Here's An Idea: Lose Over Half Of Your On-Air "Talent"

In a shocking development, Fox is looking to -- get this -- cut some production costs on sports.

Fox Sports chairman David Hill confirmed during a conference call ahead of this weekend's Daytona 500 festivities that the network has done some trimming behind the scenes. And it's not just in the NASCAR telecasts; Hill said that the past year and a half has been one where Fox Sports has been looking "minutely at every one of our productions," and that includes the NFL and MLB on Fox.

Travel costs have been cut back and deals with vendors -- when it comes to power, catering and mobile production units -- have been renegotiated. Fox Sports has cut by a day the time that it takes to build its compound. And it has partnered with ESPN to save costs, with the networks hiring the same technicians who work Saturday at Daytona for ESPN and then Sunday for Fox Sports. In the past, there would have been two teams of technicians.

See, kids, the worst economy in our lifetime (assuming you aren't in your low 80s) *does* have a bright side!