FOX Sports Honors Military Service with Veteran’s Day Tributes
New York – With Tuesday, Nov. 11, marking the annual Veteran’s Day holiday in the United States, FOX Sports’ charitable arm, FOX Sports Supports, is delivering a number of production elements across the NFL on FOX, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports Regional Networks as part of a tribute to the men and women who have and continue to bravely serve in our nation’s armed forces.
Yesterday, FOX NFL KICKOFF on FOX Sports 1 and FOX NFL SUNDAY began the Veteran’s Day tribute with live coverage from Fort Benning, Ga. Jay Glazer and Jenny Taft visited with soldiers and Gold Star Pin family members, interviewing them for segments of the pregame shows.
On Veteran’s Day, the schedule is highlighted by approximately 100 active and reserve military personnel coming to FOX’s Los Angeles production studio for a lot tour and dinner. The troops will then be escorted to the set of FOX SPORTS LIVE, where they will appear on-air throughout the show, in appreciation for their continued service and sacrifice.
A special feature piece is slated to air during both AMERICA’S PREGAME and FOX SPORTS LIVE on Tuesday, taking a deeper look at the relationship between veterans and the game of football across all levels of the sport. Several men and women have returned from active duty to play and coach the game in their local communities, helping to accelerate their acclimation back to civilian lifestyle. The organization Got Your 6 assisted in identifying some of the best and brightest veterans involved with the game, and the feature is headlined by Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva. Villanueva is a graduate of West Point who served three tours in Afghanistan and was the recipient of a Bronze Star for heroism in a combat zone.
Tuesday’s special programming block begins at 7:00 PM ET with DRIVEN Brian Stann: All American, profiling the former Marine, Iraq War veteran and Silver Star recipient, mixed-martial artist and current UFC on FOX analyst’s journey through life. At 8:00 PM ET, the network airs Best Ranger Competition – 2014, an hour-long documentary chronicling a 60-hour test of body and mind to crown the toughest tandem of soldiers in one of the military’s most elite units. The final piece of the military-themed programming block will be the re-air of a Memorial Day Golden Boy Boxing card that was held May 26, 2014 live from Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.
Other production elements for Veteran’s Day include custom public service announcements featuring FOX Sports talent, expressing appreciation and support for those enlisted, past and present. Talent includes Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Jimmy Johnson, Molly McGrath and Karyn Bryant. Additionally, service veterans Mike Hill (served in the Air Force) and Stann (Marines) also appear in PSAs.
Patriotic-themed logos and graphic elements for both FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2 will also be a visible part of Tuesday’s programming.
FOX Sports Regional Networks will air five new “Warriors Among Us” Veteran’s Day vignettes. A special “Warriors Among Us” feature called “Letters” gives a personal account of the military service, sacrifice, and the salvation found in sports. The first installment is a letter from Sgt. 1st Class Joe Bowser, a warrior, amputee, Red Wings fan and member of the U.S. Warrior Hockey team.
FOX Sports Supports
FOX Sports Supports has become the industry leader in raising awareness for worthwhile causes like education, military, health awareness and human services. In the last six years, it has supported 24 charities, from helping children with cancer to assisting military personnel and their families. Through public service announcements, events, verbal and special messages during FOX Sports programming, FOX Sports Supports has successfully raised awareness for several worthy charities, helping to generate millions of dollars in donations. In addition, the PSAs have received tens of millions of dollars’ worth of air time across all 21st Century Fox channels, helping to support causes such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Stand Up To Cancer, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, City of Hope, STOMP Out Bullying, Feeding America, Johns Hopkins Medicine and many more.
