So all day yesterday the World waited as Billy Packer and Bob Knight prepared for a groundbreaking announcement. I honestly though it was going to be something unimportant, but it turns out to actually be something of substance. The two are teaming together for Fox Sports, and are planning on doing an hour show on March Madness right from the Sportsbook at the Wynn in Vegas. Via PR Newswire….
Wynn Las Vegas Race & Sports Book will host Billy Packer and Bob Knight’s “Survive and Advance,” a series of five one-hour tournament television programs analyzing the 2009 NCAA National Championship. Packer and Knight have teamed up to develop the ultimate men’s college basketball tournament platform that includes broadcast television, interactive TV, fantasy leagues, computer games and the Internet.
“Survive and Advance” is scheduled to air on FSN (Fox Sports Net) at 12 a.m. local, directly following the basketball games on March 15, March 22, March 29, April 3 and April 5. The one-hour program will feature live commentary from the hosts and their top-tier guests including coaches, former players and well-known personalities. The shows will re-air throughout the week (check local listings). FSN is the nation’s leading provider of local sports and reaches more than 80 million homes across the U.S.
In addition to their arrangement with Wynn Las Vegas to host the television shows, Packer and Knight are also teaming to develop an interactive web platform. The interactive platform will feature custom games and a website, including news, analysis, blogs, video, and other original content. Packer said, “this initiative will enable fans to experience the best college basketball tournament coverage across multiple media vehicles.”
Well that’s quite an interesting/random pairing, isn’t it? I can’t imagine the two being able to calmly put on a show with a thousand drunk gamblers hanging all over them, but I wish them luck. Actually, that’s a lie….I want it to be a trainwreck. I’ll be sure to have video(s) up in March.