience
that don't know a hip check from a hippo." Longley warns
Canadien viewers that Fox plans an intermission feature on
the growth of hockey in the U.S., focusing on the U.S. win
in the World Cup: "It promises to be ugly" (TORONTO SUN,
1/17). In Philadelphia, Mike Bruton, on Fox moving its NHL
coverage to Saturdays: "The network actually made gains
since creating Fox NHL Sunday in 1995. Why leave such a
fertile time slot? Well, this is Fox, the network that zigs
when everyone else zags" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 1/17).
TUNE IN: Fox's broadcast begins at 8:00pm ET on
Saturday. Mike Emrick and John Davidson make up the
broadcast team, with Joe Micheletti reporting. James Brown
and analyst Dave Maloney will be on-site to host pre-game,
intermission and post-game coverage (Fox).
SOLD OUT: The following companies have purchased ad
time on Fox's broadcast, which is sold out: Anheuser-Busch,
Chrysler, IBM, Quaker State, Mennen, Campbell's Soup, Nike,
MasterCard and 7-Eleven, the presenting sponsor of the
telecast (THE DAILY). Fox sold out its regular season NHL ad
time, coming in the third year of what Fox now describes as
a "profitable" deal (Terry Lefton, MEDIAWEEK, 1/6).
RADIO DAZE: NHL Radio will broadcast the game, produced
by Westwood One, in the U.S. and Canada and overseas via the
Armed Forces Radio Network and Canadian Armed Forces
Network. The game will be hosted by Sam Rosen and Gary
Green, with Sharks' radio play-by-play voice Dan Rusanowsky
reporting (NHL.COM).
GOING GLOBAL: ESPN, which holds int'l broadcast rights,
will distribute NHL All-Star events to more than 180
countries through its int'l networks and syndication. Among
broadcast outlets expected to cover on-site are NTV
(Russia), WOWOW (Japan) and Scandinavia's SuperSport (ESPN).
