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Earlier this week, we asked on Twitter what you all thought about this season’s move to having so many of the Ohio State Buckeyes’ games airing on FOX. While this has been a trend over the past few seasons since the network acquired the top-level Big Ten contract, it has felt more pronounced this season as the Buckeyes have been featured in FOX’s game of the week slot at 12 noon ET more often than not.
I assume that I know the answer to this question already, but how have you felt about the Buckeyes being primarily on FOX this season? https://t.co/0R4XjxipgA
— Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) November 26, 2019
We anticipated that FOX would have a lot of support, given that many Buckeye fans believe that there is an inherent bias from ABC and ESPN towards SEC teams, and in turn against Ohio State.
What we found is that this assumption more or less holds, but that the Worldwide Leader in Sports still has support amongst the fanbase. However, many in Buckeye Nation would be more in favor of FOX if they varied up the game times a bit.
Let’s see what you all had to say about the network battle:
Pro-FOX
In FOX’s favor, the vast majority of Buckeye fans prefer the “Big Noon” announcing duo of Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt.
For the most part I've been happy with it, because the production is good and Gus/Joel are great. I'll echo the comments that it would be nice to have a couple more late afternoon/night games. I was legit stunned that Penn State was a noon kick.
— Casey (@caseylaughman) November 26, 2019
Give me Gus and Joel any day.
— EasyAmos (@AMOS007) November 26, 2019
No problem w/ the FOX coverage here. I’ve always enjoyed Gus and I think Joel Klatt does a great job as well. They’ve covered OSU enough this year to have a lot of good insight on the program and you don’t get that with a different crew calling the game on a weekly basis.
— Clint Phillips (@i_dotter05) November 26, 2019
Joel and Gus> everyone
— Tyler Blagg (@n_t_blagg) November 26, 2019
Great, Fox’s pregame show is way better than ESPN. Gus and Joel are by far my favorite guys to hear do a game.
— Maclunkey (@513Bahr) November 26, 2019
Love it. And I am in the minority here but I like noon games.
— TAZ (@Danakin_Earls) November 26, 2019
I think Fox has the best announcers. They actually get excited and get into the game. I'll take Fox any-day.
— Trent May (@trentemay) November 26, 2019
I love it.. I want to vomit every time they’re on abc. Fowler is awful on his best days.
— Ron Green (@1Fatdaddy2) November 26, 2019
Pro-ABC/ESPN
Despite the warm feelings that most Buckeye fans seem to have for Johnson and Klatt, many took issue with the network’s production values, whether that’s its over-the-air or streaming picture quality or their commercial frequency.
I like Gus and Klatt, but other than that ESPN/ABC just produces a better broadcast imo (especially ABC)...and the “Big Noon” time slot has GOT to go. Every other big time program is playing their big time games at 3:30 or beyond.
— Anthony Ross (@aross13) November 26, 2019
I hate it. Fox games seem to run longer and seem to have more commercials. I don’t care for any of Fox’s announcers. They need a talent upgrade.
— Jack Locke (@LockeCommon) November 26, 2019
My antenna doesn't pick up FOX for some reason, and their streaming app sucks. So it's been from me. Say what you will about ESPN but their tech works.
— Bobby Harley Jarvis (@erikBobbitt) November 26, 2019
If fox runs one more wwe smackdown commercial, I'm going to lose my freaking mind. The commentators incorporate it into their work, it's disgusting. Give me espn and their supposed sec bias any day
— Cody Yeagley (@CYeagley) November 27, 2019
Prefer ABC
— Cobretti (@MarrionCobretti) November 26, 2019
Fox feed is terrible
They cut to commercial after every change of possession
I have nothing against the announcers, but Fox doesn’t offer a streaming service in Europe and it’s been a huge pain to watch.
— Cont-Rarey-an (@rareyrare) November 26, 2019
Commercial breaks on Fox are brutal. Touchdown/extra point, Commercial, Kickoff, Commercial fml
— beat TTUN (@Safety_Koos) November 26, 2019
Not a huge fan. Hate the noon kickoffs. Cant stand Gus but like Joel. I think Herbstreit and Fowler are a better duo and better to listen to. But primarily the noon kickoffs are the worst (11 AM for me). Penn State and Wisconsin should’ve been at night.
— Patrick Martin (@PMart14_) November 27, 2019
Would be better if they discontinued the commercial, punt, commercial or TD, commercial, XP, commercial, Kickoff, commercial format. I know advertising pays the bills but they are getting close to CBS levels of terrible with the breaks.
— Matthew Bailey (@GumbysDonkey) November 27, 2019
Pro-FOX... with one exception
The third substantive group in this discussion is those people that like FOX’s broadcast, but hate FOX’s broadcast time. For years, Buckeye fans have gotten used to having a not insignificant number of games — especially the marquee ones on their schedule — airing in primetime. That has not been the case this year.
Whether for recruiting, viewability, or personal reasons a lot of OSU fans would prefer that FOX threw in some late afternoon or evening kickoffs.
Great.... except for all the noon kickoffs
— Austin Ward (@AusTurner) November 26, 2019
Gus and Joel are great but I don’t love every big home game being at noon.
— A dot Brens (@Brensweets) November 26, 2019
My only beef has been all the noon game times. I understand the strategy behind it, but as a fan, I hate it.
— Beth Watkins (@bethwatkins) November 26, 2019
Love it except that every game is noon. Not ideal for us west coast Buckeyes.
— ⭕️ ⭕️ (@mypoint_isthis) November 26, 2019
Fine but too many noon games, love the announcers
— Craig Long (@CMacLong) November 27, 2019
I just want some more night games on Fox so my kids can get a decent nap. Noon and 3:30 are rough. Lolol.
— Taylor Semer (@t_semer) November 27, 2019
Poll
What college football broadcaster do you prefer?
This poll is closed
-
15%
ESPN/ABC
(31 votes) -
36%
FOX
(75 votes) -
48%
FOX, but chill with the noon games
(99 votes)