LOS ANGELES—Fox Sports is launching a new talk show shot entirely on iPhones and iPads and simultaneously live streamed on four platforms—Facebook, Periscope, YouTube and Fox Sports Go.
Fox Sports said the endeavor was believed to be the first-of-its-kind “quadcast.” The program, entitled “Outkick the Show,” is hosted by Fox Sports College Football Insider Clay Travis and is being live streamed Monday-Friday at noon Eastern.
“Outkick the Show” is an extension of Travis’ blog, “Outkick the Coverage.” The new program features Travis giving his take on the headlines of the day in sports and pop culture, interviewing guests, and answering real-time questions from fans on Facebook and Periscope. One of Travis’ earliest guests was SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, with whom he discussed Sankey’s first job and his thoughts on the SEC this season.
“Outkick the Show” is live streamed using three iPhone 6s and an iPad Mini affixed to a specially modified tripod, which allows Travis to operate the technology by himself.
The design allows Travis to travel with the technology and live stream the show virtually anytime and anyplace. Plans call for Travis to take “Outkick the Show” on the road to several major sporting events in the coming year.
Travis said that rather than doing a live radio show, the quadcast and live stream scheme gives him much greater freedom.
“At one point, you needed a physical radio station with a large antenna to speak to the masses,“ he said. ”Now you don’t. All I need to reach the masses is a Wi-Fi signal. Basically I want to make consuming ‘Outkick the Show’ as fun and easy as possible. And I think this is the answer. If you have a Wi-Fi connection or a phone, you'll have access to ‘Outkick the Show.’”
The concept was a result of a brainstorm between Travis and Fox Sports Digital executives, who wanted to capitalize on the growing influence of live streaming apps like Periscope, as well as the ubiquity of social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube to distribute and promote the show.
Fox Sports has been experimenting with social media and streaming apps, most recently using Periscope to stream the NFL Draft in April. (See “Fox Sports to Use Periscope for NFL Draft Coverage.”)
“Outkick the Show” will also be available to all users of Fox Sports Go and will not require a pay-TV subscription.
Travis, a former lawyer, started “Outkick the Coverage” in 2011 as an SEC-centric news and opinion blog. He manages the content and also makes regular appearances on Fox Sports’ college football studio programming and FS1’s signature program Fox Sports Live.
The podcast of the show reached No. 1 on iTunes in Sports & Recreation a day after it launched in 2013, Fox Sports said.
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