CLEVELAND – Fox Sports Net Ohio and the Columbus Blue Jackets today announced a long-term extension of their television partnership. As part of that agreement, Fox Sports Net is expanding its telecast schedule from 65 to 75 games beginning with the 2003-04 season. Steve Liverani, Senior Vice President and General Manager, made the announcement.
Regular season coverage begins Thursday, October 9 against the Atlanta Thrashers. Coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. with Blue Jackets Ice Breaker, followed by the face-off at 7:30 p.m.
New to Fox Sports Net this year is Blue Jackets Ice Cap, which directly follows each game telecast and features highlights, player interviews and analysis. Jim Day will host Blue Jackets Ice Cap after home games, while Dan Kelly and Steve Konroyd host from the road.
Returning this season is Blue Jackets Ice Breaker, presented by Toyota. The Blue Jackets half-hour pregame show is hosted by Jeff Hogan and Jim Day. Ice Breaker airs 30 minutes prior to each game telecast.
The expanded 75-game telecast schedule includes 38 home and 37 road contests.
Highlights of this season’s schedule on Fox Sports Net include six match-ups against former Blue Jacket Ray Whitney and the Detroit Red Wings; the October 13th battle against Vancouver in which the Blue Jackets will unveil their new 3rd jersey; and, the sole appearance in Columbus this season by the defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils on January 27.
“As the premier television home of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Fox Sports Net is thrilled to expand its already unparalleled coverage of the team by adding ten additional games and a post-game show,” said Liverani. “This year’s Tied and True theme is very appropriate as FSN was there for the 1st drop of the puck, and intends to be there as the Blue Jackets continue to build a championship-caliber team.”
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“We have enjoyed a great relationship with Fox Sports Net over the past four years and we’re excited to be able to extend our partnership through 2011,” said Michael Humes, Blue Jackets Senior Vice President of Business Operations. “It was very important for both of us to provide our fans with additional opportunities to watch Blue Jackets hockey on Fox Sports Net and this new stage of our relationship accomplishes just that.”
Dan Kelly (play-by-play), and Steve Konroyd (color), return this year to call their fourth season of Blue Jackets hockey on Fox Sports Net.
Fox Sports Net Ohio reaches more than 4.5 million households in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, western Pennsylvania, western New York, and West Virginia. Fox Sports Net Ohio’s programming includes the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Cleveland Cavaliers, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, NASCAR and “54321.” Fox Sports Net Ohio is managed by Rainbow Sports Networks.
Rainbow Sports Networks is a division of Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). Fox Sports Net reaches more than 79 million households nationwide and is a service of National Sports Partners, equally owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. and Fox Entertainment Group. Rainbow Sports Networks incorporates Rainbow’s 50% ownership of Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports National Advertising and the ownership and management of Fox Sports Net regional networks in five of the nation’s largest markets: Chicago, Florida, Ohio, New England and San Francisco.
| October | Opponent | Time (Est) | |
| 9 | Thur | @ Atlanta | 7:30PM |
| 11 | Sat | NY Rangers | 7:00PM |
| 13 | Mon | Vancouver | 7:00PM |
| 16 | Thur | Chicago | 7:00PM |
| 18 | Sat | @ Nashville | 8:00PM |
| 22 | Wed | @ Detroit | 7:30PM |
| 23 | Thurs | Tampa Bay | 7:00PM |
| 25 | Sat | Dallas | 7:00PM |
| 28 | Tues | @ Vancouver | 10:00PM |
| 30 | Thur | @ Edmonton | 9:00PM |
| NOVEMBER | |||
| 1 | Sat | @ Calgary | 9:00PM |
| 7 | Fri | Atlanta | 7:00PM |
| 11 | Tues | @ Montreal | 7:30PM |
| 13 | Thur | @ Ottawa | 7:30PM |
| 14 | Fri | Boston | 7:00PM |
| 19 | Wed | @ Detroit | 7:30PM |
| 20 | Thur | Detroit | 7:30PM |
| 22 | Sat | NY Islanders | 7:00PM |
| 25 | Tues | Edmonton | 7:00PM |
| 26 | Wed | @ Nashville | 8:00PM |
| 29 | Sat | Washington | 7:00PM |
| DECEMBER | |||
| 2 | Tues | Anaheim | 7:00PM |
| 4 | Thurs | Nashville | 7:00PM |
| 6 | Sat | @ Colorado | 9:00PM |
| 10 | Wed | Philadelphia | 7:00PM |
| 12 | Fri | St. Louis | 7:00PM |
| 13 | Sat | @ Pittsburgh | 7:30PM |
| 16 | Tues | @ St. Louis | 8:00PM |
| 19 | Fri | Calgary | 7:00PM |
| 20 | Sat | @ Minnesota | 8:00PM |
| 23 | Tues | Phoenix | 7:00PM |
| 26 | Fri | @ Chicago | 8:30PM |
| 27 | Sat | Dallas | 7:00PM |
| 29 | Mon | St. Louis | 7:00PM |
| 31 | Wed | San Jose | 7:00PM |
| JANUARY | |||
| 2 | Fri | @ Tampa Bay | 3:00PM |
| 3 | Sat | @ Florida | 7:30PM |
| 6 | Tues | @ Colorado | 9:00PM |
| 10 | Sat | @ Los Angeles | 10:30PM |
| 11 | Sun | @ Anaheim | 8:00PM |
| 15 | Thur | @ St. Louis | 8:00PM |
| 16 | Fri | Los Angeles | 7:00PM |
| 21 | Wed | St. Louis | 7:00PM |
| 22 | Thur | @ Chicago | 8:30PM |
| 24 | Sat | Chicago | 7:00PM |
| 27 | Tues | New Jersey | 7:00PM |
| 29 | Thur | Nashville | 7:00PM |
| 31 | Sat | Minnesota | 7:00PM |
| FEBRUARY | |||
| 2 | Mon | @ Phoenix | 9:00PM |
| 4 | Wed | @ Dallas | 8:30PM |
| 11 | Wed | Los Angeles | 7:00PM |
| 12 | Thur | @ Toronto | 7:30PM |
| 14 | Sat | San Jose | 7:00PM |
| 16 | Mon | Nashville | 7:00PM |
| 20 | Fri | @ Phoenix | 9:00PM |
| 23 | Mon | @ San Jose | 10:30PM |
| 25 | Wed | Chicago | 7:00PM |
| 27 | Fri | @ Chicago | 8:30PM |
| 28 | Sat | Colorado | 7:00PM |
| MARCH | |||
| 2 | Tues | @ Carolina | 7:00PM |
| 3 | Wed | @ Dallas | 8:30PM |
| 6 | Sat | Vancouver | 7:00PM |
| 8 | Mon | Carolina | 7:00PM |
| 11 | Thur | Detroit | 7:00PM |
| 13 | Sat | @ St. Louis | 8:00PM |
| 14 | Sun | @ Minnesota | 8:00PM |
| 16 | Tues | @ Edmonton | 9:00PM |
| 18 | Thur | @ Calgary | 9:00PM |
| 24 | Wed | Minnesota | 7:00PM |
| 26 | Fri | Anaheim | 7:00PM |
| 27 | Sat | @ Nashville | 8:00PM |
| 29 | Mon | @ Buffalo | 7:00PM |
| 31 | Wed | Detroit | 7:00PM |
| APRIL | |||
| 2 | Fri | Colorado | 7:00PM |
| 3 | Sat | @ Detroit | 7:30PM |