Fox Sports on Monday fired National Networks President Jamie Horowitz, and while the leadership of FS1 has changed, the "editorial ethos of the network will not," according to Richard Deitsch of SI.com. Sources said that Fox Sports President & COO Eric Shanks "plans to continue the current editorial path of FS1, which features loud and brash opinion." One factor in staying the course is that Shanks has "many existing contracts on the books that were negotiated by Horowitz, including some with millions of dollars remaining." FS1 has also "invested significant dollars in marketing its opinion-over-all enterprise and is starting a New York-based morning show in September with Cris Carter and Nick Wright." Sources said that the "relative low ratings of FS1’s studio shows do not bother Shanks." Deitsch noted Horowitz’ editorial vision, though "hugely cynical and anathema to sports journalism, has reduced costs for the company given Fox Sports already owns the studio space and its biggest outlays for these shows are talent and a small production staff." Shanks has "already heard from potential candidates" for Horowitz' replacement, and he is thought "to be working through a list." But the person filling that role will have a "massive cleanup on his or her hands." Multiple current and former Fox Sports execs "confirmed morale is terrible at the moment" (SI.com, 7/5).
DID FIRINGS SPARK INVESTIGATION? PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote although it is "entirely [possible] that Horowitz would have been fired on Monday even without last week’s much-criticized move to get Fox Sports out of the page view business, it’s impossible to completely separate the business decision made by Horowitz from the sexual harassment investigation, especially in light of the timing." The investigation "may have been sparked by Horowitz’s power play, prompting people who had previously been silent about Horowitz to come forward." Upper management also "may have been more inclined to seize on an opportunity to rid itself of Horowitz without having to pay the balance of his contract" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 7/5).
