Dean Blandino Joins FOX Sports as Rules Analyst

Dean Blandino Joins FOX Sports as Rules Analyst
Dean Blandino joins FOX Sports as a rules analyst for the network's college football and NFL coverage in 2017.

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[via press release from FOX Sports]

    

DEAN BLANDINO JOINS FOX SPORTS AS RULES ANALYST
Blandino Reunites With Mike Pereira

NEW YORK, NY - The FOX Sports rules analyst stable has doubled in size. Dean Blandino joins FOX Sports as a rules analyst for the network's college football and NFL coverage in 2017. The announcement was made today by John Entz, President of Production & Executive Producer, FOX Sports.

"Dean is highly respected throughout the NFL," said Entz. "He was inherently transformative in his role at the NFL, leading the officiating team with ensured integrity, and we look forward to having his expertise to turn to this fall."

Blandino is the NFL's former Senior Vice President of Officiating. Together with FOX Sports' lead NFL and college football rules analyst Mike Pereira, Blandino contributes regularly to both FOX Sports' college football and NFL telecasts from in the network's Los Angeles studio, offering his unique insights and interpretation of the rules. Their reunion at FOX marks the second time Blandino and Pereira have joined forces, as the two began working together at the NFL office in 1998.

"Something I've always admired about FOX Sports is their dedication to keeping viewers as informed as possible when it comes to the rules and regulations of the game," Blandino said. "They were the trailblazers in creating this type of position, and I'm excited to now be a part of it."

"It pleases me to no end, and I could not be more thrilled that Dean is joining us at FOX Sports," said Pereira. "He brings a clear expertise to the table which will be valuable to me and to all of us at FOX Sports."

Blandino was first introduced to the world of officiating nearly two and a half decades ago when he was hired as an NFL intern. It was the spark of an illustrious career as he quickly rose to an Instant Replay Official (1999-03), and was selected to work two Super Bowls and two conference championships. As Manager of Instant Replay (2003-07), Blandino oversaw a system upgrade to high definition equipment before entering his role as Director of Officiating (2007-09, 2012-13), in which he served as the No. 2 officer behind Pereira. In 2009, Blandino formed Under the Hood, a company that provides training to instant replay officials serving the NFL and several college football conferences. During his time as Vice President of Officiating (2013-16), Blandino oversaw the NFL's noteworthy full-time hire of line judge Sarah Thomas, the league's first female official in 2015. In departing of his final NFL post as Senior Vice President of Officiating (2017) Blandino was recognized as a man of authenticity, admitting to missed calls on the field, but also defending his officials when accurate calls became controversial.

About FOX Sports
FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing 21st Century FOX's wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FOX Sports includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; FS1, FS2; FOX Sports Regional Networks, their affiliated regional web sites and national programming; FOX Soccer Plus; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, which includes FOXSports.com, FOX Sports GO, Whatifsports.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are FOX's interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network and BTN 2Go, as well as a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.