Jim Fox talks broadcasting; Kings Weekly debuts October 9

The Los Angeles Kings television broadcast schedule began with Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks and will continue on KCOP-13 Friday evening from Las Vegas as the Kings face the New York Rangers as part of Frozen Fury at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Following the season-opening swing through St. Paul, Minnesota and Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Kings will return home to face the New York Rangers for the home opener on Monday, October 7 and the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, October 9. Following the October 9 game, Alex Curry will host the debut of Kings Weekly, a show that covers pertinent Kings news while highlighting the personalities within the team’s locker room. Kings Weekly will be broadcast on nearly every Thursday throughout the season, with the full schedule listed below.

Jim Fox has served as the Kings’ television color commentator since 1990-91 and began 24th season of broadcasting National Hockey League games on Tuesday.

To gain some perspective on his approach to beginning a new season, as well as working with Sean O’Donnell, the club’s Manager, Fan Development and Alumni Relations and a new member of FOX Sports West’s broadcast team, I spoke with Fox at the Toyota Sports Center on Wednesday morning.

LA Kings Insider: For the first broadcast of the season, do you treat the broadcast as you would any regular season game, or are there particular aspects of broadcasting that you may work or focus on, similar to the way the players use preseason games?

Jim Fox: For me at this point, I think it’s just like any other game, although the themes are completely different. For instance, this year I just talked to most guys about anything they did differently in training during the summer, and then I also focused with Kings management on what I would consider the ‘bubble guys.’ So once the preseason goes by, those aren’t necessarily usable stories. So the focus is a little bit different. But the format, and how the broadcast unfolds, seems to be pretty familiar to me now.

LAKI: Do you have any particular joy for the first broadcast of the season, being that you haven’t broadcast a game since the spring?

JF: The approach I take is trying to have the best and most informative broadcast I can have. I don’t really look at it as a new season. I look at it as I’m expected to communicate with the fans, and I want to give them as much as possible, so I don’t really look at it that way. I will tell you – and I’ve said it before – it’s something that comes with personalities of coaches. Darryl Sutter, being around the team and the room, especially on game days, gets me prepared more so like I was a player. I just feel the intensity that he brings, and although it’s not how I am evaluated, I come into every game now believing the Kings can win, and it’s a different feeling. I actually like it, because it makes me feel like I was a player again. There’s no competition for me now, which is something you miss when you’re no longer a player. But it’s the closest I’ve felt this way since I started broadcasting.

LAKI: How did Sean O’Donnell fare in his first broadcast of the season?

JF: Well, Sean has some experience. He’s worked at other levels before in the business, different channels. He is extremely comfortable on camera. I don’t think he has any difficulty that way. I don’t think he gets too nervous, although I assume there are some nerves initially because it’s a new start in a new place for TV for him. But I think he has always just as a person been a levelheaded person, and I think that will come across in the broadcast where he will be able to very constructively get his point across.

Full 2013-14 Broadcast Schedule
Kings All-Time Broadcasters
FOX Sports West Kings Live Season Preview

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