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By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 06:50 p.m. EDT, Apr 30, 2009
CLEVELAND: Executives at FSOhio — the ''N'' from FSN Ohio vanished prior to the start of basketball season — have a reason to do a happy dance in the streets of Broadview Heights.
Ratings on the regional sports network are up 116 percent over last year for Cavaliers games, and the postgame show is up by a similar margin.
During the regular season, more than 300,000 viewers tuned in to the team's games, and that's not counting those watching in the area's bars, restaurants and other establishments.
The regional sports network took a huge gamble three years ago when they ripped up the remaining three years on their contract and doubled the rights fees it paid to the Cavs. According to one source, that contract, which drew gasps from some in the industry when it was signed, runs for 10 years at a cost of $25 million.
Given the Cavs' stature not just in the NBA, but also globally because of LeBron James and the team's winning ways, that's looking like a bargain.
Now, FSOhio is enhancing its broadcasts and bonding with the Cavs' fan base in the process.
If you watch the games, you can send texts, or hit them up on Twitter or Facebook.
Using technology from a company called Phizzle, the network has conducted polls, contests and collected comments via text during and after games. Texting is something FSOhio began last summer with the Cincinnati Reds telecasts it has in southern Ohio.
They tinkered with it more during games for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets and used it more extensively for the Cavs.
''It was something to create interactivity with our fans and with our viewers and allow them to post their comments on the postgame show. It's something that's definitely taken off,'' said Tom Farmer, who produces games for FSOhio.
That's what has appealed to Cavs play-by-play commentator Fred McLeod. McLeod travels with a Blackberry and stays on top of most of the latest technology.
Although he doesn't tinker much with things during games, he said that he loves the fact that what they're doing allows him to get closer to the fans. So far the station's efforts — the Cavs also use Phizzle's technology inside Quicken Loans Arena — have paid off, said director of marketing Alex Slemc.
''Where we really had our coming-out party was viewer appreciation night,'' he said. ''We had people text in a key word or go on MySpace page. Over four quarters, roughly 2.5 hours, we got 93,000 entries. It was the most number of entries that Phizzle's ever had for any type of application.''
Technology, and communication especially, continues to move at the speed of light. That presents FSOhio with a double-edged sword.
First there's the issue of its on-air talent using the technology, a process that they are taking ''baby steps'' toward, Farmer said.
''You don't want to get too crazy. . . . You don't want to lose sight of the fact that Austin [Carr] is a Cavaliers broadcaster. Is he fun to listen to? Yes,'' he said. ''That's what the personalities are, the entertainment factor that comes with the sport. You want to maintain the integrity of the game.''
It all offers the channel a unique opportunity of building viewership for the future for themselves and the Cavs with those who are most comfortable with the technology — the younger set that would rather text than talk.
''Absolutely. We've opened up an exciting new opportunity for younger people,'' Slemc said.
But there are those who still don't feel the need to change their ways just for the sake of it.
''We have to walk a very straight line regarding not upsetting the purists of the game while at the same time attracting what has become the future,'' Farmer said.
What is undeniable is that we live in a world of limited time and instant gratification; anything a broadcaster can do to get an edge makes sense.
FSOhio is delivering television in the Digital Age.
''What TV is moving toward is control, to give fans and viewers control. That's why people love their TiVos; people love their DVRs because they can control the broadcasts,'' Farmer said. ''When you have the opportunity to allow a fan to participate in a broadcast, it brings the viewer much, much closer to the broadcast and they feel a part of it. And they are.''
Decision time
Fans itching to know who the Cavs play next might have their answer tonight after Game 6 between the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat, which will air at 8 p.m. on ESPN. The Hawks lead the series 3-2. If they win, they will face the Cavs Sunday at 1 p.m. on ABC (WEWS Channel 5). If they lose and Game 7 is necessary on Sunday, the Cavs' Eastern Conference semifinal series will begin next week.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read the Cavs blog at http://www.ohio.com/thomas. Follow Cavs coverage on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cavsabj
CLEVELAND: Executives at FSOhio — the ''N'' from FSN Ohio vanished prior to the start of basketball season — have a reason to do a happy dance in the streets of Broadview Heights.
Ratings on the regional sports network are up 116 percent over last year for Cavaliers games, and the postgame show is up by a similar margin.
During the regular season, more than 300,000 viewers tuned in to the team's games, and that's not counting those watching in the area's bars, restaurants and other establishments.
The regional sports network took a huge gamble three years ago when they ripped up the remaining three years on their contract and doubled the rights fees it paid to the Cavs. According to one source, that contract, which drew gasps from some in the industry when it was signed, runs for 10 years at a cost of $25 million.
Given the Cavs' stature not just in the NBA, but also globally because of LeBron James and the team's winning ways, that's looking like a bargain.
Now, FSOhio is enhancing its broadcasts and bonding with the Cavs' fan base in the process.
If you watch the games, you can send texts, or hit them up on Twitter or Facebook.
Using technology from a company called Phizzle, the network has conducted polls, contests and collected comments via text during and after games. Texting is something FSOhio began last summer with the Cincinnati Reds telecasts it has in southern Ohio.
They tinkered with it more during games for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets and used it more extensively for the Cavs.
''It was something to create interactivity with our fans and with our viewers and allow them to post their comments on the postgame show. It's something that's definitely taken off,'' said Tom Farmer, who produces games for FSOhio.
That's what has appealed to Cavs play-by-play commentator Fred McLeod. McLeod travels with a Blackberry and stays on top of most of the latest technology.
Although he doesn't tinker much with things during games, he said that he loves the fact that what they're doing allows him to get closer to the fans. So far the station's efforts — the Cavs also use Phizzle's technology inside Quicken Loans Arena — have paid off, said director of marketing Alex Slemc.
''Where we really had our coming-out party was viewer appreciation night,'' he said. ''We had people text in a key word or go on MySpace page. Over four quarters, roughly 2.5 hours, we got 93,000 entries. It was the most number of entries that Phizzle's ever had for any type of application.''
Technology, and communication especially, continues to move at the speed of light. That presents FSOhio with a double-edged sword.
First there's the issue of its on-air talent using the technology, a process that they are taking ''baby steps'' toward, Farmer said.
''You don't want to get too crazy. . . . You don't want to lose sight of the fact that Austin [Carr] is a Cavaliers broadcaster. Is he fun to listen to? Yes,'' he said. ''That's what the personalities are, the entertainment factor that comes with the sport. You want to maintain the integrity of the game.''
It all offers the channel a unique opportunity of building viewership for the future for themselves and the Cavs with those who are most comfortable with the technology — the younger set that would rather text than talk.
''Absolutely. We've opened up an exciting new opportunity for younger people,'' Slemc said.
But there are those who still don't feel the need to change their ways just for the sake of it.
''We have to walk a very straight line regarding not upsetting the purists of the game while at the same time attracting what has become the future,'' Farmer said.
What is undeniable is that we live in a world of limited time and instant gratification; anything a broadcaster can do to get an edge makes sense.
FSOhio is delivering television in the Digital Age.
''What TV is moving toward is control, to give fans and viewers control. That's why people love their TiVos; people love their DVRs because they can control the broadcasts,'' Farmer said. ''When you have the opportunity to allow a fan to participate in a broadcast, it brings the viewer much, much closer to the broadcast and they feel a part of it. And they are.''
Decision time
Fans itching to know who the Cavs play next might have their answer tonight after Game 6 between the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat, which will air at 8 p.m. on ESPN. The Hawks lead the series 3-2. If they win, they will face the Cavs Sunday at 1 p.m. on ABC (WEWS Channel 5). If they lose and Game 7 is necessary on Sunday, the Cavs' Eastern Conference semifinal series will begin next week.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read the Cavs blog at http://www.ohio.com/thomas. Follow Cavs coverage on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cavsabj
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