It has been decided that the sports news program &#8220;Sport!&#8221; once broadcast on the Fuji Television network will be revived starting this spring.
&#8220;&#8216;Sport!&#8217; was a long-running program that aired from 2001 to 2016. The motivation for launching the program was that viewers began seeking information on various major sports, including soccer, and the predecessor &#8216;Pro Baseball News&#8217; couldn&#8217;t fully address their needs. On Mondays when there were no baseball games, they always featured international soccer specials, among other creative efforts, to establish consistent viewership.&#8221; (Source: Fuji TV insider)
<figure id="attachment_355663" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 3861px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-355663"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d75e27d7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/01/aae5dd6f0bc34b74beb9b7e963f93c19.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-355663" class="wp-caption-text">Will the resurgence of popular programs lead sports coverage?</figcaption></figure>
However, due to the ongoing economic downturn and a decrease in advertising expenditures, cost-cutting measures were required, leading to the discontinuation of &#8220;Sport!&#8221;.
&#8220;Currently, the role of a sports news program is being fulfilled by &#8216;S-PARK,&#8217; which airs on weekends. However, despite being on the air for five years, it lacks recognition among athletes and sports-related individuals. Even when requesting interviews, there are still instances of being asked, &#8216;What program is that?&#8217; Last year, during the camp coverage before the WBC, star players like Shohei Ohtani (29) were reportedly unaware of the existence of &#8216;S-PARK.&#8217;
Even staff from professional baseball teams have made sarcastic remarks, saying, &#8216;There used to be good sports news programs like Pro Baseball News and Sport! on Fuji, right?&#8217; This year, with the Paris Olympics, there is heightened attention on sports, making it an opportune time to revive the familiar Sport! that the public was accustomed to.&#8221; (Same source)
In the past, Fuji Television&#8217;s sports program MCs produced popular female announcers one after another, enhancing the station&#8217;s brand image.
&#8220;As for the announcers who rose to fame through Sport!, Uchida Kyoko (47) and Hirai Rio (41) are well-known. In the process of reviving the program, the production team is reportedly looking for a caster with a background in athletics. While S-PARK features several former athletes like Fujikawa Kyuji (43), considering the predominantly male viewership, it&#8217;s essential to include former female athletes. A standout candidate is the recently retired female figure skater, Honda Marin (22). In the past, Fuji TV&#8217;s affiliate station, Kansai Telecasting Corporation (Kantele), appointed her younger sister, Honda Miyu (19), as an assistant for a sports program. The station has a longstanding relationship with broadcasting the All Japan Figure Skating Championships, and the sisters have a good rapport. Whether announcers like Sakuma Minami (26) and Matsuzaki Ryoka (24) will continue or if there will be a shift during the fall lineup remains uncertain. Sakuma&#8217;s proficiency in languages, particularly her ability to interview foreign athletes, might keep her going until the Olympics, but there could be a generational change in the autumn reshuffling.&#8221; (Another Fuji insider)
Executives from affiliated stations also state, &#8220;We welcome the opportunity to work with a program with a positive image.&#8221; Will Fuji&#8217;s last-ditch effort prove effective in the competitive Olympic year?

 The sports news program "Suport! will be revived this spring. Behind this, there seems to be a slump in the sports programs currently on air. ......

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