Baseball Season in Full Swing

FOX Sports North congratulates Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Joe Nathan on their All-Star selection. The Twins are back from All-Star Break and on FOX Sports North on Friday.
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Twins All-Metrodome Team
FOX Sports North will have the exclusive announcement of the Twins All-Metrodome Team, during the Qwest Twins Live pre-game show on Tuesday, July 28.
Selected by Twins fans, media, alumni, front office and team historians, the Twins All-Metrodome ballot included the names of 66 players and three managers who anchored Twins teams throughout the Dome era.

The Minnesota Twins and FOX Sports North Celebrate Diversity
Check out our new spot:

Batting Stance Guy on FOX Sports North

Batting Stance Guy’s videos have become an internet sensation, with more than two million views on YouTube and other video sharing sites.
Batting Stance Guy made his debut on FOX Sports North last week: http://tinyurl.com/lwen4b

In celebration of this week’s MLB All-Star Game, FSN’s Batting Stance Guy appeared as a guest on Monday's Late Night with David Letterman and hit a home run with Dave and the audience. Batting Stance Guy, otherwise known as Gar Ryness, entertained with spot-on and wickedly funny impressions of some current and past MLB All- Stars. The clip can be seen in its entirety on YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/ksaph5

Earlier this year, FSN and Ryness entered into an agreement in which FSN will showcase exclusive Batting Stance Guy content on FSN regional networks during the 2009 MLB season.

More information: http://www.battingstanceguy.com/.

A Wild Summer

It’s been a wild summer for the Minnesota Wild and it’s only July. FOX Sports North has been with the team throughout the busy summer covering breaking news, the NHL draft and community initiatives.

FOX Sports North televised two live press conferences during the month of June. The first announced new Minnesota Wild GM, Chuck Fletcher and the second introduced newly appointed Wild head coach, Todd Richards.
Qwest Twins Live included complete coverage of the NHL draft from Montreal, reporting exciting news of the Wild’s first round pick Nick Leddy from Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Leddy has been featured in numerous FOX Sports North High School Hockey Night broadcasts over the past few years.
The Wild also joined FOX Sports North in Hermantown, Minnesota at a press conference announcing Hockey Day Minnesota 2010 before embarking on a three day trip across the “State of Hockey” for the 2009 Minnesota Wild Road Tour. The road tour came to an end in St. Paul where thousands of hockey fans attended the Wild Summer Bash celebration in Rice Park.


Photos:
Minnesota Wild players John Scott and Derek Boogaard sign autographs during a stop on the 2009 Wild Road Tour

Bill Robertson, VP of Communications for the Minnesota Wild talks to FOX Sports North at the Wild Summer Bash at Rice Park

An Active "Off-Season" for the Wolves

It might be the off-season for the Timberwolves, but the team hasn’t had much down time. It’s been a very active summer for the team as they build and prepare for the 2009-10 season. FOX Sports North has captured a lot of the busy off season, including two live press conferences. The first press conference was held to announce the Timberwolves new head of Basketball Operations, David Khan and the second press conference introduced two new players acquired in the 2009 NBA draft: Jonny Flynn and Wayne Ellington.

Video: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/video/video.php?v=1178167098036&ref=mf

Photo: Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations, David Kahn talks to Anthony LaPanta before the 2009 draft

Social Networking Continues to Grow

The numbers continue to grow, hundreds every week…FOX Sports North currently has over 12,000 combined followers between Facebook and Twitter.
Facebook: over 9,800
Twitter: over 2,800

Sports fans continue to log on to follow their preferred sports network, proving they want to stay connected and receive bonus footage and breaking news regarding their favorite sports teams.

Hockey Day Minnesota 2010 Announced

Fox Sports North, in conjunction with the Minnesota Wild, recently announced a cooperative effort to celebrate the Fourth Annual Hockey Day Minnesota.
Hockey Day Minnesota 2010 on Fox Sports North will take place on Saturday, January 23, 2010. The city of Hermantown will serve as the host for the three high school games featured in the 2010 line up:

10:00 a.m. Hopkins vs. Duluth-Marshall (boys)
1:30 p.m. Eden Prairie vs. Hermantown (boys)
4:30 p.m. Duluth vs. Hermantown (girls)

Hockey Day Minnesota coverage will also include a Minnesota Wild game from Xcel Energy Center, as well as the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers against the St. Cloud State Huskies.

According to Nielsen Media Research, FOX Sports North received top ratings for their coverage of Hockey Day Minnesota 2009, including record-breaking ratings during the first hour of Hockey Day programming and their highest-rated high school hockey and Gopher game of the season.

Photos:
(left to right) Hermantown Mayor, Wayne Boucher; Hermantown Boy's Head Hockey Coach, Bruce Plante; Duluth Star's Girls Head Hockey Coach, Amber Fryklund, FOX Sports North Host, Anthony LaPanta; Minnesota Wild Analyst, Mike Greenlay; University of Minnesota player, Cade Fairchild; St. Cloud State player, Drew LaBlanc and Minnesota Wild players John Scott and Derek Boogaard.

Anthony LaPanta, FOX Sports North presents the Hermantown Mayor, Wayne Boucher with a custom Hockey Day Minnesota 2010 jersey.

Media:
Hermantown to Host 2010 Hockey Day Minnesota, FOX 21-Duluth: http://www.fox21online.com/sports/hermantown-host-hockey-day-minnesota-2010

Hockey Day Minnesota Comes to Hermantown, Hermantown Star: http://www.hermantownstar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=946:hockey-day-minnesota-comes-to-hermantown&catid=18:breaking-news&Itemid=117

Minnesota Lynx

Tune in to FOX Sports North to catch the remaining Lynx broadcasts this season:
Aug. 7 vs. Connecticut, 9:30 PM
Sept. 5 vs. Seattle, 7:00 PM

Coaching Boys into Men Campaign

FOX Sports North is proud to support the “Coaching Boys into Men” campaign, a community education program supported by the Family Violence Prevention Fund and the Minnesota Department of Health.

"Coaching Boys into Men" Special Event:
Monday, August 10
National Sports Center, Blaine
Free, designed to educate coaches, parents and role models
Presented by FOX Sports North and the Domestic Violence Council of Anoka County

More information:
www.anokacounty.us

Fun Times at Valleyfair

FOX Sports North took the show on the road and set up Qwest Twins Live at Valleyfair. It was a fun day of baseball, games and rollercoasters. The special pre and postgame shows were designed to highlight all of the activities, performances and rides that provide family fun at Valleyfair. Hundreds of fans came to the park to celebrate with the FOX Sports North crew and over 500 fans commented on their favorite Valleyfair rollercoaster on the FOX Sports North Facebook page for a chance to win a private cabana at Valleyfair’s Soak City.

Photos:
Anthony LaPanta and Roy Smalley on the Qwest Twins Live set at Valleyfair

(left-right) Vanessa Lambert, Producer; Jeff Byle, Executive Producer; Becky Ross, Communications Manager and Amy Anderson, On-Air presentaion and Marketing Manager

Employee Spotlight: Matt Gangl

Give us a detailed job description of what you do at FOX Sports North
Director: I direct Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Wild games on FOX Sports North. I call the camera shots, and work with the producers, I am the conduit for what gets on the air. My job is to tell stories with camera shots and enhance the viewer’s experience of the games.

Where did you attend school?
St. Cloud State University

What are some of your interests/hobbies?
Spending time with my family, traveling, do it yourself projects, trying to find time to learn to play the guitar.

Who is/are the most influential people in your life?
My family

If I wasn’t doing this job, I would love to…
Work in the movie industry

Tell us something unique or interesting about yourself.
In high school and college I was active in the theater, both on stage and behind the scenes

If you could have one super power, what would it be?
The ability to fly

Media: WCCO Interviews Matt Gangl
Good Question: Why Does Bert Circle People? http://wcco.com/specialreports/circle.me.burt.2.1049272.html

Crystal Clear: Twins in HD

FOX Sports North continues to increase high definition production. 95 of the regional network's 115 Minnesota Twins game schedule is in high-definition for the 2009 season.


Check Out Our Upcoming HD Games:
May 15 at N.Y. Yankees, 6:00 PM
May 16 at N.Y. Yankees, 12:00 PM
May 18 at N.Y. Yankees, 6:00 PM
May 19 at Chicago White Sox, 7:00 PM
May 22 vs. Milwaukee, 7:00 PM
May 23 vs. Milwaukee, 6:10 PM
May 26 vs. Boston, 7:00 PM
May 27 vs. Boston, 7:00 PM
June 2 vs. Cleveland, 7:00 PM
June 3 vs. Cleveland, 7:00 PM
June 8 at Oakland, 9:00 PM
June 9 at Oakland, 9:00 PM

Media: http://www.startribune.com/sports/42508017.html?elr=KArksUUUU
Video: Twins in HD on FOX Sports North promo

North Hits 6,000 Fans on Facebook & Twitter

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve heard a lot about Facebook and Twitter recently. Why? These social networking sites seem to be taking the world by storm. They are the fasting growing online communities and serve as both a news source and a meeting place for family, friends and fans…including sports fans.

FOX Sports North recently started promoting these social networking sites during broadcasts and through marketing and PR initititaves. It is an attempt to attract new online fans after receiving a challenge: Which regional sports network can attract 5,000 combined Facebook fans and Twitter followers first? Not only did North win the challenge, but went above and beyond...with over 6,000 fans and growing.

Current Totals:
Facebook: 4,586 fans
Twitter: 1,831 followers

If you’re not following us on Facebook or Twitter, sign up today!

To learn more about how FOX Sports North is using Facebook & Twitter, check out these features:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn5mIqkWAGY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVK6tGpQpi4

Bert vs. Nightcrawler Raises $15,000 for the Minnesota Parkinson's Association

It started as a casual on-air conversation between Dick and Bert. They were chatting about the Minnesota fishing opener when Dick told Bert he was collecting nightcrawlers to use as bait. It ended in a challenge: Bert vs. Nightcrawler. Bert would eat two nighcrawlers to raise awareness for the Minnesota Parkinson’s Association and Dick and Ron Coomer were both in with $100 donations.

For the next week leading up to the Minnesota fishing opener, FOX Sports North encouraged fans to make donations and show their support for Bert vs. Nightcrawler. The Minnesota Governor even sent his words of encouragement. Bert raised over $15,000 and ate two live nightcrawlers during the Qwest Twins Live pregame show on May 9.

Media: http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/44452017.html?elr=KArksUUUU
To watch the entire feature visit: www.facebook.com / search: FSN North