Compared to the efforts of the NBC Sports Network and the newly launched Fox Sports 1, it would appear that the CBS Sports Network isn’t even trying (put aside the aggressive luring of Jim Rome away from ESPN).
In an effort to curb such pessimism, CBS Sports Network announced yesterday they are launching a new expanded NFL pregame show to air each Sunday morning during the NFL season. The name of that show, according to Ed Sherman, will be “That Other Pregame Show.”
Are they serious?
I get the attempt at standing out and all, but “That Other Pregame Show” sounds more the name of an amateur podcast (no offense to the many fine amateur podcasters out there) or the name of a show on Fox Sports Net in the year 2000.
The new show could turn out to be great for all I know, but the seemingly half-assed naming attempt only reinforces the notion that CBS Sports Network is the weakest link within the cable sports channel arena.
Though day-to-day ratings between the three cable networks may not show a lights out difference, both NBC and Fox so far have more invested in their respective sports networks. With the seemingly long-term goal of one day becoming a legitimate competitor to ESPN, the games have just begun, so CBS isn’t out of it yet.
Nevertheless, I can’t help wonder if Jim Rome now regrets going to CBS. If he would have waited a while longer after his ESPN contract expired, perhaps he’d be at either NBC or Fox by now.