A Message from FOX Sports Arizona's Senior Vice President & General Manager Mike Connelly

The face of television is in the midst of great change, greater than anytime in the history of television. Analog to digital, standard definition to high definition, VCRs to DVRs and cop shows to reality shows. Since the broadcast of the first live sporting event in 1939 - a Columbia vs. Princeton baseball game with one camera - the true test of consistency in this ever changing medium has been and will always be televising live sporting events. Live sporting events are, without question, the ultimate reality show. No scripts, no formats, great storylines and at times intense conflict with no guarantee of a predicted outcome.

Live sporting event broadcasts are the catalyst of change in the television industry. They are the driving force behind new technology. The driving force behind high definition and new kinds of cameras and angles like Diamond Cams in the field or Sky Cams flying above the action. Live sporting events consume more television hours and reach an audience larger than any other entertainment program. And live sports are NOW! Even with the advancement of technology like TIVO or a DVR, viewers must watch a live sporting event as it happens. The mystery of a final score is gone at the end of the game, as we are in the information age and the outcomes are available everywhere the minute the game is over.

This is the greatest time of year for sports fans. As we move into the D-backs season from the Suns, Coyotes and college basketball seasons, FOX Sports Arizona will continue to deliver the furthest and most consistent reach to the viewers of our local teams - better than any over the air broadcaster in Arizona and New Mexico. We will provide the best technology in the market and the least time shifted content of all other networks combined. We have the ability to produce integrated special elements during game play, better than any local over the air broadcaster which provides a greater value to our team partners, distribution partners and advertising partners. During this D-backs season, FOX Sports Arizona will elevate our ability to bring the game closer to our viewers and partners. Please tune in to our great coverage of the D-backs baseball beginning April 6 as we deliver new technologies and venues within and around our broadcasts that will enhance your viewing experience.

Partner Spotlight - Sanderson Ford Lincoln Mercury Volvo

In this newsletter, we put the spotlight on Sanderson Ford Lincoln Mercury Volvo. For the second consecutive year, they are partnering with FOX Sports Arizona on the very popular "Kidkaster" promotion throughout the 2009 Arizona Diamondbacks season, just as they did last year. They also introduced Phoenix Coyotes viewers to the initiative during the 2008-09 season.

The following is a statement from Max Sirstins, Sanderson Ford Lincoln Mercury Volvo Director of Advertising, on why he chooses to partner with FOX Sports Arizona:

"Although I was hesitant in the beginning to run with FOX Sports Arizona, thinking it would not be cost effective to advertise in such a large market area, I decided to give it a fair test and the results were overwhelming," said Sirstins. "It turned out that the full coverage area made the real difference in results and the return on our investment. It didn’t matter if viewers had cable or satellite or were watching at home or in a tavern/restaurant. Everyone saw our ads. They priced it right -- and instead of reaching half the people watching the game, we got the entire audience and it doubled our response."

Sanderson Ford Lincoln Mercury Volvo is conveniently located in Glendale (6400 North 51st Avenue) and has the area's largest selection of Ford Lincoln Mercury and certified preowned vehicles from cars and trucks to vans and SUVs. They can be found on the internet at http://www.sandersonford.com/.

150 D-backs Games Televised in 2009

FOX Sports Arizona, the exclusive home of Arizona Diamondbacks baseball, will televise 150 regular-season games this season. In addition to the regular season, the network also has three spring training games, beginning with the March 30 game against the Colorado Rockies at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson (1:00 p.m.).

Opening Day for the D-backs is on April 6 and FOX Sports Arizona's coverage starts with a special one-hour pre-game show at 11:30 a.m. live from Chase Field. At 12:30 p.m., the D-backs take on the Rockies. Daron Sutton returns for his third season as play-by-play announcer on all D-backs telecasts on FOX Sports Arizona. Mark Grace is back for his sixth year as an analyst, with Hall of Fame announcer Joe Garagiola Sr. and Tom Candiotti stepping in as an analyst on select games.

FOX Sports Arizona will showcase the “Miller Lite Diamondbacks Live” pre-game show hosted by Todd Walsh, with guest appearances by Grace. The “Qwest Diamondbacks Live” post-game show is hosted by Brad Steinke and Mark McClune. The pre- and post-game shows will air live from Chase Field’s Miller Lite Diamond Club for all home game telecasts.

The network's exclusive television coverage also includes 16 days during the year dubbed “All Day with the D-backs.” On those days, fans can look forward to 10 consecutive hours devoted to D-backs programming, highlighted with a replay of the previous day’s game, that day’s game telecast, pre- and post-game shows and a prime-time re-air of the day’s afternoon game.

FOX Sports Arizona’s High Definition schedule is still being finalized and will be announced as soon as it is complete.

Ranking Arizona: The Best of Arizona Business 2009

The 2009 edition of Ranking Arizona: The Best of Arizona Business was recently released and FOX Sports Arizona was ranked as the No. 4 television station in the state of Arizona. It's the highest position ever for the network in the yearly rankings and an outstanding accomplishment considering FOX Sports Arizona ranked higher than two Phoenix broadcast stations and every Tucson TV station.

The rankings are the result of the largest business opinion poll taken in Arizona and were based on voting that took place on the Arizona Business Magazine website. The Top-10 television stations rankings are as follows: 1. KPNX-NBC-12 (Phoenix); 2. KSAZ-FOX-10 (Phoenix); 3. KTVK-3 (Phoenix); 4. FOX SPORTS ARIZONA; 5. Cox Media; 6. KNXV-ABC-15 (Phoenix); 7. KAET-8 (Phoenix); 8. KPHO-CBS-5 (Phoenix); 9. KOLD-CBS-13 (Tucson); 10. KUAT-6 (Tucson)

RideNow Powersports & The Eric Byrnes Show Join Forces

The most popular powersports dealer in the country teamed up with the most popular original program to ever air on FOX Sports Arizona when RideNow Powersports recently agreed to become the new title sponsor of The Eric Byrnes Show.

RideNow Powersports and Eric Byrnes both share a common thread. A desire to have fun and be the very best at what they do -- and that makes the partnership a natural fit.

"All of us here at RideNow Powersports are excited about our increased partnership with FOX Sports Arizona and the sponsorship of The Eric Byrnes Show," said Gene Ponti, Director of Marketing for RideNow Powersports. "Eric is a great guy and the perfect person to represent the Powersports business. It's obvious that Eric has fun on his show and that is what the powersports enthusiast is all about, having fun. We look forward to his show and a great season with the Arizona Diamondbacks."

"We value our partnership with RideNow Powersports tremendously," said David Brown, FOX Sports Arizona General Sales Manager. "This sponsorship allows us to further strengthen our brand and expand on our mission to be the network D-backs fans turn to first."

FOX Sports Arizona Boosts Its Social Media Presence On The Internet

Sharing information with people in the local community and around the world has never been as easy as it is today. With the creation of social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, people are able to interact and share their thoughts with friends, family members and other people with similar interests.

FOX Sports Arizona has recently launched Facebook and Twitter pages to compliment its MySpace page. Facebook allows the network to share videos, pictures, event information, programming schedules, press releases, contests and much more with its viewers. Viewers can post comments, photos, and videos of their own so that other fans can enjoy them as well.

Twitter users follow individuals and businesses in real time based on short message updates. Users can share links about anything they feel like and do it all from their computer or their mobile device. FOX Sports Arizona is able to update people instantly about anything that is going on with the network. It can share interesting stories from around Arizona, send out press releases, promote new business ventures, invite fans to events or start a discussion about local teams. The possibilities are endless and the interaction with the audience can’t be duplicated by any traditional form of networking.

To join these social media platforms and stay updated with Arizona’s teams and programming, find FOX Sports Arizona on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1262103146&ref=profile#/pages/FOX-Sports-Arizona/40958295996?ref=ts - and log on to www.twitter.com/FOXSPORTSAZ or www.myspace.com/fsnarizona.

Be A Fan!

For the 2009 Arizona Diamondbacks season, FOX Sports Arizona is inviting everyone to “Be A Fan!”

This marketing initiative will celebrate the fan experience and showcase the excitement and memories that can be generated by being a fan of the D-backs. The first step in the campaign was on display during the D-backs Fan Fest at Chase Field when the network let fans participate in its promo shoot for the upcoming season.

Actual fans will be used this season on the air to help promote D-backs baseball on FOX Sports Arizona. Fans of all ages took part in the green screen shoot throughout the day and will look forward to seeing themselves appear on television during the season.

FOX Sports Arizona also used Fan Fest as an opportunity to let kids audition for this season's “Sanderson Ford Lincoln Mercury Kidkaster” promotion. Kids ages 8-14 were able to submit a 60-second video essay on why they would make a great Kidkaster and join Daron Sutton and Mark Grace live on television to announce a half-inning of a game.

FOX Sports Arizona Welcomed Home the Cardinals

FOX Sports Arizona was the only television network to hold its own welcome home rally for the Arizona Cardinals the night they returned to Phoenix following Super Bowl XLIII.

In conjunction with the season’s final episode of “Qwest Cardinals Live,” the rally was held at Tempe Marketplace where nearly 500 red-clad fans came out to show their support for the team’s incredible season. Fresh from the airport, running back Tim Hightower graciously made a guest appearance for the half-hour show to offer his insights into playing in one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time.


Throughout the show, FOX Sports Arizona raffled off autographed jerseys, helmets and footballs signed by many players from the NFC championship squad, including a one-of-its-kind helmet that was autographed by every Cardinals players and coach that was a guest on the show during the season.

Arizona State University's W.P. Carey Sports Business MBA Program Conducts Research Project for FOX Sports Arizona

In order to know your business best, you simply need to ask your customers. With that in mind, FOX Sports Arizona invited viewers to weigh in on the network by taking part in an on-line survey.

The survey is just one of the elements being done for a research project undertaken by Arizona State University's W.P. Carey Sports Business Program during the 2008-09 school year. In addition to compiling all the survey results, the program is also getting opinions and evaluations of the network via focus groups that are comprised of season ticket holders from each of FOX Sports Arizona’s team partners.

Mesa Woman Wins VIP Trip to NBA All-Star Jam Session

Getting Arizona's sports fans close to the action is what FOX Sports Arizona is all about. Our exclusive access is what sets us apart from other local television outlets - and recently, one lucky viewer found out first hand what this mantra is all about.

H&R Block and FOX Sports Arizona teamed up for the "You've Got People Party" contest and awarded Patty Felchak of Mesa with a VIP trip for her and 29 friends to the NBA All Star Game's Jam Session. To make the night even more memorable, the entire group was transported like All-Stars themselves, arriving at the Phoenix Convention Center in a stretch limousine!

Entering to win was as easy as dropping by a local H&R Block and filling out an entry form. The contest was promoted on-air during FOX Sports Arizona programming in January and generated a tremendous number of entries and visitors to H&R Block's offices.

Cool Change Tip

Courtesy of FOX Sports Arizona's "Cool Change" program, here is a tip on how you can help the environment at the office:

The lights in many offices burn long after workers have finished burning the midnight oil. It might make for a pretty skyline, but leaving the lights on, combined with all those computers left on standby, can double a company’s electric bill.

U.S. commercial buildings alone generate 18% of the country’s CO2 emissions. Unnecessary lights also generate unnecessary heat, requiring the air conditioning to work overtime using more electricity. Just ask your building manager to turn lights off at night or to install movement-activated sensors. Take the initiative by placing reminders near light switches in the areas where you work.