Ohio State football fans are in for a major change this upcoming season as FOX Sports prepares to unveil a new and innovative way to experience Buckeye games. As part of the network’s broader push to enhance viewer engagement and adapt to evolving media consumption habits, FOX will introduce an alternative broadcast format specifically tailored for marquee college football matchups, with Ohio State frequently in the spotlight.
The initiative, internally dubbed the “FOX Fusion Broadcast,” will debut during the 2025 season and aims to blend traditional game coverage with cutting-edge technology, interactive features, and new on-screen talent. This alternative broadcast experience will be available simultaneously with the standard FOX Sports broadcast but will cater to a younger, more digitally engaged audience. Ohio State games, given their consistently high ratings and national relevance, have been chosen as the flagship matchups for this new broadcast offering.
At the core of this new approach is an enhanced second-screen experience. Viewers will be able to access real-time stats, predictive analytics, and player tracking data presented in an easy-to-understand format. By leveraging augmented reality (AR) and next-gen camera angles, FOX plans to provide deeper insight into play development, formations, and individual performances — giving fans a behind-the-scenes look that was previously reserved for coaches and insiders.
In addition to the tech upgrades, the “Fusion Broadcast” will feature a rotating panel of analysts, including former players, digital creators, and even current college athletes (in compliance with NCAA guidelines). This panel will provide a more conversational, entertainment-focused layer to the coverage. For Ohio State games, the panel is expected to include at least one former Buckeye player, ensuring authentic perspectives that resonate with the fanbase.
Another standout feature of the new broadcast format is its interactivity. Viewers watching via the FOX Sports app or compatible smart TVs will have the ability to vote in live polls, ask questions to analysts, and even choose between different camera feeds — including all-22 angles, player cams, and sideline views. FOX is banking on this user-driven approach to draw in fans who are used to the customization and participation that platforms like Twitch and YouTube Live offer.
From a production standpoint, the new broadcast is a significant investment for FOX. Special broadcast teams have been assembled with expertise in both sports journalism and interactive media, and a dedicated control room is being constructed in Los Angeles to manage the layered, multi-stream nature of the broadcasts. Ohio State’s status as one of college football’s premier programs made it an obvious choice for piloting this technology-heavy presentation.
Fans attending games at Ohio Stadium will also see changes. FOX is working in tandem with Ohio State to integrate the Fusion Broadcast elements into the in-stadium experience. Screens around the stadium will display real-time data and interactive fan content being submitted by viewers at home, creating a unified gameday environment that blurs the line between physical and digital attendance.
This evolution comes as broadcasters across the industry explore new formats to retain viewership, particularly among younger fans who often consume sports content via social media snippets and mobile apps rather than full-length traditional broadcasts. FOX’s move echoes recent innovations by other major networks, such as ESPN’s alternate telecasts and Nickelodeon’s kid-friendly NFL broadcasts, but is expected to be the most immersive offering yet at the college level.
The Big Ten Conference, which recently entered into a historic media rights deal with FOX, CBS, and NBC, has fully endorsed the idea, seeing it as a way to elevate the brand of its member institutions. For Ohio State, which already enjoys one of the largest and most passionate fanbases in college sports, this is another step toward solidifying its place as a leader in the modern era of college athletics.
While some traditionalists may prefer the classic broadcast format, FOX has been clear that this new model is an option — not a replacement. The hope is that the Fusion Broadcast can coexist with the conventional telecast, offering something for every kind of fan.
As the season approaches, expectations are high, and FOX is betting big that the future of college football broadcasting will be more interactive, personalized, and data-driven. For Ohio State fans, that future begins this fall — with a front-row seat to the next generation of sports viewing.
