Certainly the most peculiar, headline-grabbing talent addition to the ranks of Fox Sports 1 has been Regis Philbin serving as host of Crowd Goes Wild, the network's eclectic afternoon show. Although CGW has its weird moments and focuses on extreme irreverence, a show that develops a Tebow swear jar can't be all bad.
Well, at Media Day, Philbin confirmed what has long been reported and anticipated. That his stay with Fox Sports 1 would be a short one and he's leaving after the Super Bowl.
Regis Philbin confirms at Media Day what he told me months ago–he will leave Crowd Goes Wild shortly after Super Bowl
— Richard Sandomir (@RichSandomir) January 28, 2014
It was always going to be a short term marriage between Regis and Fox Sports 1. Signing a daytime television host in his 80s to host an afternoon sports variety show isn't exactly a long-term strategy. It's hard to call Regis' tenure at FS1 a success or a failure. I'm sure Fox would have liked a bigger ratings pop from someone of Philbin's TV stature, but the show has certainly carved its own niche in FS1's daily lineup.
What will this do to Crowd Goes Wild? I would imagine it sticks around in its same format. Although the ratings haven't quite been there (a story for the entire network) you could argue that all of the individual personalities on the show have been a bright spot for the network. From Sky's Georgie Thompson to Katie Nolan and former NFL Pro Bowler Trevor Pryce, they should all have a future at the network in some capacity.
Hopefully Regis will learn Trevor Pryce's name before he leaves.
UPDATE: Here's more details on Regis' future at Fox Sports 1 via a network spokesperson. Looks like Reege will be phased out over the spring with his last day at Fox not yet determined..
"He is taking the month of February off as has been the plan all along. He'll be back on Crowd Goes Wild in March and will work a limited schedule each week well into spring. His final day at Crowd Goes Wild hasn't yet been determined, but it is several months away, not right after the Super Bowl."
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