FOX Sports activities stays critical about making an attempt to problem ESPN’s “School GameDay” because the preeminent faculty soccer pregame present and made a giant effort to that finish not too long ago.
FOX made an “all-out effort” to woo Rece Davis to change into the brand new host of its “Large Midday Saturday” pregame present, based on Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. Davis additionally would have change into one of many faces of FOX Sports activities had he made the transfer, with the chance to host the community’s FIFA World Cup protection as nicely.
As an alternative, Davis remained loyal to ESPN with a brand new seven-year deal price “tens of thousands and thousands of {dollars}.” The transfer will see Davis stay with “School GameDay” for the rest of the community’s deal to televise the School Soccer Playoff.
Davis is certainly one of ESPN’s most outstanding faces in terms of faculty soccer. He has been with the community since 1995 and took over because the host of “GameDay” in 2015 when Chris Fowler started doing play-by-play. Seeing him on one other community would have been unusual, to say the least.
Whereas FOX’s “Large Midday Kickoff” has not eclipsed “School GameDay” within the rankings, it has change into in style partly as a result of presence of massive names like City Meyer. Davis would have been a extra high-profile host than Rob Stone, who at present occupies the position. It’s not clear if FOX remains to be seeking to change Stone or if this was merely concerning the alternative to lure Davis.