Miami Marlins, FOX Sports Florida announce 150-game television broadcast schedule
Marlins LIVE pregame show for home and away games, seven episodes of Inside the Marlins, six episodes of Billy's Bunch
MIAMI, FL -- FOX Sports Florida, the statewide television home of the Miami Marlins, will produce and televise a total of 150 Marlins regular season games in high definition as part of the 2013 Major League Baseball season. FOX Sports Florida will kick off the season on Monday, April 1, 2013 at 1:05 p.m. ET when the Marlins take on the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Home and away game telecasts will feature half-hour Marlins LIVE pregame shows and all will offer extended post-game coverage from site.
Tommy Hutton returns to the broadcast booth with expert commentary marking his 17th season as FOX Sports Florida's Marlins' television analyst. Rich Waltz returns for his ninth year as play-by-play announcer and Craig Minervini is back for his 12th season as pregame host and in-game reporter. FOX Sports Florida's Frank Forte hosts Inside the Marlins and select Marlins LIVE pre-and postgame shows and Allison Williams returns as feature reporter.
"Mr. Marlin," former Marlins star Jeff Conine, continues on FOX Sports Florida's telecast team and will provide expert analysis on Marlins LIVE pre- and postgame shows for all home game telecasts. FOX Sports Florida's newest additions to Marlins LIVE, former Marlins Cliff Floyd and Preston Wilson, return for their second season delivering added commentary and analysis. Cookie Rojas and Raul Striker Jr. will provide SAP coverage for Marlins home games.
In addition to the 150 games on FOX Sports Florida, the Marlins will appear three times on the 'FOX Saturday Baseball Game of the Week' national schedule against the Chicago White Sox on May 25, at 7 p.m. ET, Washington Nationals on July 13, at 7 p.m. ET and San Francisco Giants on August 17, at 3:30 p.m. ET.
An additional pair of games versus the Tampa Bay Rays on May 27 and May 28 will be available statewide as part of the Rays broadcast on FOX's Sun Sports.
Going beyond just coverage of games, FOX Sports Florida's partnership with the Marlins provides fans with more opportunities to get to know the team and its players. Seven half-hour episodes of FOX Sports Florida's popular Inside the Marlins are planned this year and will include player and coaches profiles, with exclusive behind-the-scenes stories and interviews, plus episodes offering inside access to other aspects of the team and its operations - all designed to bring the fans closer to their favorite team.
Also returning, three young reporters in the making- Brendan (10th grade), Lauren (7th grade) and Frankie (3rd grade) - hosting the "Billy's Bunch" kids series, and are joined on select episodes by Marlins players.
Additional information is available at the team's official website at www.marlins.com.